Biomedical MEMS research at the University of Minnesota

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology has often been characterized as an enabling technology. As MEMS technology expands with improved designs, refined processes, and extension to materials beyond standard silicon substrates, opportunities for applications in new research areas are growing rapidly. Beyond the pressure sensors, there are many possibilities in research fields such as biology, agriculture, and veterinary and human medicine. Over the past two years, the Microtechnology Laboratory at the University of Minnesota has been cultivating a research program based on applying MEMS to biomedical and medical situations. The program was motivated by a fruitful series of discussions between MEMS researchers from the engineering disciplines and faculty from medical school departments such as Urology, Surgery and Laboratory Medicine and Pathology. These discussions brought forth several possible applications of traditional MEMS technology to problems faced by these researchers, such as specialized small surgical tools. The process of implementing a program of bringing these possible applications to reality has been a difficult and rewarding one. In this talk we will give a historical view of development of the program. Some of the topics that will be discussed include: the unique problems faced by researchers from such disparate disciplines working collaboratively, funding, organization and management, and interaction with industry