Latest news with #xMEMSLabs
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
A 1mm fan inside your laptop's hard drive? Here's how the micro xMEMS fan works
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A fan so small and silent that it fits inside your laptop's SSD. It's an idea that might sound somewhat farfetched, but xMEMS Labs, known for making solid-state speakers for earbuds, has managed to pull it off with its µCooling chip. This isn't your typical thermal management solution. Originally built for data center applications, xMEMS has now expanded the technology to support active thermal management for laptops. Effectively keeping SSDs cool from the inside out, µCooling is a microscopic air pump that lives right on top of the drive, blowing cool air over the parts that tend to overheat. It's small, silent, and smart. And yes, it works. Let's say you're installing a massive game or exporting a big video project. If your laptop suddenly slows to a crawl halfway through, it might not be your CPU or RAM to blame. It could well be your SSD getting too hot. Today's SSDs use a fast connection called PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express), which lets them move data at lightning speeds of up to 7,000MB per second. But with that speed comes a lot of heat, and if the drive gets too hot, it slows itself down to avoid damage. This is a frustrating phenomenon called thermal throttling, and laptop manufacturers are constantly looking for workarounds to it. While most laptops rely on system fans or metal heat spreaders to cool their SSDs, that doesn't cut it anymore, especially in slim devices where airflow is limited. That's where µCooling could make a real difference. µCooling ('micro-cooling') is a solid-state fan-on-a-chip that uses piezoelectric membranes — super-thin layers that vibrate at ultrasonic speeds — to move air. It's like a microscopic air pump, sealed in a chip no bigger than a fingernail. At just 1 millimeter thick, µCooling is small enough to fit on an SSD without changing its size or design. It doesn't spin, make noise, or wear out like traditional fans. But it still pushes air over the SSD's hottest components, the controller and flash memory, where heat builds up. According to xMEMS, µCooling can reduce SSD temperatures by 18–20% and reduce heat build-up resistance by 30%. That could mean dropping a drive from 80°C down to 64°C, or the difference between throttling and full speed. It also means your storage runs cooler for longer, even under heavy workloads. For everyday laptop users, this translates to: Faster game installs and file transfers. Fewer slowdowns when multitasking. Longer sustained performance in ultrabooks or fanless laptops. Less heat bleeding into other components, such as the battery or CPU. And because µCooling only uses around 30 milliwatts of power, it won't sap your battery life. Plus, it's completely silent: The membranes vibrate above 20 kHz, which is beyond the range of human hearing. If this sounds familiar, you might be thinking of Frore Systems' AirJet, another solid-state cooling tech that's also currently making headlines. AirJet is more powerful (capable of cooling processors and other hot components), but it's also way bigger and typically added on top of CPUs. µCooling, by contrast, is purpose-built for SSDs. It's smaller, lighter, and designed to be embedded directly on the drive itself. It may not move as much air as AirJet, but it's far easier to integrate into thin laptops, especially those with a premium space. xMEMS is already working with SSD manufacturers, with full production slated for early 2026. While no laptops have officially launched with µCooling yet, it might only be a matter of time before this tiny tech shows up in next-gen gaming notebooks and ultra-thin laptops. So if your next laptop loads games faster, stays cooler, and runs whisper-quiet, you might have the world's smallest fan to thank. Nvidia's 120W APU leak could mark the beginning of the end for laptop GPUs "We don't circulate this much": Google co-founder reveals shocking AI hack Apple is finally doing something about its confusing OS naming conventions
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
xMEMS Extends µCooling Fan-on-a-Chip to SSDs — Delivering First In-Drive Active Cooling for AI Data Centers and Laptop PCs
With temperature reduction as much as 30%, µCooling for SSDs is poised to revolutionize thermal management in high-density data centers and consumer computing devices. SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 29, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--xMEMS Labs, Inc., inventor of the world's first monolithic silicon MEMS air pump, today announced the expansion of its µCooling fan-on-a-chip platform to solid-state drives (SSDs), enabling the first-ever in-drive active cooling for enterprise E3.S form factor SSDs used in AI data centers and NVMe M.2 SSDs used in laptop PCs. Traditionally, SSD thermal management has relied on passive heat spreaders and ambient airflow from system fans, which often fall short in managing the intense, sustained workloads common in AI, HPC, and modern computing environments. As