MEMS barometers and barometric altimeters in industrial, medical, aerospace, and consumer applications

Abstract

The rapid growth of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors over the last decades has introduced compactness along with maximum accuracy and has brought new directions for automation in industry. Nowadays, MEMS sensors are considered a highly efficient technology, which is found in abundant industrial, medical, aerospace, and consumer applications. This article discusses the importance and pervasiveness of MEMS sensors in our daily lives and identifies the challenges and limitations of integrating barometric pressure sensors in cutting-edge applications. While inertial sensors (i.e., accelerometers and gyroscopes) have been thoroughly explored, little effort has been devoted to the explicit examination of MEMS barometers and barometric altimeters. An overview of the potential applications of MEMS barometric sensors as well as the critical issues that affect system performance, along with recommendations on different prototype platforms for research and educational practices, are presented in this article.