A MEMS apparatus includes a substrate; electrical contacts disposed on the substrate; a thermal arch beam supported by and connected between the contacts, the thermal arch beam including a midpoint and a protrusion located at about the midpoint; a lever having an axis of rotation and a bearing surface upon which the protrusion is operable to bear, a pair of lever supports disposed on the substrate for rotatably supporting the lever about the axis of rotation, an area of contact between the protrusion and the bearing surface being positioned vertically between the axis of rotation and the plane of the substrate. A voltage difference between the electrical contacts causes the thermal arch beam to move horizontally in the plane and the protrusion to bear against the lever causing rotation of the lever out of the plane.