New Technology for Directed Airflow in Tight Spaces
The Stockholm-based deep-tech startup company Myvox specializes in thin-film piezoelectric actuation on silicon. The company develops MEMS microspeakers and ultra-compact microfans capable of generating airflow at the component level. The focus is on enabling integration of acoustic and thermal functionality directly into semiconductor-based systems, supporting applications where space, power budgets, and thermal requirements leave little room for conventional solutions.
MEMS stands for Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems. These are tiny devices – often a few square millimeters in size – that combine miniature mechanical components with electronics. Myvox’s patented air-displacing technology enables solid-state actuators that directly move air using piezoelectric membranes – without coils, magnets, or traditional mechanics.
Unlike conventional approaches, the silicon-based products are manufactured using highly scalable semiconductor processes, making them ideal for next-generation audio and cooling components.
Behind the technology is a team with extensive MEMS know-how and experience, including advanced research and industrial product development.
MEMS-based, surface-mount cooling
The microfan is fabricated entirely in silicon using a piezoelectric MEMS actuation stack. An array of thin membranes oscillates at high frequency to drive air through an integrated tunnel structure.
With batch MEMS processing, the device achieves a compact 6.5 × 7.5 × 1.2 mm package with full SMT compatibility for automated PCB assembly. The device has no rotating parts, supporting mechanical robustness and low noise.
This form factor makes it feasible to introduce directed airflow directly at board level, where conventional microfans often cannot fit.
Pressure-Flow relation for constrained thermal paths
Conventional centrifugal fans provide high open-air flow but have limited static pressure, which restricts their performance when forcing air through narrow passages. The MEMS microfan demonstrates the opposite profile: comparatively high static pressure at modest flow rates, which is beneficial for localized cooling and airflow through tight channels.
Test data using identical measurement constraints (through a Sensirion SFM3400-33 flow sensor) show the following results for the current prototype:
- ~0.5 SLM free flow
- ~380 Pa peak static pressure
A typical centrifugal microfan, despite occupying roughly 50 times more space, quickly loses performance when the airflow is obstructed. The steeper pressure-flow curve of the MEMS device highlights its suitability for pushing air where thermal bottlenecks typically occur.
Development targets
The microfan is now at product level, with engineering samples planned for release in 2026. The development targets are:
- >3 SLM flow
- >1 kPa static pressure
- In the same compact MEMS package
This performance is intended to enable new board-level cooling strategies where today’s form factor and airflow limitations constrain system design.
Link to video showing the MEMS microfan in operation and the basic principle of the technology: https://www.myvox.se/demo
Reference product (centrifugal microfan): Wakefield DB0300305H1A-BT0.