Key Technology Network of BioMEMS through Patent Analysis

The growth of an ageing population and demand for telemedicine have rendered, biomicroelectromechanical systems (BioMEMS) as one of the internationally recognized prospective research areas. Previous studies have mostly emphasized on specific BioMEMS technology or the market application of such technology. However, these studies have not actively identified the key technology of BioMEMS and have not determined the technology development trend in recent years. In the present study, BioMEMS patents were used as a basis of analysis to build a technology network and conduct network analysis. The results showed that key BioMEMS technologies mainly comprised chemical containers, measurements, printed circuits and medical diagnoses. Therefore, BioMEMS technology is applicable to not only one technical field, but multiple technical fields. However, recent technological development has mainly emphasized medical diagnostic measuring technology rather than mature technologies such as chemical containers or printed circuits. An analysis of patent holders reveals that institutions which have developed BioMEMS technology for a relatively long period of time are public or semipublic agencies, indicating that government funding and support are necessary in the early phase of BioMEMS development. This study constructed a model of a patent technology network to investigate the development trend of BioMEMS technology.