SEMICON West Wrap-Up

Chivonne & Monica say, "Thanks for a great time at SEMICON West!"

Chivonne & Monica say, “Thanks for a great time at SEMICON West!”

Two weeks ago, MIG had a wonderful time at SEMICON West, participating in a variety of constructive and gratifying industry-focused networking opportunities.  The Jam-packed event saw both MIG and its members engage in everything from demonstrations to cocktail receptions.

Over 30 member companies exhibited on the show floor, showing off their latest in equipment, materials, packaging solutions, design automation tools, foundry services, product development and R&D, while still more members busied themselves with private appointments off of the show floor.

MIG welcomed increased traffic at our booth, showing just how relevant MEMS has become, while reinforcing why an industry association is the key to connecting to partners to increase business opportunities. The MIG team enthusiastically spoke about the benefits of joining MEMS Industry Group while promoting our members to interested individuals.

SEMI hosted their traditional MEMS content entitled, “Next Generation MEMS”, on Tuesday, July 8th.  This content featured all MIG member and partner companies, including Yole Développement, Qulacomm, Silex Microsystems, GE Global Research, Si-Ware, SolMateS, NIST and EV Group. Shared content emphasized new challenges and opportunities for the MEMS supply chain to meet the needs of the expanding range of mobile devices, wearables and smart objects in the Internet of Things.

MIG also hosted its increasingly-popular cocktail party at Restaurant Lulu on Wednesday night, July 9th.  With over 300 people in attendance, it was THE place to be for MIG members to meet and network.

MIG would like to thank our Platinum Sponsor Plan Optik and Bronze Sponsors C2MI, Expertech and Oxford Instruments for making SEMICON West and the cocktail party possible. If you want to relive the memories or are curious about what you missed, be sure to check out photos from the event.

MEMS Executive Congress Europe

By Karen Lightman, Managing Director, MEMS Industry Group

“MEMS is only limited by the imagination” was the title of the opening keynote presented by ST’s Carmelo Papa at MEMS Executive Congress Europe and in many ways this phrase perfectly summarizes the conference itself. All of the speakers on our four panels  – industrial, biomedical/Quality of Life (QoL), automotive and consumer – as well as our keynotes – all conveyed that frontier feeling that MEMS can truly change the world. Sure we have some challenges to overcome (biggest being packaging), but the potential of having MEMS (frickin’) everywhere is a very tangible reality, if any of the predictions of MEMS Executive Congress Europe come true.

Thankfully the numerous press who attended the Congress Europe have already done an impressive job of highlighting the panelists’ and keynotes’ more technical points – please refer to our Congress press coverage for the growing list of stories.  So instead of retelling you who said what regarding what ISO qualification, I’ll use this blog to give you the more colorful side of the Congress (shocking disclosure, I know).  And speaking of color, MIG’s Monica Takacs did a great job of capturing the Congress in pictures and we’ve posted them on our Flickr site; you will want to check it out.

I am going to share with you my favorite quotes, saving my favorite for last. I’ll start with the one by our opening keynote, Carmelo Papa. When Carmelo was talking “off the ST script” his adorable Italian personality was a lot of fun. Like when he said that he couldn’t reveal ST’s biggest customer “even under torture,” but he’d give us some hints: “it is green, and delicious to eat.” What a great way to describe Apple.  I also liked how he described MEMS as the “mouse for portable devices” as it enables a new realm of gesture.

My next favorite quote was from VTI’s Hannu Laatikainen who I called a “Finnish Haiku Poet” when he said that we needed to “treat the car more like a human that can see, feel, hear, smell and taste.” Great stuff.  I absolutely enjoyed hearing every single word coming out of the mouth of Dr. Berger of Clinatec and it wasn’t just because I am a sucker for a French accent. I loved his description of connecting technology with medicine and his passion for patient health, safety and welfare.  He urged that there must be more money for clinical trials of technology for medical treatment to prove efficacy (not just money for consumer-inspired sport applications masking as healthcare products). I couldn’t agree more.

I laughed when Stefan Finkbeiner introduced himself and stated that his company, Akustica/Bosch, hailed from Pittsburgh, the “MEMS center of the US.” Stefan then modified the statement by saying that Pittsburgh is the “MEMS capital of Pennsylvania” and “definitely the MEMS capital of Western PA.” My hometown is a lot of things, but not yet the MEMS capital of the US.

But my absolute favorite quote from MEMS Executive Congress Europe was from Continental’s Bernhard Schmid. When someone from the audience asked the panelists if visual sensors will replace MEMS on automotive, Bernhard responded with a rhetorical question: “Have the eyes cannibalized the ears? No. Both senses/sensors are needed for smart automotive.” I guess he was inspired by Hannu’s earlier comment about the car’s senses being more human. I wouldn’t have expected such eloquence from a bunch of automotive engineering executives.  But like the Congress in general, these guys impressed and surprised me.

