The MEMS 2008 conference just ended. It was held in Tucson this year and featured presentations and exhibits about all things to do with Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, which for some reason is usually acronymized as MEMS.These are the folks who build tiny things like strain guages for dragonfly wings & 8mm high joysticks and such.
This year’s program included Mehmet Toner of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Biomicroelectromechanical Systems (BioMEMS) Resource Center speaking about the CTC (Circulating Tumor Cells) microfluidic chip that he helped to develop. Dr. Toner’s chip helps to detect the very low levels of CTCs and so guide diagnosis and treatment…a tiny solution for a large problem.
Chip could aid cancer detection – Boston Globe, December 31, 2009
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Indeed, microchips are probably the key to the most accurate diagnoses in the future.
What would you use an 8mm joystick for? I’m intrigued by the prospect.