Virtual broker system to manage research and development for micro electro mechanical systems

This works presents an analysis of the need for efficient managerial tools in order to address various challenges and opportunities for the micro and nano-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS/NEMS) industry, and to expedite the development cycle and shorten the total time from idea to market for devices based on these technologies. A methodology to provide support to the MEMS/NEMS community (i.e., researchers, designers, and entrepreneurs) is proposed and described. This methodology offers guidance during the early stages of MEMS/NEMS product development, provides means to manage research and development, and acts as a virtual broker in order to coordinate collaboration among various organizations to optimize the use of existing fabrication infrastructure. Innovative products based on MEMS/NEMS have made rapid improvements in terms of functionality, cost, performance, etc. However, many applications and devices based on these systems are still in the research phase, struggling to reach to a commercial stage.