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Topic

Developing an Infrastructure for the MEMS Industry
Keiichi Aoyagi, Executive Director of the Micromachine Center
The establishment of fundamental technologies in thefield of micro/nano technology, including micromachines
and Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), would
further strengthen Japan’s industrial competitiveness,
which is currently reliant on advanced technologies. Thisaction might be just what Japan needs to ride out thecurrent economic downturn.
To this end, the Micromachine Center (MMC) is
focusing its 2009 projects and activities on further
reinforcing the infrastructure of the MEMS industry.
Specifically, we have been engaged in activities aimed atcontributing to Japan’s industrial development and to theinternational community as a whole. For example, wehave established micro/nano-related technology
development projects through collaboration amongindustry, government, and academia and haveendeavored to make the results of the fundamental
technologies developed in these programs widelyavailable. Beginning this year, we have also beendeveloping an administrative system capable of creating abetter environment for promoting the industrialization ofmicro/nano devices. Our activities include conducting
investigative research, promoting standardization, andencouraging the dissemination of research findings, aswell as holding MEMS conferences to hear policy
recommendations and encourage industrial exchange andvitalization.
The Highly Integrated, Complex MEMS Production
Technology Development Project, more commonlyreferred to as the Fine MEMS Project, is a three-year
project that began in 2006 and was completed in the last
fiscal year. Since the original goals of the project wereachieved satisfactorily, this year we will focus on
disseminating and promoting the project’s achievements
related to the fine MEMS knowledge database and thenewly developed MEMS equivalent circuit generator andon creating a support system for commercializing theseachievements through continuous involvement in suchprojects. Further, we will actively move to develop an
outline for firmly establishing fine MEMS and otheradvanced MEMS in Japan’s industry and to write up
drafts and proposals for plans related to relevant R&D
projects.
The Project to Develop Next-Generation Device
Manufacturing Technologies that Fuse Different Fields,
more commonly referred to as the BEANS (Bio ElectroMechanical Autonomous Nano Systems) Project, is a fiveyear commissioned project that began in 2008. Though
only one year of the project has been completed, we are
already beginning to see solid achievements in the formof 27 academic presentations, 2 research papers, and 10
patent applications. In addition, the media has devoted
much coverage to the project’s accomplishments.
Beginning from this, the second year of the project,
the BEANS Laboratory will serve as the main association
responsible for implementing the project, with MMC
participating as a member of the association. In order toensure continued smooth implementation of the project,
MMC will work in concert with the BEANS Laboratory,
providing such support as human and financial resources.
MMC is also involved in developing a MEMS foundry
as a framework for supporting MEMS commercializationin Japan.
A milestone will be reached when Exhibition
Micromachine/MEMS is held for the 20th time in Tokyo in
2009. The 20 t h Exhibition Micromachine/MEMS isscheduled for three days on July 29–31, 2009 (Wed–Fri)
at Tokyo Big Sight, East Hall 5. MMC and the Beans
Laboratory are currently preparing visual aids for an
exhibit to outline the BEANS Project and describe its
achievements thus far.
Finally, I would like to ask for your continued andunwavering kindness toward MMC’s activities together
with your understanding and support for the BEANS
Laboratory, which launched its operations in April of thisyear.

MMC Director Tamotsu Nomakuchi speaking at an event to celebrate
the founding of the BEANS Laboratory (April 23, 2009)

Takeshi Yonemura, director of the Industrial Machinery
Division, METI speaking at the same event