$6m investment will lead to `disruptive` micro motor systems
The chip-maker austriamicrosystems has invested $6m in US-based New Scale Technologies, which has developed a range of tiny piezoelectric machines that it claims are the world’s smallest linear motors. The investment gives the Austrian firm a 25% stake in privately-owned New Scale.
The two companies plan to integrate their technologies to create tiny motion systems. By reducing the supporting control electronics to single chips, they aim to produce complete motion systems on the same scale as the motors – currently smaller than 2 x 2 x 6 mm.
"This partnership enables us to produce a new line of disruptively small motion systems with best-in-class precision and power efficiency," says New Scale’s chief executive, David Henderson. "Tapping austriamicrosystems` expertise in power-efficient analogue ICs and precision magnetic sensors, we can provide our customers with complete closed-loop motion solutions that incorporate micro motors, drive electronics and position sensors in extremely small modules, ready for integration into OEM products."
John Heugle, austriamicrosystems’ CEO, describes New Scale’s Squiggle motor (shown above) as "a powerful new technology that will have a disruptive impact on communications, medical and automotive system product designs requiring small motion systems".
