If you are looking to purchase an accelerometer or gyroscope, STMicroelectronics is the number one most popular company for micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). According to market analyst iSuppli, ST’s consumer MEMS sales grew 63% in 2010 to reach $353 million, almost twice the revenue of its closest competitor.

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ST is the leading supplier to mobile and consumer manufacturers for both motion-sensor types: accelerometers and gyroscopes. It has only taken ST a few years to capture around 50% of the consumer accelerometer market, and its success with gyroscopes is similar. It has introduced more than 30 gyroscopes since 2008 and boosted the gyro revenue-based market share from less than 1% in 2009 to 30% in 2010.

ST’s MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes have enabled motion-activated user interfaces in many popular devices, such as game consoles, smart phones, and remotes. Computer manufacturers widely use the company’s acceleration sensors for fall-free protection in laptop hard-disk drives.

ST recently passed the one billionth MEMS sensor landmark and its dedicated 8-inch MEMS fabrication line currently produces more than 1.5 million devices a day.

The MEMS consumer market grew 27% in 2010 to $1.6 billion and similar growth is expected in the next few years. According to iSuppli, revenues will top $3.7 billion by 2014. The continued demands from consumer and mobile applications dominate the growth and these fields are expected to become the biggest MEMS segment by 2014.

ST has recently expanded its MEMS portfolio with microphones and pressure sensors. MEMS microphones enable smaller, thinner, and lighter designs for mobile phones and other portable devices with better directionality, noise cancellation, and fidelity. Because of ST’s micro-machined pressure sensors, the company claims that consumer devices will be able to measure atmospheric pressure and/or identify their precise location in all three dimensions.

“Consumers turning, tilting, and tapping their gadgets results from the MEMS revolution we kicked off five years ago,” claims Benedetto Vigna, Group vice president and general manager of the MEMS, Sensors and High Performance Analog Division, STMicroelectronics.

iSuppli

STMicroelectronics