This is all being driven by the Internet of Things (IoT), which should be taking off soon, apparently.

MEMS sensors have been dominated by Bosch, STMicroelectronics and Freescale. But it seems that China and Taiwan-based IC foundries have all thought "I'll be 'aving some of that."

In China, the central government has launched a national fund to finance the development of its local semiconductor industry. MEMS are one of the industry sectors the China government is looking to support financially.

Shanghai Industrial Technology Research Institute (SITRI), founded more than a year ago, has designed an 8-inch wafer fab for MEMS parts. SITRI is responsible for helping the local MEMS startups get their new designs ready for commercial production.

Chinese 12-inch IC foundries SMIC and HLMC have formed partnerships with MEMS specialists too.

SMIC previously introduced a three axis accelerometer which is designed by MEMSensing Microsystems and uses the foundry's CMOS integrated MEMS device fabrication and TSV-based wafer-level packaging technologies.

HLMC is cooperating with QST and Shanghai Lexvu Opto Microelectronics Technology to develop MEMS products.

TSMC is expanding its MEMS business with InvenSense as a partner. It is tending to go a little slower than the Chinese in getting ready.

UMC is working with 3S, which specialises in MEMS microphone chips for smartphones and wearable devices.