SSD speeds push well beyond 7 GB/s, thermal throttling remains a performance barrier. xMEMS µCooling addresses this by delivering hyper-localized active cooling directly to NAND flash and controller ICs from within the SSD itself. "SSDs are the data highways of modern computing — but when they overheat, everything slows down," said Mike Housholder, VP of Marketing at xMEMS Labs. "µCooling is the only active solution small enough to live inside the SSD, delivering thermal relief exactly where it's needed to prevent throttling and maintain peak data rates." In AI data centers, SSDs in E3.S form factors routinely operate at 9.5W TDP or higher, generating thermal hotspots in compact, dense racks. Thermal modeling with µCooling integrated has shown: 3W of heat removal capability; >18% average temperature reduction; and >25% lower thermal resistance. This allows drives to sustain high-speed I/O without performance degradation, extending device reliability and improving throughput in critical AI/ML workloads. In consumer laptop PCs, NVMe M.2 SSDs often reach thermal limits during large file transfers, sustained writes, or gaming workloads – especially in fanless ultrathin devices. Thermal modeling with µCooling integration has shown: Average 30-50% power overhead allowance; >20% temperature reduction; 30% lower thermal resistance; and 30% lower ∆T (temperature rise above ambient). These improvements translate to fewer thermal slowdowns and higher sustained performance in even the most compact devices. According to research firm IDC, the market for SSDs is expected to grow 21.9% CAGR through 2028, driven by increased demand for data centers, edge solutions, AI infrastructure, and consumer devices. "With µCooling, SSD designers can finally implement true active thermal management without enlarging the drive or depending on system airflow," added Housholder. "It's a breakthrough for both hyperscale servers and ultraportable PCs." xMEMS µCooling's solid-state, piezoMEMS design includes no motors or moving bearings, therefore no mechanical wear, enabling maintenance-free reliability and high-volume manufacturability. Its compact footprint, as small as 9.3 x 7.6 x 1.13mm, and scalable architecture make it ideal for use in a wide range of electronic systems. µCooling samples are available now, with volume production beginning Q1 2026. For more information about xMEMS and our µCooling heat dissipation solution, visit For hi-res imagery, click here. About xMEMS Labs, Inc. Founded in January 2018, xMEMS Labs is the "X" factor in MEMS with the world's most innovative piezoMEMS platform. It invented the world's first solid-state, monolithic MEMS speakers that combine the scalability of semiconductor manufacturing with revolutionary audio performance, enabling new audio experiences in wireless earbuds, wearables, hearing health, and smart glasses. The xMEMS piezoMEMS platform has also been extended to produce the world's first μCooling fan on a chip delivering active thermal management in smartphones, SSDs, smart glasses, and data center systems like optical transceivers. xMEMS has over 245 granted patents worldwide for its technology. For more information, visit View source version on Contacts Media Contact:Marta MajstorovicGriffin360marta@
Business Wire
29-05-2025
- Business Wire
xMEMS Extends µCooling Fan-on-a-Chip to SSDs — Delivering First In-Drive Active Cooling for AI Data Centers and Laptop PCs
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--xMEMS Labs, Inc., inventor of the world's first monolithic silicon MEMS air pump, today announced the expansion of its µCooling fan-on-a-chip platform to solid-state drives (SSDs), enabling the first-ever in-drive active cooling for enterprise E3.S form factor SSDs used in AI data centers and NVMe M.2 SSDs used in laptop PCs. Traditionally, SSD thermal management has relied on passive heat spreaders and ambient airflow from system fans, which often fall short in managing the intense, sustained workloads common in AI, HPC, and modern computing environments. As SSD speeds push well beyond 7 GB/s, thermal throttling remains a performance barrier. xMEMS µCooling addresses this by delivering hyper-localized active cooling directly to NAND flash and controller ICs from within the SSD itself. 'SSDs are the data highways of modern computing — but when they overheat, everything slows down,' said Mike Housholder, VP of Marketing at xMEMS Labs. 'µCooling is the only active solution small enough to live inside the SSD, delivering thermal relief exactly where it's needed to prevent throttling and maintain peak data rates.' In AI data centers, SSDs in E3.S form factors routinely operate at 9.5W TDP or higher, generating thermal hotspots in compact, dense racks. Thermal modeling with µCooling integrated has shown: 3W of heat removal capability; >18% average temperature reduction; and >25% lower thermal resistance. This allows drives to sustain high-speed I/O without performance degradation, extending device reliability and improving throughput in critical AI/ML workloads. In consumer laptop PCs, NVMe M.2 SSDs often reach thermal limits during large file transfers, sustained writes, or gaming workloads – especially in fanless ultrathin devices. Thermal modeling with µCooling integration has shown: Average 30-50% power overhead allowance; >20% temperature reduction; 30% lower thermal resistance; and 30% lower ∆T (temperature rise above ambient). These improvements translate to fewer thermal slowdowns and higher sustained performance in even the most compact devices. According to research firm IDC, the market for SSDs is expected to grow 21.9% CAGR through 2028, driven by increased demand for data centers, edge solutions, AI infrastructure, and consumer devices. 