MEMS: A New Generation of Barcode Scanner

There used to be two main choices with regards to Barcode Scanners;  go with the unmatched reliability of the  solid-state CCD reader, or  the lightning fast scanning power of laser scanners. By adapting the highly proven, highly reliable MEMS technology used  for bar code reading, MEMS based laser can scanners provide even faster reading than ever before, better recognition and processing of poor quality or damaged bar codes than traditional lasers, and reliability even in the most demanding scanning environments. MEMS scan engines are also extremely compact, only  about the size of a sugar cube,  which leads to lightweight, ergonomic and power-friendly scanners.

What is MEMS anyway? MEMS stands for microelectromechanical systems. MEMS devices combine electronic circuitry with miniaturized mechanical devices, which may include sensors, gyroscopes, actuators, motors, pumps and other components, on a silicon substrate that can be smaller than a grain of sand!  MEMS is a nearly $10 billion industry that includes millions of devices in use in numerous industries. Many MEMS applications are very mature and established, and is the underlying technology behind your antilock brakes, vehicle airbags, projection systems, consumer electronics and medical imaging.

Developed first in the early 1970’s MEMS only been commercially available since the 1990s, and have been developed mostly in Dresden, Germany. The most important and main differences between traditional and MEMS laser scanners are the mirror assembly as well as scanner size. Traditional scanners use a motor to oscillate around  the mirror to move the laser beam across the symbol. The scan speed is expressed as the number of times the beam can be swept over the symbol each second.
Motorized mirrors have proven themselves  problematic for traditional laser scanners. The mirror assemblies are soldered into place, which is often a consistent point of failure when scanners are dropped or bumped from normal use. To reduce the chance of damage, scanners can be made with heavier casings and by adding protective rubber, but these measures add size and

weight to the device and reduce ease of use. MEMS components have considerably less mass than their counterparts in traditional laser scanners, which makes MEMS devices much more resistant to damage from drops. MEMS scanners are also more resistant to wear. Motors produce friction, which loosens and wears down components. Mirrors can also get out of alignment over time, which seriously degrades scanning performance. These dangers are mitigated or eliminated in MEMS designs.

With smaller and more efficient technology in the MEMS, as well as the scanner ability and reliability unmatched by any other scanner, the MEMS scanner is sure to be the new industry standard for quality and performance.