News Article
Two new motion sensors from STMicroelectronics
New high performance motion sensors for the entertainment and mobile industry
STMicroelectronics, a supplier of Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) devices found in gaming and mobile multimedia applications, has added two new accelerometers to its ultra compact portfolio of devices in 4 x 4 x 1.5mm LGA packages, with full scale range selectable between ±2g, or ±6g for very small applications where high performance is required.
A two-axis accelerometer and one for three axis applications operate at low power with high performance and high resolution in low voltage and battery operated systems. The devices’ analogue outputs provide direct measurements to external circuitry, and allow designers to optimise external filtering and analogue/digital conversion. Output circuitry is factory calibrated for sensitivity and zero g level, saving further recalibration when built into the end product. The devices also include an embedded self test function that verifies both the MEMS sensor and the embedded electrical interface chip are working correctly, according to guaranteed specifications.
Both devices provide a low footprint, low profile solution to motion detection challenges in space constrained applications. These applications include mobile phones, portable media players, digital still or video cameras, and personal navigation devices, enabling features including freefall detection, smart user interfaces, and intelligent motion based power management that could put the application in sleep mode depending upon its orientation on a surface. Additional applications could include interactive gaming terminals, anti theft systems, sports equipment, and health monitoring devices. The wide operating temperature range from –40 to +85 degrees Celsius, combined with shock survivability up to 10,000g, ensures robust performance when operated in a variety of consumer and ISM environments.