'With µCooling, SSD designers can finally implement true active thermal management without enlarging the drive or depending on system airflow,' added Housholder. 'It's a breakthrough for both hyperscale servers and ultraportable PCs.' xMEMS µCooling's solid-state, piezoMEMS design includes no motors or moving bearings, therefore no mechanical wear, enabling maintenance-free reliability and high-volume manufacturability. Its compact footprint, as small as 9.3 x 7.6 x 1.13mm, and scalable architecture make it ideal for use in a wide range of electronic systems. µCooling samples are available now, with volume production beginning Q1 2026. For more information about xMEMS and our µCooling heat dissipation solution, visit For hi-res imagery, click here. About xMEMS Labs, Inc. Founded in January 2018, xMEMS Labs is the 'X' factor in MEMS with the world's most innovative piezoMEMS platform. It invented the world's first solid-state, monolithic MEMS speakers that combine the scalability of semiconductor manufacturing with revolutionary audio performance, enabling new audio experiences in wireless earbuds, wearables, hearing health, and smart glasses. The xMEMS piezoMEMS platform has also been extended to produce the world's first μCooling fan on a chip delivering active thermal management in smartphones, SSDs, smart glasses, and data center systems like optical transceivers. xMEMS has over 245 granted patents worldwide for its technology. For more information, visit
Business Wire
13-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
xMEMS Unveils Sycamore-W – The World's Thinnest Speaker Engineered for Smart Watches and Fitness Bands
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--xMEMS Labs, the leader in piezoMEMS audio innovation and creators of the world's first all-silicon micro speakers, today announced Sycamore-W, a new addition to the company's Sycamore near-field MEMS speaker family, engineered for smart watches, fitness bands, and other wrist-worn wearables. Following the successful debut of the original Sycamore µSpeaker in late 2024, Sycamore-W extends xMEMS' commitment to µFidelity™ audio in space-constrained mobile form factors. Measuring just 1 millimeter thin in a 20 x 4mm form factor, Sycamore-W reduces speaker package volume by 70%, enabling dramatically slimmer, sleeker form factors while delivering high-quality, full-range sound. 'Sycamore-W redefines audio for smart watches, combining compact design with robust performance to meet the demands of next-generation wearables,' said Mike Housholder, xMEMS VP of Marketing and Business Development. 'As the wrist becomes a key interface for ears-free, hands-free AI interactions, Sycamore-W empowers manufacturers to deliver premium audio in smaller, lighter, more durable devices.' Optimized for Wrist-Worn Devices Sycamore-W is engineered specifically for the unique demands of wrist-based wearables. Its 4mm wide x 1mm thin profile minimizes incursion into the watch cavity, enabling designers with the space to integrate more biometric sensors and larger batteries. Compared to legacy coil speakers that are typically 3 to 4mm thick and weigh up to 3 grams, Sycamore-W's 150mg weight dramatically reduces strain and enhances comfort, both of which are key considerations for wearable devices. Silicon Durability and Rugged Design This new solution maintains the same solid-state durability xMEMS speakers are known for, with component-level IP58-rated protection and robust 10,000 g mechanical shock resistance. These qualities make it ideal for active lifestyle wearables and outdoor-oriented smartwatches and fitness bands. Sycamore-W measures 20 x 4 x 1.28mm. Samples are available now to early access customers, with volume production slated for Q2 2026. The original Sycamore µSpeaker will continue to serve broader applications, including smart glasses, open-fit earbuds, and laptops, while additional Sycamore family variants tailored to other specific applications will be announced later this year. For more information about Sycamore and xMEMS visit and for hi-res imagery click here. About xMEMS Labs, Inc. Founded in January 2018, xMEMS Labs is the 'X' factor in MEMS with the world's most innovative piezoMEMS platform. It invented the world's first solid-state, True MEMS µFidelity speakers for TWS, near-field OWS, and other personal audio devices, and evolved its substantial IP to produce the world's first μCooling fan on a chip for smartphones and other thin, performance-oriented devices. xMEMS has over 245 granted patents worldwide for its technology. For more information, visit
