MMC Activities..............1
Column.......................4
Overseas Trends............5
Member’s Profiles .........7
Worldwide R&D ............8

MMC Activities

Activities of the Micromachine Center in Fiscal 2003
I. Investigation and Research on Micromachines
Research activities were aimed at gaining a clear
understanding of the trends in micromachine technologies andindustries and conducting investigations of and research on
new technological issues regarding the fusion of micro- andnanotechnologies, as well as making adjustments appropriate
for the multidirectional expansion of micromachine technology.

1. Microanalysis/production system project(recommissioned by New Energy and Industrial
Technology Development Organization [NEDO])
A mostly "Namazu" full-text search system was completed
in accordance with the specification, and data was input. In
addition, investigations into technological trends inmicrochemical devices were conducted at "Transducers'03" inJune and "MEMS 2004" in January.

2. Studies on the future prospects of micromachine technology.
The long-term vision subcommittee (chairman: Prof. Isao
Shimoyama, Graduate School, the University of Tokyo) met
three times, and decided on the orientation of book content.

3. Studies on R & D trends for micromachinetechnology in Japan and abroad
Subcommittee of trends in R&D for micromachine technology
in Japan and abroad (chairman: Prof. Shuichi Shoji, Waseda
University)met three times, and conducted exploratory analysisof the latest situation regarding the rapid expansion, both
domestically and internationally, of micromachine technology andresearch trends; and of basic technological data that contributes
to the advancement of micromachine technology; and compiled
the results of investigations on technological trends into the 2003
report of investigation into trends by category.

4. Studies on the micromachine market
The 2002 investigation into the domestic market scale formicromachine technology put forward preparations for thecompilation of relevant statistical data, etc.

5. Development of new functional materials for
MEMS (commissioned by the Japan Machinery
Federation)
Recommendations were made for the promotion of thedevelopment of new functional materials for MEMS, and compiled
into a report. Recommendations included exchange between
researchers from different fields, a top-down and bottom-up fusionarea approach, and the necessity of meeting the needs of society.

6. Investigative research into the current stateof the MEMS related market and an analysis
of Japan's competitive power (commissioned
by Japan Industrial Policy Research Institute)With a view to building up an economically consistent
database of micromachine-related market statistics, andInternet Home Page : http://www.mmc.or.jp/

investigating the current state of MEMS development andstrategy in the U.S., as well as making recommendations inorder to maintain and improve Japan's competitive power, aninvestigative research committee to study the current state of
the MEMS related market and to conduct an analysis of Japan's
competitive power; a subcommittee to consider issues related
to the creation of a market-estimation system (chairman: Prof.
Isao Shimoyama, Graduate School, the University of Tokyo) met
and compiled a report of their findings of this fiscal year.

7. Joint survey research activities concerning
the industrialization of MEMS
Foundry manufacturer Olympus Corporation, Omron
Corporation, and Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. took part in
the business activity promotion committee (chairman: Ryo
Ohta, Olympus Corporation), which carried out joint survey
research into identifying issues that needed to be addressed inorder to facilitate the early industrialization of MEMS, together
with measures to achieve this goal. This fiscal year in Japan
public hearings were held in MEMS related universities andnational research institutions, MEMS foundries, MEMS users,and venture companies, and fact-finding was carried out in the
U.S. and in Europe.

II. Collection and Provision of Micromachine Information
Information and documents on micromachines inuniversities, industries, and public organizations both in Japanand overseas have been collected and combined with survey
results compiled and documents produced by MMC, and madefreely available in the MMC library.

1. Maintenance and expansion of the MMC library
Information and documents such as periodicals and books on
micromachines in universities, industries, and public organizations
both in Japan and overseas have been collected and combinedwith survey results compiled and documents produced by MMC
and made available in the MMC library. (49 books collected in FY
2003, making a total of 1,037 books as of March 31.)

2. Publication of a micromachine periodical("Micromachine Index")
The above-mentioned collected documents were madefreely available in the MMC library for perusal by interested
parties. Moreover, a micromachine periodical entitled
Micromachine Index gathering together abstracts of important
documents was published and distributed to interested parties,
as well as being incorporated into the database. (FY 2003: Nos.
84-91 issued [8 volumes])

3. Publication of a newsletter
Information concerning research and governmental trends
related to micromachines was distributed monthly tosupporting members. This was posted on the Internet
homepage for the first time from January, resulting in a
substantially higher hit count.

technological development in Japan and overseas, and theformulation of recommendations and guiding principles,
appropriate areas for standardization, requisite conditions, andso forth. In addition, an investigative research committee wasformed, which carried out improvements and optimization ofstrain measurement methods and test specimen equipment
methods, for the standardization of fatigue testing.

