Basement MEMS: Tools, Processes, and Techniques for Producing Microelectromechanical Systems on a Shoestring

Presented at The Circle Of HOPE (2018), July 22, 2018, 11 a.m. (60 minutes).

MEMS devices include microfluidics, pressure and motion sensors, and actuators like valves and comb motors. We usually think of them as black boxes that arrive packaged up like integrated circuits. In this talk, Dave will share some experiences, equipment designs, and early results with creating small silicon parts in a home lab. Semiconductor manufacturing equipment is available cheaply on secondhand markets, and processes that were state-of-the-art are now achievable on a small budget and without the infrastructure requirements of large scale production. Together with open lab hardware and accessible microcontrollers, this puts MEMS fabrication in reach for the maker community.


Presenters:

  • Dave Arney
    **Dave Arney** (@dave_32768) works on improving patient safety and outcomes by building open, interoperable medical systems. He’s working on regulatory and standards issues around interoperability, as well as data sharing and patient privacy for IoT medical and wellness devices. He enjoys designing and building embedded systems (including open medical devices and lab hardware) and repurposing old industrial machines.

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