MEMS market expected to take off
By Bolaji Ojo
EBN
(08/27/02 02:18 p.m. EST)
After holding steady in 2001, the market for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is expected to surge almost 200% over the next three years as sharply lower component prices drive volume sales and several end markets expand their use of the products.
In a report released today, Peripheral Research Corp., Santa Barbara, Calif., said the MEMS market will grow to $11 billion in 2005 from between $3.7 billion and $3.8 billion in 2001, even as average sensor prices decline sharply in 2005 to $1 from $10 in 2001.
The primary driver for the rapid expansion of MEMS remains the automotive industry, where manufacturers, especially automotive companies pushing to comply with new regulations for tire sensors, are deploying a wide range of MEMS products.
In 2001, automotive accounted for about 37% of the MEMS market with sales of between $1.2 billion and $1.4 billion, according to Dennis Waid, president of Peripheral Research.
“A lot of the growth in the MEMS market is being driven by the automotive sector,” Waid said. “The three key growth areas are in optical switching, biomedics, and automotive.”
Other areas where MEMS are being introduced include image sensors, digital TV products, game controllers, and data storage.
Waid said he expects Analog Devices Inc. and Motorola Inc., which now dominate the MEMS market, to increase their market share in coming years. |
