The country's first pressure sensor products using micro-electro-mechanical-system technology were unveiled by the Sai Gon Hi-tech Park Research and Development Centre and the Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City's IC Design Research and Education Centre.

The sensor comes in many sizes and different measurement ranges and was approved by the City Department of Science and Technology's Scientific Committee last July.

Truong Huu Ly, head of the research group that fabricated the pressure sensor chip at the park's R & D centre, said: "Pressure sensor chips are widely used in daily, medical, and industrial applications. In industry, [it] is used for piping pressure control for gas, liquids, oil, and others."

In the medical field, it is used in blood pressure monitoring equipment, while in daily life, it is used in devices to measure the water level in washing machines, dishwashers, and water tanks.

The chip is also used to measure river water levels.

The chip will be used along with ICDREC's SG ICDREC V8 - 01 microprocessor to fabricate products.

Global Technical Service company, a foreign company located in Quang Trung Software city, has signed a deal with the R & D Centre to use the chip in production and storage equipment to measure water levels, Ly said.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Duong Minh Tam, deputy director of SHTP, hailed the success of the joint effort by ICDREC and the R & D centre.

Ngo Duc Hoang, ICDREC director, said around 200 billion VND (9.5 million USD) has been invested in research into high-tech products, many of which have been launched for commercial sale in the past few years.-VNA