ABSTRACT
The concept of integrating biochemical analysis with microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is involved in the new field of BioMEMS, which is undergoing tremendous growth in a multitude of applications. The field of BioMEMS inherits all the advantages of miniaturization, such as small sample volume, scalability, integration of multiple functions and fields, low cost, and low power consumption. BioMEMS devices combine a biological recognition system called a bioreceptor with a physical or chemical transducer to selectively and quantitatively detect the presence of specific compounds in a given external environment. The emerging applications for BioMEMS include agricultural and food engineering areas. Although a variety of MEMS components and devices, including microreservoirs, micropumps, cantilevers, valves, sensors, and other structures, have been fabricated and tested in the laboratory environment, most devices are designed for in vitro diagnostics. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