4. Database construction and data management
system operations
Along with revisions of its Internet homepage, a new pagefor supporting members was opened, and the content of thedatabase was transferred.

III. Exchange and Cooperation with Worldwide
Organizations Involved with Micromachines

2. Standardization of tensile testing methods forthin film materials

To promote affiliation, exchange and cooperation withrelated organizations in and outside Japan, MMC involved itself
in such activities as participating in the Micromachine Summit,
holding international symposiums, inviting to Japan and sending
overseas researchers and experts in the field.

Japanese standard proposals in respect of tensile testing forthin film materials and test specimens were collected together,and a NP (New Project) proposal was submitted to
IEC/TC47/WG4 based on the results.

1. Participation in the 9th Micromachine Summit

3. Support for standardization of IEC terminology

The 9th Micromachine Summit was to have been held forthree days from April 28-30, but was cancelled due to the
spread of SARS to Beijing.

In respect of the terminology approved as CD (Committee
Draft) proposals by IEC/TC47, the terminology subcommittee
met and carried out the task of adding terminology as well as
handling comments for the CDV (Committee Draft for Vote).

2. Held the 9th International Micromachine/Nanotech
Symposium

4. Investigation and research on micromachine
standardization

The 9th International Micromachine/Nanotech Symposium
was held on November 13 at the Science Museum in
Kitanomaru Park, Tokyo, with the aim of promoting
micromachine technology and educating a wider publicaudience. The event was well attended, with a total of 297
participants including speakers and media representatives.

The results of this research have been transmitted
worldwide, encouraging international standardization while
exercising initiative in establishing international standards. Thisfiscal year, the standardization committee met three times.
(chairman: Prof. Emeritus Hiroyoshi Sato, the University ofTokyo). Activities were consolidated in respect of"standardization regarding fatigue testing for micro-nanomaterials" scheduled for implementation for 3 years from 2003.
International standardization activities regarding IEC
terminology presented the CDV in March, 2004, andsubsequently supported this international proposal activity. As
for the standardization of material properties, a test specimen
NP and a tensile testing method NP proposals were submitted
to IEC, and were recommended to the CD stage. In addition,
activities for JIS were carried out.

3. International exchange and dispatch of researchers
For four days from June 9 to 12, 2003, Etsuro Shimizu,
manager of the Research Department attended"Transducers'04" held in Boston, U.S.A., where he carried out
an investigation into trends. For five days from July 7 to 11,
2003, Takayuki Hirano, Executive Director, and Yoichi Toguchi,
manager of the Research Department made official trips to
Switzerland, France, and the U.K. to carry out surveys into
research institutions, foundry companies, design houses, andmarketing companies in Europe. For 5 days from January 25 to
29, 2004, Yoichi Toguchi, manager of the Research Department
attended "MEMS 2004" held in Maastricht, the Netherlands,
where he carried out an investigation into trends.

V. Dissemination and Education about Micromachines
By issuing and distributing quarterly magazines and byholding exhibitions, we intended to disseminate information on
micromachines extensively in order to educate as many people
as possible.

4. Constructing a foundry network system
In order to further the industrialization of micromachines,
particularly MEMS, MMC organized the foundry service industry
committee (chairman: Takashi Mihara, Senior Researcher,
Olympus Corporation) six times to organize businesses providing
foundry services, to set up a network system to improve services
and to consider ways such a system could be developed. As ameans of disseminating information, the MMC also upgraded its
own Internet homepage and held two MEMS lectures.

1. Publication of public relations quarterly
magazine "MICROMACHINE"
Vols. 43 to 46 were published in Japanese only. English
versions are available on the MMC website:
http://www.mmc.or.jp/

2. The 14th Micromachine Exhibition

5. Establishing a forum for the exchange of
micromachine technology

The 14th Micromachine Exhibition was held from November
12 to 14 at the Science Museium in Kitanomaru Park, Tokyo.
238 companies, organizations, etc. participated (the total
number of booths was 323), and the total number of visitors
was 8,793, making it the largest scale event to date.

