Nov 25 2009

ST & OMRON – MEMS Microphones for CE

Published by at 7:16 pm under Uncategorized

ST Microelectronics followed up discussions on the MEMS marketplace at the MEMS Executive Congress with their major technology partnering announcement with OMRON today.  ST has been a long time leader in MEMS technology and supplier to the CE space.  Their technology agreement with OMRON bring advanced sensor technology and audio/acoustic expertise to the ST Micro manufacturing program to produce high performance MEMS microphones.
Traditionally, cells phone, laptops and other voice capturing CE device use electret condenser microphones (ECM) based on performance and price point. New portable electronic devices and health care electronics are running into EMI, mechanical vibration and temperature sensitivity issues.  The new MEMS microphones will enable both the performance and price point (under $1USD in high volume including control electronics) for these applications.  According to iSupply, the market is growing at 18% per year and should be over 1 billion pieces by 2013.
The MEMS market is currently fed by both IDMs and a large fabless supply chain.  There are major growth areas in this market and the big players are leading the way.  Benedetto Vigna, Group Vice President and General Manager of MEMS and Healthcare Division, STMicroelectronics said “This market can explode only with big and long-term committed suppliers, operating their own leading-edge MEMS fabs. Working together with our Japanese friends, we’ll drive the microphone market growth as we have done in motion sensors.”
The technology partnership has been in progress and will product samples of a single package with the OMRON MEMS sensor with the ST electronics by the end of 2009.  “OMRON is ready to support ST in shortening product development cycles and time-to-volume for high-performance, cost-competitive silicon acoustic devices, accelerating the growth of the MEMS market and the development of new application areas such as voice-enabled gaming, automotive voice systems, acoustic sensors for industry and security applications, and medical telemetry,” said Yoshio Sekiguchi, General Manager of Micro Devices Division, Micro Devices Business Development H.Q., OMRON Corporation.
The MEMS and health care products markets are two of the high growth areas for the near future.  This announcement is indicative of the repositioning and partnering that will be taking place in the supply chain to best take advantage of the worldwide business climate.
PC

ST Microelectronics followed up discussions on the MEMS marketplace at the MEMS Executive Congress with their major technology partnering announcement with OMRON today.  ST has been a long time leader in MEMS technology and supplier to the CE space.  Their technology agreement with OMRON bring advanced sensor technology and audio/acoustic expertise to the ST Micro manufacturing program to produce high performance MEMS microphones.

Traditionally, cells phone, laptops and other voice capturing CE device use electret condenser microphones (ECM) based on performance and price point. New portable electronic devices and health care electronics are running into EMI, mechanical vibration and temperature sensitivity issues.  The new MEMS microphones will enable both the performance and price point (under $1USD in high volume including control electronics) for these applications.  According to iSupply, the market is growing at 18% per year and should be over 1 billion pieces by 2013.

The MEMS market is currently fed by both IDMs and a large fabless supply chain.  There are major growth areas in this market and the big players are leading the way.  Benedetto Vigna, Group Vice President and General Manager of MEMS and Healthcare Division, STMicroelectronics said “This market can explode only with big and long-term committed suppliers, operating their own leading-edge MEMS fabs. Working together with our Japanese friends, we’ll drive the microphone market growth as we have done in motion sensors.”

The technology partnership has been in progress and will product samples of a single package with the OMRON MEMS sensor with the ST electronics by the end of 2009.  “OMRON is ready to support ST in shortening product development cycles and time-to-volume for high-performance, cost-competitive silicon acoustic devices, accelerating the growth of the MEMS market and the development of new application areas such as voice-enabled gaming, automotive voice systems, acoustic sensors for industry and security applications, and medical telemetry,” said Yoshio Sekiguchi, General Manager of Micro Devices Division, Micro Devices Business Development H.Q., OMRON Corporation.

The MEMS and health care products markets are two of the high growth areas for the near future.  This announcement is indicative of the repositioning and partnering that will be taking place in the supply chain to best take advantage of the worldwide business climate.

PC

No responses yet

Trackback URI | Comments RSS

Leave a Reply