Since 2007, we have been pursuing university-based industrial collaborations in the field of Integrated MEMS; this industry-industry-academia partnership has been active for over three years now, and we have recently extended it for another seven years.
Our center currently includes some 14 participating companies, including Ricoh and Toyota; our shared-wafer program allows participants to fabricate integrated MEMS devices at lower cost, thus reducing development risks, while our patent basket allows companies to collaborate with one another by sharing patents for foundational technology.
This type of industry-industry-academia partnership model is an attempt to blaze a new trail toward integrated MEMS---a technology that is challenging to develop and even more difficult to commercialize.
Companies wishing to join the collaboration must be approved by current participants. We look forward to hearing from all interested parties!