 The Micron's user interface features many shortcuts and is quite deep, offering users the ability to edit all of the sound engine's parameters.However, due to the lack of knobs on its control surface compared to the Ion, specialised Micron patch editor software has been made for various platforms to enable easier sound sculpting from a computer via MIDI.In 2009, Alesis's partner Akai released its Akai Miniak, which has the same sound engine as the Micron, but in a differently styled plastic housing, with three modulation wheels instead of the Micron's two sliders plus one wheel, and with a different set of presets.