Fiber Optics and MEMS Come Together At Standard MEMS Inc.
2 February 2000
Fiber Optics and MEMS Come Together At Standard MEMS Inc.
BURLINGTON, Mass. and PORTLAND, Ore.--Feb. 2, 2000--Standard MEMS Inc. announced today that it has acquired Blue Road Research, Inc. (www.bluerr.com), the leading design company of fiber optic sensors for industrial, telecommunications and military applications. The Company is developing new fiber optic products in collaboration with Boeing, Schlumberger as well as various agencies of the US Government including NASA, the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, the Department of Energy, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.Nicholas E. Ortyl, President/CEO of Standard MEMS, Inc. (www.stdmems.com) commented, "We are particularly interested in the fiber optic sensors that Blue Road has developed to monitor the structural health of bridges, buildings, tunnels and aircraft. We can foresee that these sensors will provide a new standard of safety in civil engineering, particularly in earthquake prone areas. We have also begun the expansion of the Blue Road facilities in order to accommodate the commercialization of several products."
Eric Udd, founder, President /CEO of Blue Road will continue to manage the research and development of all of the Company's fiber optic products and assume additional responsibility for all corporate and government development projects following an important design contract from the U.S. Navy. He commented, "Fiber optic devices and MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS), which are fabricated on a micron or nanometer scale, will integrate very well to create a whole new class of products in the coming years. We have under development new fiber optic/MEMS devices for health monitoring systems, civil structures, strain sensing systems for aerospace platforms and pressure sensors for military and industrial applications. With the combined resources of our Companies, we will be better prepared to rapidly move our designs into the commercial market place."
Standard MEMS, Inc. is the first fully integrated, independent high volume MEMS supplier to the general commercial market offering concurrent engineering and technology solutions in all areas of MEMS production, from design through fabrication. The Company manufactures MEMS devices in 4, 6 and 8 inch wafers and has produced over than 335 million micro devices. For more information on Standard MEMS, Inc. go to www.stdmems.com.
MicroElectroMechanical systems (MEMS) are microscopic size "machines" such as valves, pumps, switches and actuators. These devices are fabricated from silicon and other materials using similar production methods employed by the semiconductor industry, to create computer integrated circuits or "chips". Unlike computer "chips", MEMS "chips" perform a mechanical and/or optical function in addition to electrical functions, and actually "move". Examples of MEMS devices include: "bubble ink jet" computer printer heads, automotive air bag actuators, digital high resolution image projectors, and pressure sensors.
Blue Road Research has conducted research and development of fiber optic sensors and high speed, ultra secure telecommunications technology since 1993. In addition the company has developed fiber optic sensing systems that enable "smart" bridges, buildings, tunnels, aircraft and spacecraft to sense and assess damage or failure. The small fiber sensors made by Blue Road can be embedded into the structures and, in many ways, act like nerves in the human body. This revolutionary sensing technology also has applications in environmental monitoring and medical devices. Blue Road Research's patent base includes approximately 24 patents (plus several pending) as well as cross-licensing arrangements with Boeing and Schlumberger.