Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have a wide range of applications in the semiconductor, bio, and environmental sectors, but are particularly revolutionising healthcare and biotechnology. This technology is making a big difference in a small world, and will play an important role in the future in more sophisticated diagnostics and treatments, environmental monitoring, and more.

MEMS, tiny machines making small worlds

When looking at the development of modern science and technology, there are two opposing trends. One is hyper-scale, the tendency to maximise energy and create ever larger structures or systems. For example, the development of super-sized buildings, ships, planes, trains, etc. is rapidly advancing along with the economic interaction of countries around the world, and this development can be easily observed in our daily lives. The development of megastructures has been driven by the human desire to utilise limited space more efficiently, which has led to the rise of sky-high skyscrapers in big cities like New York, Tokyo, and Shanghai.
Another trend is miniaturisation – technological innovations in the invisibly small world, such as the semiconductor industry and nanotechnology, that attempt to pack more information into a smaller space and do things through ever-smaller mechanical devices. This miniaturisation is playing an important role in our invisible world, and its applications are being explored in a variety of fields.
For example, in the film Island, there’s a scene where a number of tiny robots emerge from a pill the protagonist takes to explore and gather information inside his body. While this may seem like the stuff of science fiction, modern science is already on the verge of making this imagination a reality. In 2007, the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), part of the US Department of Defence, announced a project called HI-MEMS. HI-MEMS stands for Hybrid Insect Micro-Electromechanical Systems, a project to create cyborg insects that can be controlled by humans by combining insects and micro-mechanical devices. It was a revolutionary attempt to turn insects into tiny cyborgs that can be controlled by inserting tiny electronic chips into them.
The key technology used in this project is Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS). MEMS are micro-electromechanical systems, which are electromechanical devices so small that they are invisible to our eyes. This technology is also closely related to semiconductor technology in Korea, which mainly focuses on handling tiny electrical signals. If semiconductor technology is a technology that processes small electrical signals, MEMS is a technology that converts those signals into a form that can be used practically by humans.

Principles and applications of MEMS

MEMS technology processes electronic signals in a very small world and converts those signals into physical motion. For example, oscilloscopes, which are used to measure electrical signals in the lab, use MEMS technology to help us see tiny electrical signals visually. The MEMS devices embedded in the oscilloscope amplify the tiny signals so that the experimenter can see the results.
This type of MEMS technology is also gaining traction in the bio, or life, technology field. Called Bio-MEMS, this technology is used to manipulate microscopic units of life, such as cells or DNA. For example, MEMS can be used to store vast amounts of DNA information on a single chip, or to analyse tiny amounts of biomaterial in the lab. There are also endless possibilities for MEMS in the medical field. The idea of tiny medical machines travelling inside the human body to diagnose or treat diseases is no longer just the stuff of science fiction films. MEMS technology will enable doctors to perform more precise and effective diagnoses and treatments.

MEMS and our future

MEMS technology has applications in a variety of fields, including life sciences, semiconductors, and nanotechnology, and the possibilities continue to expand. Combined with biotechnology, MEMS technology has great potential, especially in the medical field. In the future, tiny robots will be able to roam freely through blood vessels, enabling new ways of treatment and diagnosis that traditional diagnostic equipment cannot.
MEMS also has applications in environmental technology. Tiny sensors can be used to detect air or water pollution and collect data in real time to better diagnose and respond to environmental issues. These technologies will be utilised in factories, cities, and even homes, contributing to environmental protection and energy conservation.
In conclusion, MEMS is positioning itself as a key technology that is making a big difference in a small world. From the electronic devices we use every day, to medical, life sciences, and environmental technologies, MEMS are becoming increasingly important. As MEMS technology advances in the future, our lives will become even more innovative and convenient.