The conceptual design of products benefiting from integrated micro-features

Abstract

The benefits of micro-miniaturisation go beyond simply smaller size and reductions in cost and the use of raw materials. For example: in microelectronics, smaller feature sizes lead to higher frequency operation and lower power consumption; in micro-mechanics, micro-scale structures have low mass and high resonant frequencies, enabling high sensitivity yet robust operation; and, in micro-fluidics, micro-channels exhibit highly laminar flow, providing the potential for chemistry at molecular scales and the ability to single out and manipulate individual living cells.