A demand study in respect of the themes of forums forexchange was carried out, and a forum for the exchange of cuttingedge micro-nano technology was held for supporting members.

IV. Standardization of Micromachines
3. Administration of theMicromachine Technology

In micromachine technology and other newly establishedfields of systemized techniques as well, there is an urgent needfor the standardization of terminology, measurement, andevaluation methods. The MMC worked toward this, taking
international initiatives into perspective.

FederationofServed as secretariat for the Federation of MicromachineTechnology to link and strengthen micromachine-related organizations.

4. Workshop presenting the results of grantrecipient projects for the 9th MicromachineTechnology Research Grants (FY 2001)

1. Standardization of fatigue testing methods for
micro-nano materials (commissioned by
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)

A Workshop presenting the results of grant recipient
projects completed in March, 2003 was held on Friday,
September 12, 2003, with 6 themes from applicants in FY 2000
and 3 themes from applicants in FY 2001, a total of 9 themes
being presented.

In order to achieve this goal, a committee for the promotionof standardization was formed in 2003, which conducted acomprehensive investigation into investigation into trends in2

Omron's MEMS Foundry Service
Masayuki Maeda
MEMS Division, Semiconductor Division H.Q.
Electronic Components Company
Omron Corporation
1. Outline

2. Features of Omron's foundry service

The Semiconductor Division and MEMS Division at
the Omron Corporation ECB Company officially begana MEMS foundry service in 2001 due to the risingdemand for the MEMS foundry. In 1988 Omron began
producing bipolar ICs and in 1999 began MEMS
research at the Central R&D Laboratory in Tsukuba,
Ibaraki Prefecture. Through achievements made inthis research, Omron began mass-producing ultrasmall
capacitance-type pressure sensors and accelerometersat its Minakuchi factory in Shiga Prefecture in 1996. In
1998 Omron added a microlens array project thatcombines the use of semiconductor micromachining
and electroforming, and has been mass-producing
microlens arrays for LCD type data projectors and
LCD backlights for cellular phones and PDAs. Omron
has amassed a production of more than 18 million
ultrasmall capacitance sensors and more than 50
million microlens-related devices.
In addition to the mass-produced products
described above, Omron has undertaken thedevelopment of numerous MEMS devices whenparticipating in the national Micromachine Project in
the 1990s. These MEMS devices include opticalscanners, micromachine relays (MMR) currently underdevelopment, 3-axis accelerometers, and flow sensors
that are now being mass-produced.
With the increasing need for a MEMS foundry,
Omron has been encouraged to develop such afoundry by many people seeking the participation of amanufacturer with mass-production experience.
Accordingly, we have officially established a MEMS
foundry that is founded on such strengths as ourtechnological know-how, production experience, andinfrastructure.

Processes provided by the foundry service focus on
bulk micromachining techniques such as anodic
bonding (including bonding in vacuum) andelectrochemical etchstop (ECE) that are basetechnologies for mass-produced sensors. The foundry
performs on commission such silicon processes as
thin-film formation, wet and dry etching, impurity
layer formation, and electrode formation; and suchglass wafer processes as metal formation on speciallines and etching. The foundry also accepts
commissions for processes based on the microlens
array technology, including an electroforming
technique using substrates produced throughsemiconductor micromachining, and ultraprecision
formation using photopolymerization (a curing method
using ultraviolet rays). The electroforming foundry has
garnered very high praise from the market for its
production of substrates that can be formed in any
shape by the foundry's unique methods and forelectroforming in its clean room. The merging ofelectroforming or machining techniques withsemiconductor fabricating techniques has expanded
the possibilities not only in the field of sensors, butalso for a variety of devices and structures, such aslabs-on-a-chip and microneedles.
Omron accepts orders ranging from a small numberof prototypes to mass-production and can delivery
wafers or chips or only perform partial processing,depending on the user's wishes.
Procduction is carried out at our Minakuchi factoryin Shiga Prefecture using production lines and a clean
room for bipolar ICs and a clean room dedicated to
MEMS. Another of our strengths lies in our foundry
members, who have a wealth of experience from R&D
to mass-production.

