How MEMS are shaping our future

Welcome aboard to the thrilling world of mechanical engineering. In this edition of Mechanical, we discover how MEMS technology impacts industries by integrating tiny mechanical and electronic components to enhance everything from smartphones to healthcare devices.

Explore groundbreaking engineering innovations, including the first-ever 5G-enabled telerobotic surgery performed from thousands of miles away and the construction of 3D-printed earthquake-resistant homes.

Join us as we uncover how these microscopic marvels and other cutting-edge technologies work.

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

🩺 Chinese doctor performs ‘world’s 1st’ robotic surgery 5,000 miles away
A doctor seated 8000 km away in Rome performs a landmark 5G-enabled telerobotic surgery in Bejing. 

🏠 Home 3D printed in just 5 days can survive Richter 7 earthquakes
BM partners make an extra-strong concrete house using one of COBOD’s BOD2 models, which also built Europe’s largest data center.

🧲 UK firm makes rare earth element-free magnet 200 times faster with AI
Materials Nexus is trying to make novel materials that have the potential to replace existing rare earth materials.

🖥️ Hybrid Cooling Could Cut Data Center Energy Use
Using capillary and mechanical pumping reduces heat from computer data centers.

🚀 Helium Leaks and Thruster Fails: Boeing Starliner’s High-Stakes Docking Drama
257 miles above the South Pacific Ocean, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, with NASA astronauts, approaches the ISS for docking.

SPOTLIGHT

MEMS: Engineering on a Microscopic Scale

Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) are another technological marvel of modern man. They integrate mechanical elements, sensors, actuators, and electronics on a microscopic scale through intricate microfabrication techniques, where tiny devices ranging between 1 and 100 micrometers are integrated into silicon chips. MEMS technology encompasses Microsystems Technology (MST) or micromachines. It represents our progress from traditional macro-scale engineering to making sophisticated multipurpose miniature devices capable of functioning with high accuracy.

MEMS devices have both mechanical and electronic components. They play a crucial role in our everyday lives and contribute to the completion of various industrial applications in sectors such as automotive, industrial control, medical technologies, and consumer electronics.

Accelerometers are used in smartphone orientation sensing and MEMS devices we interact with daily. Some standard MEMS devices are pressure sensors in medical catheters, gyroscopes in automotive airbags, and optical switches in telecommunications.

The principle of MEMS technology revolves around different transduction mechanisms that convert physical signals to electrical signals and vice versa. This capability allows MEMS devices to interact with their surrounding environment. Electrostatic comb drives are popular in silicon-based MEMS. They use mechanical motion between parallel plates to generate an electrical signal or electrical signals to create mechanical movement.

Due to their small size, MEMS devices consume significantly less power. This is crucial for battery-operated devices like mobile phones and wearable technology. Their high scalability manufacturing process allows for mass production at significantly lower costs. Moreover, in fields requiring precise and rapid responsiveness, MEMS technologies can help achieve high frequencies for operations such as signal processing and control systems.

Various challenges are associated with the development of MEMS technologies. Some of them are the initial costs for research, development, and setting up fabrication facilities. The assembly and testing of microdevices also require highly precise and expensive equipment. Nevertheless, the vast benefits and future potential applications of MEMS easily justify the high initial investment.

A positive future can be anticipated for this technology, as MEMS are increasingly becoming integral to technological advancements. New functions and applications of MEMS will continue to emerge with the expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous driving, and artificial intelligence. These developments can drive MEMS industry growth in the coming years.

Check out how grain-sized microbatteries can help these microsystems function optimally in the micro world.

MechTech Innovations

How metalenses are redefining optics

Metalenses is a breakthrough pioneered by Harvard University's physicist Federico Capasso and his team. Unlike traditional lenses made from polished glass or crystal, metalenses utilize billions of nano-pillars to focus light.

They reshape optical technology by leveraging Fermat's principle to manipulate light waves efficiently. This innovative approach promises to effectively improve imaging technology by providing lighter, more durable lenses that endure harsh conditions.

Joon-Suh Park, a postdoctoral fellow in Capasso’s team, has made recent advancements to this innovation by making these lenses grow to practical sizes using CMOS foundry technology, such as a 10-centimeter diameter lens.

This size increase allows for broader applications such as capturing detailed images from astronomical events or everyday consumer electronics uses. A robust construction technique essentially enhances the resilience of these lenses.

They are made from a single slab of fused silica, which allows them to withstand temperatures ranging from -200 °C to 200 °C without sustaining damage.

This technological leap enhances the functionality of lenses and integrates them with chips and sensors within the same manufacturing ecosystem. It streamlines production and opens up new possibilities for devices like smartphones and space telescopes.

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

😈 The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
This is a surreal blend of fantasy, romance, and political satire set in Soviet Russia. The narrative follows the story of the Devil visiting the atheistic Soviet Union in a masterfully chaotic plot.

⚙️ Clockwork Universe: Isaac Newton, the Royal Society, and the Birth of the Modern World by Edward Dolnick 
This book explores the origins of mechanical engineering and modern science in the 17th century. It follows the lives and discoveries of pioneering scientists and engineers like Isaac Newton.

🔥 Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
Annihilation is the first book of the Southern Reach Trilogy. This psychological thriller explores ecological horror and follows a journey into a sealed-off, mysterious zone known as Area X.

🏙️ Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
This true biographical novel tells the author’s own tale. It follows the story of an escaped Australian convict who finds a new life in Bombay's underworld.

🔩 507 Mechanical Movements: Mechanisms and Devices by Henry T. Brown
This classic compendium has been beloved by engineers worldwide for over’ a century. It features illustrations and descriptions of mechanical movements and devices along with their historical context.