MEMS Executive Congress Europe was a fantastic success. I was expecting 100 attendees; we had 155. I thought we had a handful of sponsors; we had over 30. I look forward to building the content for this year’s upcoming MEMS Executive Congress US in Scottsdale (November 7-8) and yes, next year’s event somewhere in Europe and possibly in Asia. By design, MEMS Executive Congress is a unique professional forum where executives from companies designing and manufacturing MEMS technology sit side-by-side with their end-user customers in panel discussions and networking events to exchange ideas and information about the use of MEMS in commercial applications. And clearly, with our success in Europe, MIG is meeting a need in the market. Good thing it’s also lots of fun.

See you at CES!

MIG looks forward to advancing MEMS across global markets at next week’s 2012 International CES®.  It’s not too late to make your plans to attend!
MEMS TechZone

LVCC, South Hall 2, Booth #25218
January 10 – 13, 2012

Stop by the booth to register to win MOD Live from Recon Instruments (winner of the 2011 MEMS Technology Showcase at MEMS Executive Congress®) and see the VGo Robotic Telepresence (enabled by MEMS developed by Freescale Semiconductor.)

Recon Instruments VGo
 

MEMS Conference Session

Connecting the Real World with the Digital World: Harnessing the Power of MEMS
LVCC, North Hall, Room N254
January 11, 2012 | 10:30-11:30am
Spread the word to your colleagues and customers to attend this much anticipated session. In this session, you’ll earn how MEMS is truly driving the adoption of new consumer applications and products.

TechZone Participants and Sponsors

 

Complimentary MIG Networking Breakfast

Sponsored by 

STMicroelectronics

Conference Room 7, Second Floor, Las Vegas Hilton
January 11, 2012 | 7:00-9:00 am

Join press and members of MIG for a complimentary continental breakfast and networking time. (RSVP required)

MEMS at 2012 CES® PressroomIf you can’t make it to the show, be sure to check out the latest press releases related to MEMS at 2012 CES® in our online press room.  MIG members, if you are attending the show and have a press release, make sure to send it to Kacey Wherley at kwherley@memsindustrygroup.org for inclusion.

See you in Las Vegas!

MEMS Executive Congress Sponsorships are Hot!

Thanks to overwhelming demand for MEMS Executive Congress sponsorships, MIG is pleased to announce a new Bronze category of sponsorship for the November 2011 event in Monterey, CA.  Included with the Bronze sponsorship is one complimentary pass to MEMS Executive Congress, inclusion of your company in pre and post event press releases and marketing materials, signage, event web site and program. For complete details and benefits, please visit the MEMS Executive Congress web site.  There is a special discount for MIG members and returning sponsors from Congress 2010.

We have several press releases, advisories and marketing activities planned for the next few weeks, so you are strongly encouraged to contact MIG if you are interested in the Bronze sponsorship or any of the other remaining sponsorship spots. You’ll get more “bang for your buck” if you sign up now, rather than sign up just before the Congress. And yes, to answer your question, we have sold the Restroom Sponsor!

In its seventh year, MEMS Executive Congress is the executive conference that connects the MEMS supply chain with MEMS end-users. Through keynotes, panel discussions, and numerous networking opportunities, MEMS Executive Congress creates an intimate forum for decision-makers to grow the global MEMS market. For complete information, please visit www.memscongress.com.

MEMS in Vegas, Baby

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has a new dance partner—and we’re it! For the first time, MEMS has an official home at CES. MEMS Industry Group (MIG) is pleased to host the brand-new MEMS TechZone and the only MEMS conference program at CES 2012.

MEMS TechZone is a new area of the show floor for companies that are driving the adoption of this exciting technology in mobile phones, game consoles, tablet PCs and other hot consumer-electronic devices. MIG will co-exhibit with several members including Bosch/Bosch Sensortec/Akustica, VTI Technologies and WiSpry. Please contact Karen Lightman if you are interested in co-exhibiting opportunities.

Plan to visit the MEMS TechZone at the LVCC, South Hall 2—and join us for a panel on consumer devices enabled by MEMS which you will NOT want to miss on Wednesday January 12 at 11:30 am in room N254, North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Register in advance for a special discount!

Stay tuned for more MIG news on MEMS programs/events at CES 2012.

MIG at CES 2012 - MEMS Tech ZoneMEMS TechZone
LVCC, South Hall 2
Sponsor(s): MEMS Industry Group (MIG)

www.cesweb.org/showFloor/techzones.asp#5320

Best Regards,

Karen Lightman
Managing Director, MEMS Industry Group
klightman@memsindustrygroup.org, 412-390-1644 work phone; 412-725-6725 mobile