Sensors Expo speaker explains how to extract value from MEMS and sensors

San Jose, CA. “Get connected!” That was the message from Steve Whalley, chief strategy officer of the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group, speaking June 23 at Sensors Expo. The group, established in 2001, “…connects and champions the MEMS and sensors supply chain in established and emerging markets.” The group, he said, has nearly 200 members and partners.

Whalley listed the top 30 MEMS companies, with Robert Bosch, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, Avago Technologies, Hewlett Packard, and Qorvo taking up the top spots. As for MEMS applications areas, he sees double-digit CAGR for mobile, medical, and wired communications.

Looking toward the future, Whalley emphasized the trillion sensor (TSensor) vision and said flexible/printed technologies are showing promise. He cited IDTechEx forecasts that the total market for printed, flexible, and organic electronics will grow from $26.54 billion in 2016 to $69.03 billion in 2026. In addition, he said, purely printed solutions are emerging, large-area electronics are coming, and big-sensor-array data fusion will rely on deep learning.

Whalley cited several opportunities. A world population reaching 9.6 billion by 2050 will drive demand for sensors in the food-agricultural sector. He cited in particular the “Internet of Tomatoes” project to monitor the quality of tomatoes noninvasively.

Other opportunities, he said, lie in environmental and pollution monitoring, unobtrusive personal health monitoring, and clean energy and energy harvesting.

He concluded by emphasizing, “…know your supply chain…” and “…know your algorithms and sensor-fusion options.”

Visit www.memsindustrygroup.org for more information.