MICROENGINEERNG - THE NEXT REVOLUTION?

The field of microengineering, which has evolved over the past few decades, is leading to radical changes in manufacturing techniques for high-technology products. Microengineered devices and systems are being applied to an increasing range of applications in the automotive, aerospace, telecommunications, and biomedical/pharmaceutical industries, and this trend is expected to continue well into the 21 st century. This paper reviews the basic principles and techniques of microengineering, and surveys some of the most promising applications.