Products of OMRON
Semiconductor Division
Silicon
Devices

Pressure Sensor
Acceleration Sensor

Blood Pressure Monitor

Micro Lens
Array

Projector-MLA

LCD type Data Projector

3. Conclusion
Last year we combined the two laboratories at
Tsukuba City and Nagaokakyo City in Kyoto andestablished a new base for MEMS research in the KyotoOsaka-Nara area. At this base, we are also conducting
research on RF switch manufacturing techniques in the"MEMS project" adopted by NEDO.
In addition to sophisticating more about the techniques
accumulated thus far, we hope to introduce newtechnologies and continue to expand the foundry service.

AnalogCustom IC

For Photoelectric
Sensors,
Motor Drivers, Powersupply ......

Backlight-MLA

For further details, refer to the URL:
http://www.omron.co.jp/ecb/products/sc/index.html

PDA Cellular phone3Column

Butterflies, MEMS, and Displays
Isao Shimoyama, Professor, Department of Mechano-Informatics,
Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo
It seems that printed materials and computer displays havebecome very colorful these days. In my school days and when I
join the faculty, I remember that the computer displays weremonochrome CRT monitors that displayed green text on a black
background, and the more expensive displays depicted green
graphics with electron beams. Then before I knew it, thesemonitors had been replaced by LCD monitors in high-resolution
color. In the days leading up to this years Olympics, electronic
shops in Akihabara and Shinjuku have been overflowing withlarge displays projecting beautiful pictures. I believe displays
will further evolve toward three-dimensional stereoscopic
images in more realistic colors.
It should be possible to produce devices with high added
value using MEMS to implement functions expressed in
nanoregions. While carbon nanotubes and quantum dots haveattracted much attention as devices used on a nanoscale, lightinterference is a phenomenon that involves wavelengths oflight, which are on the order of submicrons. Accordingly, we
could call light interference a function manifested on ananoscale. While carbon nanotubes and quantum dots haverecently been created artificially, objects in which thephenomenon of light interference can be observed have existed
in the natural world since long ago.
These photos taken by Eiji Iwase depict a Morpho butterfly
and its scales. A Morpho butterfly does not produce colors
through pigmentation in its wings. Rather, light is reflected anddiffracted by minute three-dimensional structures in thesurfaces of the scales and appears to our eyes as beautiful
colors through light interference. The wavelengths of light thatcan be seen through interference depend on the surface
structure. Hence, the colors can be changed by changing thestructure of the surface. Changing microstructures of a surface
is a specialty of MEMS to achieve an effect considerably
different from the fixed light wavelengths produced from LED
illumination and pigments.
Humans have photoreceptor cells corresponding to the RGB(red, green, and blue) colors. When light enters the human eye,these photoreceptor cells read wavelengths of the RGB
components and see combinations of the component
magnitudes as colors. However, the photoreceptor cells ofinsects are different from those of humans, possessing asensitivity to light having wavelengths different from the RGB
wavelengths. In other words, insects apparently receive
different visual stimuli from that received by humanphotoreceptor cells when humans view nature. In previous
discussions with researchers who observe the behavior of
insects while shining lights on their visual systems, they asked
me if it would be impossible to create an LCD panel that could
be used to visually stimulate insects. Certainly our liquid crystal
displays use only RGB components, which cannot stimulate
photoreceptor cells sensitive to UV rays.
While LCD monitors depict colors by combining illuminationand intensities of the three primary colors of light, the colors
obtained from this display represent only a portion of the colors
in nature. In other words, these representations are missing
data for light of wavelengths other than the three primarycolors and data of light spectrums dependent on the directionof light reflection. Therefore, while light produced by these
displays appears somewhat natural to humans, it cannot be said
to reproduce nature.
Enter MEMS. If MEMS can be used to freely adjust the
spectrum of light rays emitted into space at each point of thedisplay, it should be possible to reproduce sensations of lightdependent on the positions of the light sources, objects, and theeye, such as a silver-like metallic luster. MEMS are also effective

for incorporating light-emitting elements having wavelengths
other than RGB in displays.
So how, specifically, can we implement these ideas? I heardthat a mathematician once said, "I have proved it, but there is
not enough space to write it down." In the same way, I would
like to say that I have an idea, but there is not enough space inthis paper to explain.

