As the utilization of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) continues to grow across various industry sectors, commercial successes like the use of STMicroelectronics’ PCR chips in drug delivery; Boehringer Ingelheim’s success with MEMS-based inhalers; and the microfluidic chips used in Abbott’s blood gas analyzers are helping to drive a growing demand for MEMS devices in the medical market.
A strong uptake in consumer and mobile devices is expected to drive the market for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) to solid revenue growth in 2013, with breakthroughs in new sensor applications also expected this year, according to insights from the IHS iSuppli MEMS service at information and analytics provider IHS.
By the numbers:
Overall revenue in 2013 for MEMS sensors and actuators is forecast to reach $9.09 billion, up 8.1 percent from $8.41 billion last year. This year’s expansion is perceptibly higher than the 6.1 percent increase of 2012. Growth during the next two years will be even more robust, at double-digit increases. By 2017, MEMS revenue will amount to some $12.21 billion, up more than 50 percent from 2011 levels.
A portion of that growth will come from the medical electronics market, where the mainstay applications comprise drug discovery chips, disposable invasive blood pressure catheters, drug infusion, balloon inflation and kidney dialysis. “These markets are relatively stable and, for this industry, relatively high-volume,” says Richard Dixon, principal analyst MEMS and sensors for IHS iSuppli in Munich, Germany.