To Your Health: 3-Axis Accelerometers and Gyroscopes Provide Feedback

At the 2012 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, Eric Zorich, CEO of Diesel Dogs describes how a three-axis accelerometer and three-axis gyroscope are used to provide a set of Smart Weights. The software in the design allows users to properly exercise and obtain the maximum benefit from a workout. The concept placed as a top 3 finalist in “The 2011 Innovation World Cup” sponsored by the Bluetooth SIG. The MEMS sensors in the company’s demonstration prototype were supplied by Freescale Semiconductor.

To watch the video, click here.

For more information about Diesel Dogs’ Smart Weights, click here.

For more information about Freescale Semiconductor’s three axis accelerometers and three axis gyroscopes, click here.

Sensing in Home Monitoring and Control

Joyce Warrington of Ingersoll Rand Residential Solutions explains the sensing that can be incorporated in a home monitoring system at the 2012 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas. The control and monitoring is made possible by Nexia Home Intelligence (formerly Schlage LiNK) based on Z-Wave technology.

To watch the video, click here.

For more information about:

Nexia Home Intelligence, click here, and

Z-Wave, wireless remote control technology, click here.

Nine-Axis MEMS Motion Sensing

At the 2012 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, David Borison of InvenSense demonstrates the capabilities of nine-axis motion sensing using the company’s newly introduced MPU-9150 nine-axis (gyro + accelerometer + compass) MEMS MotionTracking device. The multi-axis sensor incorporates MotionFusion and run-time firmware that simplifies motion sensing in end products. To further simply the design-in process, a development dongle is available.

To watch the video, click here.

For more information about InvenSense MPU-9150, click here.

Three-axis Gyroscope Offers Small Size and Low Power

At the 2012 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, Juha Lahtinen of VTI Technologies demonstrates the capabilities of the company’s newest three-axis, low power (2.5 mA) gyroscope, the CMR3100, as well as sensor fusion capabilities. VTI’s Sensor Fusion is a 9-axis 6 DOF solution for Android devices.

To watch the video, click here.

For more information about VTI Technologies’ CMR3100, click here.

Sensing in an Armband Health Monitor

Nick Wilson of BodyMedia discusses the sensing and capabilities of the company’s two health monitoring devices at the 2012 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas.

To watch the video, click here.

For more information about BodyMedia FIT Armbands, click here.

Sensing in the 2012 Fisker Karma

At the 2012 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, Russell Datz from Fisker Automotive explains how sensing improves the driving experience in the Fisker Karma extended-range electric vehicle to Sensor Tips’ Randy Frank. In addition to the temperature and current sensing in the 20.1 kWh Lithium-Ion battery pack, sensors are found in many other places inside and outside of the vehicle.

To watch the video, click here.

For more information about all the other attributes of the Fisker Karma, click here.

Smoke Detector IC Boasts Programmability

Ionization smoke detectors have been around for more than 25 years. Microchip Technology’s RE46C180 ionization smoke-detector IC shows that there is always room for improvement. In addition to being the first with horn synchronization and auto alarm locate, the IC has programmable calibration and programmable feature selection.

Programmable calibration reduces component counts and simplifies setting up smoke detectors during manufacturing. The programmable features allow one IC to be used for multiple smoke-detector models, including models with different battery types, horn patterns and other features. With these integrated features, companies can develop and manufacture a broad range of residential and commercial smoke detectors using a single IC and printed circuit board.

For more information about Microchip’s RE46C180 ionization smoke-detector IC, click here.

Sensing Complements GM’s Fix for Volt Battery Problem

The innovative Chevrolet Volt suffered a setback when some battery packs caught fire days or weeks after government safety tests. The company has found that National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash tests caused a puncture in the side of the battery pack allowing coolant leakage into the pack. Later, the coolant’s interaction with electronics inside the pack ignited the battery cells.

In addition to strengthening an existing portion of the vehicle’s safety structure to further protect the battery pack in a severe side collision and adding a tamper-resistant bracket to the top of the battery coolant reservoir to help prevent potential coolant overfill, a sensor is also part of the solution. The added sensor in the reservoir of the battery coolant system monitors coolant levels to warn the owner if a problem develops.

Accelerometer Helps Archers Hit the Mark

When new products are introduced, manufacturers like to identify other potential applications beyond the one used to drive product development. Mounting an accelerometer on an arrow tip to provide ballistic measurements to evaluate bows probably was not on any accelerometer manufacturer’s list. However, that is what Full Flight Technology does to improve high-performance archery. Using Analog Devices’ ADXL346 3-axis digital accelerometer, Full Flight Technology’s Velocitip Ballistic System continuously measures arrow drag in flight to provide downrange performance data. Instead of being limited to point of impact information, the continuous measurement capability of the arrow-mounted system quickly and easily identifies factors important to improving arrow design and downrange performance.

For more information about ADI’s ADXL346 3-axis digital MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) accelerometer, click here.

Infrared Sensor IC Addresses Temperature Measurements in Demanding Environments

Designed to measure high object temperatures (maximum of 1030°C), Melexis MLX90616ESF-HCA thermopile sensors have a stabilization period of less than half a minute instead of times that can extend up to half an hour. In addition to a secondary thermopile sensor that detects temperature variations in the package and in the optical assembly, for integration in thermometer guns the integrated circuit sensors also comes with an 8 to 12 micron optical filter. Calculated object and ambient temperatures are available from RAM memory with a resolution of 0.02˚C

For more information about Melexis MLX90616ESF-HCA thermopile sensor, click here.