Photo 1 The Morpho butterfly

Photo 2 An enlarged view of the wing scales

Photo 3 A cross-sectional view of the scales further
enlarged; the microstructure of the scales
produces beautiful colors through lightreflection, diffraction, and interference

4Overseas Trends

Hannover Messe (Germany), April 21 - 26
The Hannover Messe international trade fair for industrial
technologies was held in Hannover of Lower Saxony, Germany
April 19 - 24. This event simultaneously presents eight trade
fairs, including (1) INTERKAMA (a leading international trade
fair for process automation), (2) Factory Automation (a leadinginternational trade fair for production automation), (3) Energy(a leading international trade fair for energy technology,
renewable energy, and energy management), (4) Surface
Technology plus Powder Coating Europe (a leadinginternational trade fair for surface technology), (5)Subcontracting (a world trade fair on industrial parts andmaterials for vehicles, machinery, and plant assembly), (6)Digital Factory (a special trade fair for integrated processes andIT solutions), (7) MicroTechnology (a leading international
trade fair for applied microsystems technology andnanotechnology), and (8) Research & Technology (aninnovations market for research and technology).
Among these trade fairs, our investigations were focused on
two related to the Micromachine Center: (7) MicroTechnology
and (8) Research & Technology. The following is an outline of
our findings and impressions based on this investigation.
1) A total of 5,040 exhibitors took part in the trade fairs.
The country having the most exhibitors other than
Germany was Italy with 218 companies, followed by
China (People's Republic of China) with 190, Switzerlandwith 160, and Japan (including local subsidiaries) with
70. It was clear that China had an aggressive policy
aimed at the European market.
2) Total visitors numbered about 180,000, with about
50,000 from overseas. About 40% (20,000) of theparticipants from overseas were from non-European
countries. It was obvious that the Hannover fair had
established its reputation as an international trade fair.
3) In Europe the giant of research and development was the
Fraunhofer Institutes, while the giant of industry was
Siemens.
The presence of these companies
overshadowed the others.
4) Exhibition planning on the part of the Eastern European
countries due to the expansion of the EU economic
sphere on April 1 was notable (particularly in the
Research & Technology trade fair).
5) A total of 210 companies provided exhibits at theMicroTechnology trade fair. Among these, the networkgroup IVAM (Germany) enjoys the participation of 40
related companies. In the open forum, presentation of
the EMINENT project, a virtual network involving eight
European countries has served as a reference for
network development in Japan's MEMS industry.
Incidentally, connections have been had with IVAN andAmerican's MEMS Industry Group for initiating alliancesin future project expansions at the Micromachine Center.
6) The Research & Technology trade fair enjoyed 420
exhibits in Life Sciences, Optics, Biotechnology, andother fields. For activating technology transfer,
presentations by universities and research institutes
were prepared for the open forum in an effort to gain theinterest of the visitors. Another feature of this trade fair

was the striking exhibits by Eastern European countries
in the field of material processing. Some exhibits drew
many families and women to this trade fair, even on
weekdays, where the exhibitors used numerous
gimmicks in their displays and descriptions to draw
interest. Activities for popularizing and generatinginterest and expectations in science and technology
seem to have become more commonplace.
7) Having met some of the exhibitors related to MEMS andnanotechnology, including those who have studied as
exchange students in Japanese universities orparticipated in internships at Japanese companies, we
sensed a remarkable advance in human exchange withJapan.
8) Our overall impression of the trade fairs was that boththe exhibitors and the visitors believed strongly thateverything begins with "communication and an exchange
of information."

Rostock

Hamburg
BremenHannover''Osmabruck

BerlinMagdeburg

Dortmund''Dusseldorf

Leipzig

KasselKoln

DresdenFrankfurt a. M.

''
Saarbrucken''
Nurnberg

Stuttgart

Munchen

The Research & Technology trade fair makes science andtechnology accessible. Here, an exhibitor at the
nanotechnology booth explains his exhibit to a visiting family.

