An Updated Report Card on the Barriers to the Commercialization of MEMS and Nanotechnology: Lessons to be Learned from the Semiconductor Industry

摘要

As one can see, the MEMS/MST industry has made significant advances in overcoming commercialization barriers since the first report card was published in 1998. While a number of grades have changed over the past 12 months, the overall grade remains as it was in 2004 at a B. Many lessons have and still need to be learned from the semiconductor industry (as well as other industries). It is interesting to note that education continues generation after generation, today education opportunities abound in the nanotechnology industry from its big brother, the MEMS/MST industry. The author strongly recommends that people interested in the commercialization of nanotechnology become students of the progress of both semiconductors and MEMS. To quote a popular author, George Santayana in his book, The Age of Reason (1908-1910)... "Those who forget the past are condemned to relive it".