News Article
6.5M European integrated microsystem services initiative
A three year programme funded by the European Commission, aimed at reducing the costs and risks associated with designing, prototyping and manufacturing integrated microsystems, has been launched.
A three year programme funded by the European Commission, aimed at reducing the costs and risks associated with designing, prototyping and manufacturing integrated microsystems, has been launched. Known as INTEGRAMplus, this new Framework 6 Integrated Project will be co-ordinated by the UK’s QinetiQ and draw on the complementary expertise and facilities of ten partners from seven different European countries.
The application of microsystems in emerging markets, such as biomedical and healthcare, environmental and security monitoring, and communications, requires increasingly complex levels of integrated functions. Future products are likely to require a combination of fluidic, optical, mechanical, electrical and biological functions, and no system based on a single material technology (i.e. silicon, polymer or glass) can provide this complexity in a cost-effective way.
INTEGRAMplus will adopt a multi-technology, multi-domain approach, with a focus on integrating silicon-based MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) components, which provide smart functionality, with polymer backplanes and platforms which provide additional functions, packaging and interfacing to the macro-world. Three proof-of-concept demonstrator components will be developed and will include a bio-diagnostics sensor based on customer requirements to be determined as part of an extensive survey of end-users in the healthcare market.
INTEGRAMplus builds on the successful Europractice project, INTEGRAM, also led by QinetiQ, which focused on silicon sensors and electronics. The ultimate goal of INTEGRAMplus is to stimulate take-up of micro- and nanotechnologies (MNTs) by end users by providing flexible design and prototyping services, based on standardised modules, with a route to manufacture for highly integrated microsystems. At present the take-up of novel integrated products is not maximised because many SMEs and industrial players do not have access to production facilities with sufficient expertise in multiple technologies or the ability to take technology from the design process to manufacture.
Welcoming the launch of INTEGRAMplus, Marcel Hugen, project officer for the European Commission, sponsor of the programme, said: "Micro- and nanotechnologies are increasingly being exploited across a wide range of markets with many European companies and institutes demonstrating world-class capabilities. INTEGRAMplus will be a flagship Service Project of the EC, combining the expertise of its partners for the benefit of European industry, from design and proof of concept, to manufacturing and system integration. This will ensure the continuation of the well known Europractice Initiative in the domain of micro- and nanosystems."
QinetiQ’s Dr Chris Pickering, the INTEGRAMplus co-ordinator, said: “The demand for increasingly complex microsystems requires a combination of technical expertise that is best delivered by pulling together talent from across Europe. I believe that this group of partners, together with the extensive network of supply chain associates, is a powerful consortium able to minimise risk and cost-of-entry to development of novel MNT-based products. I am delighted that QinetiQ will play a central role in this important programme and look forward to working with partners and customers towards the shared goal of fully exploiting the benefits of microtechnologies across a broad range of markets.”
The application of microsystems in emerging markets, such as biomedical and healthcare, environmental and security monitoring, and communications, requires increasingly complex levels of integrated functions. Future products are likely to require a combination of fluidic, optical, mechanical, electrical and biological functions, and no system based on a single material technology (i.e. silicon, polymer or glass) can provide this complexity in a cost-effective way.
INTEGRAMplus will adopt a multi-technology, multi-domain approach, with a focus on integrating silicon-based MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) components, which provide smart functionality, with polymer backplanes and platforms which provide additional functions, packaging and interfacing to the macro-world. Three proof-of-concept demonstrator components will be developed and will include a bio-diagnostics sensor based on customer requirements to be determined as part of an extensive survey of end-users in the healthcare market.
INTEGRAMplus builds on the successful Europractice project, INTEGRAM, also led by QinetiQ, which focused on silicon sensors and electronics. The ultimate goal of INTEGRAMplus is to stimulate take-up of micro- and nanotechnologies (MNTs) by end users by providing flexible design and prototyping services, based on standardised modules, with a route to manufacture for highly integrated microsystems. At present the take-up of novel integrated products is not maximised because many SMEs and industrial players do not have access to production facilities with sufficient expertise in multiple technologies or the ability to take technology from the design process to manufacture.
Welcoming the launch of INTEGRAMplus, Marcel Hugen, project officer for the European Commission, sponsor of the programme, said: "Micro- and nanotechnologies are increasingly being exploited across a wide range of markets with many European companies and institutes demonstrating world-class capabilities. INTEGRAMplus will be a flagship Service Project of the EC, combining the expertise of its partners for the benefit of European industry, from design and proof of concept, to manufacturing and system integration. This will ensure the continuation of the well known Europractice Initiative in the domain of micro- and nanosystems."
QinetiQ’s Dr Chris Pickering, the INTEGRAMplus co-ordinator, said: “The demand for increasingly complex microsystems requires a combination of technical expertise that is best delivered by pulling together talent from across Europe. I believe that this group of partners, together with the extensive network of supply chain associates, is a powerful consortium able to minimise risk and cost-of-entry to development of novel MNT-based products. I am delighted that QinetiQ will play a central role in this important programme and look forward to working with partners and customers towards the shared goal of fully exploiting the benefits of microtechnologies across a broad range of markets.”
