Available as sensors, actuators, or mechanical structures, microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS) constitute one of technology's hottest growth markets. Two applications alone consumed some 30 million MEMS devices in 1996: airbag accelerometers and disposable blood-pressure transducers. Why such interest? Because MEMS can be mass produced using batch technology, they offer low cost; non-moving parts operation makes them reliable; and MEMS are versatile-their small size solves problems across any number of industries, as illustrated by the following examples.
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