Micromechanical Devices

Abstract

The miniaturization of mechanical systems, and more specifically micromechanical devices, promise new opportunities in many biomedical applications because of their specific characteristics. These micromechanical devices are much smaller, lighter, faster (e.g., higher resonant frequency), and often more precise or sensitive than their macroscopic counterparts. In particular, micromechanical devices present opportunities in assisting in diagnostic, surgical, and therapeutic applications. Micromechanical devices are also often referred to as micro‐electromechanical systems (MEMS) when combined with electronics, and when conceived for a particular biotechnology‐based application, they are often referred to as bioMEMS (bio‐micro‐electromechanical systems). Today, micromechanical devices exist in many environments such as automotive, consumer, industrial, aerospace, and biomedical. Biomedical applications for micromechanical devices are an area that is forecast to experience substantial growth. An example is the implantable and disposable blood pressure sensor, one of the earliest bioMEMS applications, which continues to grow. MEMS‐based lab‐on‐a‐chip for point‐of‐care diagnostics on a patient is another promising application in biomedical where the time and cost associated with conventional methods can be reduced significantly. Of particular interest in the biomedical field are micromechanical devices such as microtransducers in the form of micromechanical sensors and micromechanical actuators including micromotors.