Microelectronics and microengineering: the technology combination of the future

The technology for complete integration of transducers, electronic measurement system and actuators on a single chip already exists, though microengineering is still in its infancy and development of a complete system on a chip will pass through a logical sequence. First generation systems will likely consist of separate sensor, actuator and electronic chips perhaps mounted in the same header. Sensors with some on board electronics have already been demonstrated and complete system chips will be developed in the forseeable future