A great week for T&M

A great week for T&M

As it turns out, the first week of November this year is great week to write a Test & Measurement column. For one thing, the International Test Conference (www.itctestweek.org) is being held in Austin, TX, this week. As a result, you’ll be seeing a number of new test hardware and software products appearing on line as the week progresses. Without getting too specific, you’ll find that designers ability to create testable products and the necessary tests will take a big step forward.

Then too, the annual MEMS Executive Congress (www.memscongress.com) will convene on Wednesday in Scottsdale, AZ. More often than not, MEMS devices are used for automatic sensing, and have been a big hit in the latest cell phones and electronic games. There are also important applications for MEMS in medicine, energy, and transportation. And while I’ve read a lot about testing MEMS (see, for example, “MEMS testing: innovations in mass production” www2.electronicproducts.com/M-article-farc_stmicro_jul2010-html.aspx) one thing I haven’t yet heard a lot about is the use of MEMS in test equipment.

Consider how MEMS could simplify field testing by automatically logging the exact location where testing was being done using GPS and a MEMS accelerometer. Or how building sensors into test equipment that automatically measure temperature, pressure, and humidity could be used to finely tune the instrument’s calibration and thus provide the most precise measurements possible.

There are a host of things MEMS can do for test, and I for one can’t wait to see them. After all, as an old friend of mine says, “MEMS change everythings.”