5

The 10th Micromachine Summit
budgets in general, and the prefix "nano" is more
frequently being used with "micro." The term MST(microsystems technology) that has conventionallybeen used in the EU in particular is now being replacedwith MNT (micro-nanotechnology).
(2) Although MEMS and MST products are now being
developed, these developments are insufficient togenerate a large market.
(3) Foundries have rebounded since the burst of thecommunication bubble, and business conditions have
improved.
(4) Countries that were latecomers to the field have taken
up research activities in such specialized fields as
optics.
(5) There has been many activities aimed at putting
together international networks, such as NEXUS basedin Europe or MANCIF based in America, with the
networks competing to attract new members.
Limitations in development and commercialization withthe traditional individual organizations have apparently
led to an increase in membership in these networks.
(6) We are now seeing research conducted on sensors
designed for social issues, such as the detection of
SARS and soil contamination. Other participants
introduced studies aimed at dream-like applications forthe long term. Also, an EU project has initiated basic
research involving infrastructure, including a study on
precision combining the efforts of universities andresearch institutes in various countries.
The 11th Micromachine Summit will be held on May 2-4
in Dallas, Texas (America). Further, in a meeting of the
Chief Delegates, it was determined that Beijing, China
would host the 12th Summit in 2006.
The technical tour on May 5 included a visit to thewafer manufacturer SOITEC. SOITEC imports its siliconfrom Japan's Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., fabricatessilicon wafers, further modifies these wafers into SOI
wafers according to its own patented "Smart Cut" process,and exports 80% of these wafers to America as IC
materials. SOI wafers are employed by IBM for their highperformance and low power consumption, and are also
being marketed in Japan.

The 10th Micromachine Summit was held in Grenoble,
France May 3-5. The Summit was co-sponsored by
NEXUS, CEA Léti, MINATEC, and FEMTO-ST and waspresided by Gaëtan Menozzi, the chairman of NEXUS.
This year, 108 people––the highest ever––participatedfrom twenty-three countries and regions. A total of sevenparticipants came from Japan, including four delegates
and three observers. Of particular note was theparticipation of Israel, which is facing severe conditions in
the international community, India, which is earning
foreign capital in the software industry, and Poland andRomania who have become independent from the former
Soviet Union and recently have begun participating in the
EU. In addition, a professor from the University of Ho Chi
Minh in Vietnam was present as an observer from France.
Hence, research and development on micromachines andMEMS has now spread to these countries.
The objective of this Summit has been to provide anannual forum for the free exchange of ideas among peopleof high standing in the field regarding initiatives and thefuture outlook toward the policies, education, andindustrialization of micromachines. The forum has
become increasingly more highly regarded as thedevelopment of MEMS and MST advances towardindustrialization. As an organizer of this international
Micromachine Summit, Japan received high praise in
Chairman Menozzi's opening speech.
The program for this year's Summit was configured ofthree sections, beginning with a reception on the first day
to provide participants with a chance to meet one
another, two days of conferences, and a technical tour on
the final day providing a look at the achievements ofdevelopment and companies involved in the field. In
addition to the traditional country review, the two days ofconferences on May 3 and 4 also included sessions on
government policy, national programs, andinfrastructures; education; industrial developments in
micro- and nanotechnologies (MNT) and the future
outlook of advanced research in MNT, and featured a totalof fifty-six presentations.
This year's Summit revealed the following information.
(1) Most research projects are dependent on governmental

6

Members' Profiles

Nihon Unisys Excelutions,Ltd.
1. Research and Development on Software for
Design and Analysis
The Nihon Unisys Group has been conducting research anddevelopment on CAD /CAM systems for more than thirty years
and today is actively conducting development, support, andsales for CADCEUS, which has the NO1 market share in themetallic mold industry, and is supporting manufacture

Toshiro Yamamototechnology of Japan.

President

Our company is part of the Japan Unisys Group specializing
in CAD/CAM solutions. We are performing positively productdevelopment and sale business, such as CADCEUS and DigiD.

2. The present activity
Micromachine Technology

In recent years, we have witnessed rapid developments in
MEMS parts design and manufacturing technology. MEMS

in

MEMS

and

product is increasing the range of applications, such as

As part of our endeavors, we will deal with software

acceleration sensors for automobiles and inkjet print heads.

development entitled "Simulation Software for MEMS Design

This technology is expected to become a base technology

and Analysis", primarily in framework functions, which was

supporting Japan's manufacturing industry in the 21st century.

offered publicly by NEDO and adopted in early June. ThisIn the design and manufacturing of normal-sized parts,

simulation software for MEMS design and analysis will besimulation softwares play a major role in reducing cost of trial

developed in close cooperation with the Micromachine Center,products, decreasing the delivery time, and improving

the Fuji Research Institute Corporation, AIST(National Instituteprecision. However, there is no inexpensive software that isof Advanced Industrial Science and Technology) and 10

simple and effective to use for supporting design anduniversities. Compared to existing MEMS simulation software

manufacturing in the field of MEMS products.

produced overseas, our system will possess features, including

By using our knowledge and assets cultivated over the years(1) low price, (2) being used effectively by beginners andin the development of CAD/CAM and CAE systems, we areexperts alike, (3) containing material&process database andgoing to work toward the development of design and analysis

knowledge database, and (4) facilities to add new simulation

software for micromachines such as MEMS.

software.

