A Gyroscope Design for Automotive Electronic Stability Control Systems
September 6, 2011 by Randy Frank
Filed under Frank Talk, Gyroscope, MEMS Sensor Technology
Three-Axis Digital Gyroscope Targets Consumer and Portable Applications
August 30, 2011 by Randy Frank
Filed under Featured, Gyroscope, MEMS Sensor Technology
Today’s advancements in Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensor technology can mean new levels of performance and reliability in specific applications. An example is STMicroelectronics newest 3-axis digital gyroscope that provides high sensing resolution with high immunity to audio noise and vibrations. Housed in a 4x4x1 mm package, the L3GD20 is immune to both mechanical vibrations coupled through the printed circuit board and to audio noise, such as from speakers mounted close to the sensor that can easily occur in consumer and portable applications.
With user-programmable full-scale ranges from ±250 dps up to ±2000 dps, the low full-scale values provide high accuracy of slow-motion sensing and the high range can detect and measure very fast gestures and movements. The gyro has a 16-bit data output with additional embedded digital features, including configurable low- and high-pass filters. Operating over supply voltage range of 2.4 to 3.6V, the sensor includes power-down and sleep modes as well as an embedded FIFO (first-in first-out) memory block for smarter power management.
With these added capabilities, the new gyroscope is pin-to-pin adaptable and software-compatible with the current-generation L3G4200D gyroscope.
For more information about STMicroelectronics L3G420 three-axis digital-output gyroscope, click here.
STMicroelectronics’ Three MEMS Sensors Provide 10 DoF
May 18, 2011 by Randy Frank
Filed under Featured, Gyroscope, Magnetic sensor, MEMS Sensor Technology, Motion, Pressure
If a single MEMS sensor is good, a system that provides 10 degrees of freedom (DoF) should be an order of magnitude better.
The three ST MEMS sensors include a geo-magnetic module, a gyroscope, and a pressure sensor. With these sensors, a consumer device can provide a complete indication of its linear acceleration, angular velocity, earth gravity, heading and altitude. The sensors provide three axes of linear motion, three axes of angular motion, three axes of magnetic motion and an altitude axis resulting in ten degrees of freedom (DoF).
In a 3 x 5 x 1mm package, the LSM303DLHC geo-magnetic module integrates three-axis sensing of linear and magnetic motion.
In a 4 x 4 x 1-mm package, the L3G4200D three-axis digital gyroscope provides output accuracy and stability over temperature and time.
While it is only available now in the 10-DoF sensor solution for evaluation, the pressure sensor provides the altimeter portion of the system. In a 3 x 3 x 1-mm package, the device has an operating pressure range of 260 – 1260 millibars. This corresponds to the atmospheric pressures between -700 and +10000m relative to sea level.
Analog Devices Offers Trio of New Gyros
March 16, 2011 by Randy Frank
Filed under Featured, Gyroscope, MEMS Sensor Technology
Three new gyroscopes from Analog Devices, Inc. provide new design options. Using differential quad-sensor technology to reject the influence of linear acceleration and vibration, the MEMS gyros have exceptionally accurate and reliable rate sensing even in severe shock and vibration ambients.
Rated at ±250°/s, the ADXRS642 brings improved vibration and shock immunity performance to existing ADI iMEMS gyroscope applications.
The ADXRS646 gyro has a measurement range of ±250°/s with 1 kHz bandwidth and 8°/hr drift with low broadband noise.
The ADXRS649 offers the highest rate of rotation sensing available with ±20,000°/sec and fast 3 millisecond (ms) start-up time for quick power cycling.
Kionix New Gyros Target Consumer Apps
November 23, 2010 by Randy Frank
Filed under Featured, Gyroscope, MEMS Sensor Technology
With analysts’ expectations of a $1.04B market by 2014, it is no surprise that Kionix has applied its MEMS expertise to consumer gyroscopes. The company offers both digital and analog versions of its dual-axis KGY12 and tri-axis KGY13. The 16-bit digital outputs (I2C and SPI) have a measurement range of ±2048°/sec. Analog outputs are available in user-selectable ranges of ±256°/sec, ±512°/sec, ±1024°/sec and ±2048°/sec. Both gyros are offered in a 5x5x0.9mm 24-pin land grid array (LGA) package and have user-definable bandwidth and embedded temperature sensors.
Get more information on Kionix dual-axis KGY12 and tri-axis KGY13.
