Masayoshi Esashi

Biography

A pioneer of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology, Masayoshi Esashi developed ion sensitive FET (ISFET), which was commercialized as pH and CO2 catheters in 1980 and provided an early example of lab-on-a-chip technology. He developed and commercialized many MEMS innovations. His integrated capacitive pressure sensor and MEMS switch for LSI testers are based on wafer level packaging. Dr. Esashi’s resonating gyro was extended to yaw rate and acceleration sensors for vehicle stability control (VSC), and his electrostatically levitated rotational gyro, used for vibration measurement in railway cars, enables a more comfortable ride. Dr. Esashi’s MEMS-based optical scanner for platform door operation has also improved passenger safety.

An IEEE member, Dr. Esashi is a professor with the World Premier International Research Center/Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.