Wide range of users in MEMS from beginners to advanced developers
Promoting development of MEMS parts and expanding related product markets

HigherAdvanced technicianssDescription of typical device
structures and production processes
through the knowledge databasesUser-friendly Japanese GUI
environment

Broader

3-dimensional modeling examples using CADCEUS

Advanced technicians

sCan be added to new simulation
softwaresData converter function for
external softwaresUser customization for multiple
processes

Beginners and non-experts

Expanding the MEMS industry baseUse of simulation software for MEMS design and analysis

7Worldwide R&D

Area of Intelligent Systems, Division of Systems Science, Department of Systems
Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University
Tatsuo Arai, Professor
When the laboratory was first established in 1997, we
conducted research on micro-hands and mobile manipulation
robots focusing on parallel mechanisms and the mechanisms
and control of arms, as well as their industrial applications.
After later getting more personnel in the laboratory, we
expanded our studies on mobile manipulation of humanoid
robots, human interface, and information processing.
Beginning in 2001, our laboratory was selected to head theGrant-in-Aid for Creative Scientific Research Project entitled"Initiative of Systems and Human Science for a Safe, Secure,and Reliable Society," and we are now engaged in research
aimed at establishing a new academic field for engineering andhumanities. In addition, we have been working on many R&D
projects, primarily within a large national project framework
involving close cooperation with participating businesses. We
have received research aid from the Micromachine Center for astudy on micro-hands, which has greatly advanced research on
automated handling. Currently, we are participating in METI's
IMS Project, the Project for Destruction of Abandoned
Chemical Weapons under the Prime Minister's Office, and the
NEDO Project for Developing Next-Generation Robots and are
implementing commissioned and joint research with related
businesses.
The current organization of the laboratory includes one
each of a professor, associate professor, research associate,
post-doctoral fellow, and technical official; two secretaries;
four doctor course students (three of whom work for a living);
thirteen master course students; and eight bachelor course
students with whom we are conducting research anddevelopment focusing on robot hardware. We are
implementing a robot system by studying the mechanisms andprocessing functions of humans and other organisms in order
to coordinate information processing and the functions ofthese mechanisms in robots through studies of new sensors,mechanisms, and control techniques. We are also establishinga basic policy for education and research in an effort topropose a system to achieve the coexistence of humans androbots in order to build a safe and secure society. Throughthese educational studies, we hope to contribute to society
with robotics by addressing the difficult problems facing theworld today.

Fig. 1 Two-finger micro-hand still under development

Our current research focuses on nano- and micro-robotics
and monitoring and support systems for assuring safety andsecurity. The former field of research involves manipulation of
micro-objects using a two-finger micro-hand developed
together with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial
Science and Technology, automated focusing and handling ofobjects in motion using visual information, evaluating
operability of interface devices in the manipulation of microobjects, handling and processing cells and tissue, measuring
micro-forces, and the like. In the area of safety and security, abasic concept of merging system science with human scienceis employed in tracking humans with a moving camera tounderstand human behavior, providing humanoid robots toassist wheelchair users in movement and manipulation,
evaluating humans' sense of security in response to robots, andconducting research on applications for humanoid robots.
In addition, we are working on a haptic interface forreproducing soft objects, integrated control of information andobjects using RFID, improvements in the accuracy of a parallelmechanism, development of a limb mechanism for a robot
having arms and legs, and applications for these robots in
rescue operations. The limb mechanism was selected as one
theme in NEDO's Project for Achieving a Practical NextGeneration Robot (Project to Support Prototype
Development). We plan to perform a demonstration at next
year's World Expo in Aichi.
In the future, we hope to continue concentrating our efforts
on education about and research on robots that can be integrated
into society. Since we apply great importance to our collaboration
with the Micromachine Center and everyone in the industry, we
hope that you will continue to provide us with this support.

Arai Laboratory Homepage:
http://www-arailab.sys.es.osaka-u.ac.jp

Fig. 2 Automated handling using automated focusing and object
recognition functions (the object is a glass particle 2 µm in diameter)

MICROMACHINE No. 48
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