The most common MEMS device is the tiny sensor that tells auto air bags when to deploy. But MEMS technology is limited by the lack of a reasonable power source that is lightweight and intense enough to run such a small device. The key issue for us is the size of the radiation source. Using extremely small amounts of radioactive material in products is not new, Blanchard said. For example, smoke detectors function with the aid of a radioactive substance that electrically charges the air.
Some photocopiers use a of radioactive material to eliminate the static charge in sheets of paper.
Exposure to radioactive materials is by nature hazardous and their use is closely regulated. But the amount of material required for these applications is so minuscule it would not pose safety risks or require regulation, he said. The traces of radioactive material are encapsulated so no one is exposed to the radiation. The idea is to harness the natural decay of radioactive material and convert it into a power source, without use of a reaction such as fission or fusion, Blanchard said. By keeping the material securely contained within the device, he said, the majority would decay before it leaves the product.