BURLINGTON, Mass., Oct. 13 -- Standard MEMS Inc. and Road Research have agreed, in principle, to a business combination. The companies plan to sign a definitive agreement by December 1999.Nicholas E. Ortyl, president and CEO of Standard MEMS, said, Blue Road Research has been a pioneer in the development of novel fiber optic sensor technology for military, civil engineering and aerospace applications. By combining our MEMS (microelectromechanical) technology with Blue Road Research's fiber optic technologies, we will enhance the performance and lower the cost of a wide range of new automotive, telecommunications, industrial and consumer products. Blue Road Research's president, Eric Udd, and his technical staff will lead the Fiber Optic/MEMS research and development effort at the company's facility in Portland, Ore.