Nine-Axis Sensing Enables Games and Augmented Reality

At the 2012 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, Frank Melzer, CEO of Bosch Sensortec demonstrates 9-axis sensing using a combined accelerometer and eCompass magnetometer with the company’s newest 3×3-mm triaxial gyroscope, the BMG160. The 9-degree of freedom sensing combined with an imaging system and additional software enables augmented reality. In addition, Melzer explains the use of a MEMS pressure sensor in a smart phone.

To watch the video, click here.

For more information about Bosch Sensortec MEMS sensors here or

Gyroscope, click here.

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.

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.

Silicon MEMS Gyro Takes on Fiber Optic Gyros

Mechanical gyroscopes use a top-like mechanism spinning at high speed to detect angular position and provide high precision but at a high price. In contrast, fiber optic gyros (FOG) have minimal moving parts and offer high precision as well with a medium to high-end pricing. Sensonor Technologies’ STIM210 gyro module targets both designs with low bias error over temperature, a bias instability of 0.5⁰/h and low noise of 10⁰/√h. Operating over a temperature range of -40 to +85⁰C, the MEMS-based gyro is insensitive to magnetic fields and has no intrinsic wear-out mechanisms.

For more information about Sensonor Technologies’ STIM210 MEMS gyro module, click here.

Smallest Sensor Week: Dual-Axis Gyroscopes Boast Smallest Packaging

With a 3 x 3 x 0.75-mm form factor, InvenSense Inc. lays claim to the world’s smallest dual-axis gyroscopes. Targeting optical image stabilization (OIS) in smartphones, the IDG-2020 is an x-y (roll and pitch) and the IXZ-2020 is an x-z (roll and yaw) dual-axis MEMS gyroscope.

Features in the gyroscopes designed specifically for OIS requirements include the ability to have a factory full-scale output of ±32 degrees per second (dps) for the highest sensitivity to detect the slightest hand jitter, high-performance 32kHz ADC sampling, a nominal drive frequency of 27kHz that makes the gyroscopes immune to interference from audible frequencies such as music or ambient noise, a high speed 20-MHz SPI serial interface, and more.

For more information about InvenSense IDG-2020 and IXZ-2020 dual-axis gyroscopes, click here.

Smallest Sensor Week: Smallest 3-Axis Digital Gyroscope

With microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology and semiconductor packages, sensor manufacturers compete to cram the most technology into the smallest package. This week, Sensor Tips will highlight products that the manufacturer says is the world’s smallest. Without performing the extensive research necessary to verify the claims, we’ll take their word for it. Users can take advantage of these products’ minute size and capabilities to add features and performance to portable electronic products.

The first smallest sensor is STMicroelectronics world’s smallest 3-axis digital gyroscope. Housed in a 3 x 3.5 x 1-mm land grid array (LGA) 16-pin package, the L3G3200D gyroscope provides a 16-bit data output on the interrupt and data-ready lines and it integrates low- and high-pass filters with user-selectable bandwidth. The gyro operates with any supply voltage within the range of 2.4 to 3.6V with selectable full-scale values of ±250/500/2000 dps.

For more information about STMicroelectronics L3G3200D 3-axis digital gyroscope, click here.

MEMS Gyroscope Provides Tactical Grade Performance

Tactical grade gyroscopes typically use fiber optic technology (a fiber optic gyro or FOG) to produce a higher performance level than an industrial grade product. With its ADIS16136 tactical grade iSensor® digital MEMS gyroscope, Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) provides 3.5°/hr typical bias stability and ±450°/Sec angular precision. This tactical level performance comes in a matchbox-sized (35.6x44x13.8-mm) module weighing only 25 grams.

Consuming less than 1W, the gyroscope targets platform stabilization and control, navigation, robotics and medical instrumentation.

For more information about Analog Devices ADIS16136 digital MEMS gyroscope, click here.

MEMS IMU Delivers 10-Degree-of-Freedom Capability

Today, there are several sources for six degrees of freedom (DoF) sensors. However, when 6DoF is not enough, the newest solution from Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) may be the answer. The ADIS16488 is a 10-DoF sensor that integrates a tri-axis gyroscope, tri-axis accelerometer, tri-axis
magnetometer and a pressure sensor into a single package. Based on microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology, the four different sensors not only fit into a 66.04x 64.77×14-mm package, they provide high performance and stability.

With bias stability of less than 10 degrees/hr), other inertial measurement unit (IMU) parameters include:

• Triaxial, digital gyroscope with digital range
  scaling,  ±450°/sec dynamic range
• Triaxial, digital accelerometer, ±18 g
• Triaxial, delta-angle and delta velocity outputs
• Triaxial, digital magnetometer, ±2.5 gauss
• Digital pressure sensor, 300 mbar to 1100 mbar

For more information about Analog Devices ADIS16488 10-degree-of-freedom sensor, click here.

Sensing Three Axes of Linear and Angular Motion in a 20-mm Footprint

There seems to be an insatiable demand to sense motion in the latest portable electronic products. For those with limited space, STMicroelectronics LSM330DL Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensor could satisfy their requirements. In its 4 x 5 x 1mm plastic land grid array (LGA) package, the 6 degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) inertial MEMS module is almost twice as small as anything else in production according to the company.

The accelerometer portion has a user-selectable full-scale acceleration range from 2 to 16g and the gyroscope portion has angular-rate detection from 250 to 2500 dps along the pitch, roll and yaw axes. The co-packaged sensors provide inherently precise alignment of the two sensors’ reference axes. In addition, the mechanical sensing structure’s design
delivers excellent thermal and mechanical stability. For example, the angular rate sensitivity change vs. temperature
from -40 to +85°C is ±2% (typically) and angular rate sensitivity with a full scale setting of ±250 dps is typically 8.75 mdps/digit.

The 6DoF  sensor is software-compatible with ST’s latest-generation 3-axis digital accelerometers (LIS3DH) and gyroscopes (L3GD20).

For more information about STMicroelectronics LSM330DL inertial module, click here.

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