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Biotechnology is closely associated to microfluidics. During the last decade, designs of microfluidic devices such as geometries and scales have been modified and improved according to the applications for better performance. Numerous sensor technologies existing in the industry has potential use for clinical applications. Fabrication techniques of microfluidics initially rooted from the electromechanical systems (EMS) technology.

In this review, we emphasized on the most available manufacture approaches to fabricate microchannels, their applications and the properties which make them unique components in biological studies.

Major fundamental and technological advances demonstrate the enhancing of capabilities and improving the reliability of biosensors based on microfluidic. Several researchers have been reported verity of methods to fabricate different devices based on EMS technology due to the electroconductivity properties and their small size of them. Therefore, controlled fabrication method of MEMS plays an important role to design and fabricate a highly selective detection of medical devices in a variety of biological fluids. Stable, tight and reliable monitoring devices for biological components still remains a massive challenge and several studies focused on MEMS to fabricate simple and easy monitoring devices.

This paper is not submitted or under review in any other journal.

This extract from a recent survey of micro‐machining in the USA outlines the techniques and difficulties of this ‘upwardly mobile’ technology.

PMD have appointed David H. Ormerod to the position of printed circuits products manager as part of their marketing organisation.

Describes the improvements that smart sensors will bring to electronic measurement and control systems, and the advantages of using integrated sensors. Outlines the problems encountered when designing integrating electronics for use on a smart sensor chip and lists the major functions that smart sensors must perform. Concludes that the solution to many real life sensor problems will only be found when a well designed “care‐free” intelligent sensor can be produced and continues that the way to realize this concept is to combine a sensor device with a number of micro‐electronic components into a single sensor package.

The development of chemical sensors based on nanostructures, such as nanotubes or nanowires, depends on the capability to reproducibly control the processing of the sensor. Alignment and consistent electrical contact of nanostructures on a microsensor platform is challenging. This can be accomplished using labor‐intensive approaches, specialized processing technology, or growth of nanostructures in situ. However, the use of standard microfabrication techniques for fabricating nanostructured microsensors is problematic. The purpose of this paper is to address this challenge using standard photoresist processing combined with dielectrophoresis.

Nanostructures are suspended in photoresist and aligned between opposing sawtooth electrode patterns using an alternating current (AC) electric field (dielectrophoresis). The use of photoresist processing techniques allow the burying of the nanostructures between layers of metal, thus improving the electrical contact of the nanostructures to the microsensor platform.

This approach is demonstrated for both multi‐walled carbon nanotubes and tin oxide nanowires. Preliminary data show the electrical continuity of the sensor structure as well as the response to various gases.

It is concluded that this approach demonstrates a foundation for a new tool for the fabrication of microsensors using nanostructures, and can be expanded towards enabling the combination of common microfabrication techniques with nanostructured sensor development.

This approach is intended to address the significant barriers of deposition control, contact robustness, and simplified processing to realizing the potential of nanotechnology as applied to sensors.

Telemetry capsules have existed since the 1950s and were used to measure temperature, pH or pressure inside the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It was hoped that these capsules would replace invasive techniques in the diagnosis of function disorders in the GI tract. However, problems such as signal loss and uncertainty of the pills position limited their use in a clinical setting. In this paper, a review of the capabilities of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for the fabrication of a wireless pressure sensor microsystem is presented.

The circuit requirements and methods of data transfer are examined. The available fabrication methods for MEMS sensors are also discussed and examples of wireless sensors are given. Finally, the drawbacks of using this technology are examined.

MEMS for use in wireless monitoring of pressure in the GI tract have been investigated. It has been shown that capacitive pressure sensors are particularly suitable for this purpose. Sensors fabricated for wireless continuous monitoring of pressure have been reviewed. Great progress, especially using surface micromachining, has been made in recent years. However, despite these advances, some challenges remain.

Provides a review of the capabilities of MEMS.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an insight into China's burgeoning sensor industry.

Following an introduction to the Chinese economy and sensor market, this paper considers a number of key sensor applications and technologies and highlights a selection of Chinese sensor manufacturers and their products. It concludes with an overview of the country's sensor research effort.

This shows that China's sensor market is expanding very rapidly and is being served by a fast‐growing community of manufacturers who are producing large numbers of sensors for physical and chemical variables. The automotive sector is one of the leading users of sensors and is aiding China's micro‐electromechanical system industry. China has a large and active sensor research community.

This paper provides an up‐to‐date review of the Chinese sensor industry, illustrating its very rapid, recent growth and huge future potential.

As announced in the May issue of Hybrid Circuits, ISHM‐Benelux is organising a one‐day conference on applications of hybrid circuit technology.