| Spinning off their technologies
into new companies, often started by ERC faculty and/or students, is one
of the ways that Engineering Research Centers achieve their goal of transferring
Center-developed technologies into industry. The ERC for Wireless Integrated
MicroSystems, headquartered at the University of Michigan, works on wireless
technologies for a wide range of applications. Startup Discera, founded
in 2001 by Professor Clark Nguyen, a WIMS researcher, has rapidly become
a world leader in CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) MEMS (microelectromechanical
systems) resonator technology.
In 2004, Discera introduced
its award-winning, proprietary PureSilicon Resonator technology to provide
an effective replacement solution to quartz crystal, ceramic, and other
frequency control and timing products. Discera’s resonators offer a significant
breakthrough in technology that is being used to create the industry’s
most advanced and economical frequency control and RF circuits. These products
uniquely address the miniaturization requirements of digital consumer products
and other mobile applications. Resonator-based timing devices are found
in all cell phones and radios, for example.
The company is selling its
products worldwide. In December 2006, Discera and M-RF Co., Ltd.,
a major distributor of microwave devices, components, and subsystems in
Japan, announced a partnership to distribute Discera's CMOS MEMS resonator-based
timing products. M-RF will represent Discera and distribute its products
to Japanese customers focusing on wireless communication markets.
In January 2007, Vectron announced it was shipping Discera products to
replace quartz crystal oscillators for high-volume applications.
The worldwide timing market is $3.5B.Discera was featured on the cover
of EE Times in the October 23, 2006 issue.
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