The current, rapidly increasing use of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), the advent of an Internet of Things (IoT) and the interactive role these technologies will play in healthcare going forward will likely change the world as we know it.
That’s a bold statement. But we believe that it is supported by current market and technology trends and the quality and scale of benefits MEMS and IoT will bring to healthcare. Is there work to be done to realize this vision? Of course, and work is proceeding apace on many fronts, particularly in standards, low-power applications and data quality and security, to name a few.
In this blog, we’ll lay out our thinking on these topics, how they interrelate and provide a few ideas to spark the imagination of medical device designers.
What Are MEMS?
MEMS are miniature devices composed of integrated mechanical and electrical components that sense the physical properties of their surroundings, record and/or transmit that data and can behave as actuators to affect their environment. MEMS are already integral to highly functional, everyday technologies from smart phones, tablets, laptops, printers and wearables to pacemakers and blood pressure measurements in IV lines and catheters.
The list of existing uses is long and extends to tiny microphones, cameras, robots – even deep-sea submersibles scouring the ocean depths and the rovers now traveling on Mars. The list of possible uses is infinite, limited only by the imagination. But their use in nearly every vertical industry is either happening now or can be anticipated in the near future, including medical devices, security, telecommunications, civil aeronautics and military aerospace, data processing, industrial automation and manufacturing – you name it.
The MEMS Market
Two leading, third-party market analysis and forecasting firms have documented MEMS’ hockey stick growth since the beginning of this decade, when this technology began being integrated into consumer devices. The firm IHS documented an approximately $6 billion annual global market each year as the first decade of the 21st century came to a close. The market has exploded since 2010 to this year’s expected $10 billion annual global sales. IHS forecasts a 10 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for MEMS applications for medical uses, consumer electronics, mobile and wired communications, and a 6.5 percent CAGR across all MEMS uses. The market analysis firm Yole Développement forecasts a nearly $15 billion annual global market for all MEMS uses this year and well above $25 billion by 2020.
The Role of MEMS in Healthcare
Clearly, consumer applications are driving the fastest growth. Among consumer uses, medical applications of MEMS technology are likely to be among the fastest growing and, by definition, the most intimate to us all.
These technologies hold the promise of early detection and timely treatment of incipient illnesses such as breast cancer. MEMS-enabled medical technologies likely will allow portability of treatment, such as dialysis machines, giving patients mobility and quality-of-life rather than lengthy hospital stays or repeated visits. MEMS-enabled devices may dispense medications directly into the body, providing timely, accurate treatment.
Enter: The Internet of Things (IoT)
As thought provoking as these particular applications are, many clearly rely on connecting to a secure network so the data they produce can be analyzed and used to optimize treatment. The ultimate network may well turn out to be the IoT, which holds the promise of interconnecting our world on a vast, almost unimaginable scale. In the IoT, potentially billions of devices – and the people they serve – may benefit from cloud-based, timely analysis, optimization and intervention.
Obviously, when our bodies – the most intimate aspect of our existence – are interconnected with a vast network, the sensors, multi-path data flows on the network, analyses, and resulting actions must be of the highest integrity. “Things” connected to the IoT must talk to each other and interoperate safely and securely. Central to this interoperability is standards.
The Role of Standards
Standards typically are driven by commercial interests that recognize the role standards play in interoperability and interoperability’s value in producing economies of scale and growing markets.MEMS Industry Group (MIG) plays a key role in all these pursuits. MIG was founded in 2001 to connect participants in the supply chain, including device designers, device producers, sensor and equipment suppliers, foundries and end-users with local, regional and global markets. Today, more than 180 companies and partners have joined our efforts.
Frankly, the MEMS industry has matured with respect to the need for standards. Its early, precocious growth has given way to a longer, global view. The need for interoperability, documented performance standards and well-defined protocols has led MIG to work with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the IEEE Standards Association. The IEEE 2700 Standard for Sensor Performance Parameter Definitions, for instance, was approved and published in June 2014. This was a significant step towards unambiguously defining sensor performance. IEEE will host future work to develop sensor testing procedures that will be industry specific. Stakeholders from pertinent industries – e.g., medical, automotive, defense and consumer electronics – are encouraged to actively participate.
In recognition of the promise of and rapid growth in MEMS’ role in healthcare, MIG has formed theMEMS in Healthcare Interest Group. We welcome new members with any role in the supply chain, including the medical device design world and those who understand the role of standards in growing markets. The benefits of doing so are obvious: being involved provides not only a means to keep abreast of current developments and future directions in this burgeoning domain, but a real opportunity to help shape the future.
