After earlier meetings in Enschede (NL, 1994), Basel (CH, 1996) and Banff (CDN, 1998), muTAS 2000 is the fourth international symposium on the subject of miniaturized techniques, methods, devices and systems for (bio)chemical analysis and synthesis. Initially started as a minor sub-topic in the large field of Micro System Technology (MST or MEMS), the field of muTAS is currently generally considered as one of the most important application areas of MST, which is reflected in the still rapidly growing research, development, and, above all, commercialization activities. Apart from further...

This volume has been prepared in the framework of Project 1: "Educating Man for the 21st Century" of Plan Europe 2000, sponsored by the European Cultural Foundation. While most of the studies launched under this Project deal with specific aspects or levels of education the present volume attempts to provide a more global view of educational futures and their relationships to alternative futures of the overall socio-economic system. It should not be considered as a general integration or synthesis. of the different studies of the Education Project of the European Cultural Foundation - although...

The use of silicon-based microsystems for chemical analysis is one of the most promising concepts in the recent developments in micro system technology (MST). It is expected that chemical sensors will be increasingly integrated in so-called miniaturized total analysis systems (uTAS), a concept first presented by Ciba-Geigy. In such systems, all steps in a chemical determination, from sampling to detection and data treatment, are integrated in one miniature instrument. uTAS offer a variety of advantages over conventional analysis systems such as improved analytical performance, reduced reagent...

The Fifth International Conference on Micro Total Analysis Systems, also known as JlTAS 2001, will highlight the latest exciting events in the world ofminiaturized devices and systems for performing chemical and biochemical experimentation This conference has become mandatory for those of us working in this field as it is indeed helping to define our discipline. We are grateful to the people of the MESA Research Institute of the University of Twente, particularly Piet Bergveld and Albert van den Berg, for starting this meeting in 1994. Their original intention was for the JlTAS meeting to be...

The MESA Research Institute of the University of Twente was created in 1990 through the joining of the research unit Sensors and Actuators with the department of Microelectronics. The multidisciplinary institute, with participation from the faculties of Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics and Chemical Technology, was recently recognized as a Centre of Excellence by the Dutch Science Foundation. It is fully 2 equipped with modem Clean Room facilities (1000 m ) and a number of research laboratories. The objective of MESA is to perform research and development of systems in modem information...

Micro-TAS '98 is the third of a series of symposia initiated by MBSA (University of Twente) in 1994, on the subject of miniaturizing, and integrating within a monolithic structure, the chemical, biochemical and biological procedures commonly used for analysis and synthesis. The primary tool used to develop micro-total analysis systems (mu- TAS) has been micro-photolithographic patterning and micromachining. These powerful tools of Micro System Technology (MST or MEMS) have been applied in highly imaginative ways to develop microchip chemical arrays, fully integrated pump and fluid manifolds,...