MEMS accelerometers slim down sophisticated handhelds

MEMS accelerometers slim down sophisticated handhelds

Devices provide digital outputs to simplify integration and ease board layout

Housed in industry-leading ultra-thin 3 x 5 x 1.0-mm LGA packages, the MMA7455L and MMA7456L advanced three-axis MEMS accelerometers enable motion sensing in a small form factor with very low power consumption, suiting them for use in sleeker, more sophisticated portable electronics products such as cell phones and portable media players. The sensors’ digital I2 C/SPI outputs eliminate the need for an ADC and make board layout more flexible.

The accelerometers offer a broad range of 8 and 10-bit sensitivities that covers 2, 4, and 8 G. Working from a 2.4 to 3.6 V, they typically consume 400 μA. With digital output, the devices can be integrated directly to system processors for communication simplicity and flexibility. Futher, the sensors offer motion-signature and -pulse detection for controlling device inputs and responses and making them highly sensitive to human movement.

To ease design integration, the i.MX31 product development kit includes the MMA7455L, which communicates directly with the i.MX31 system processor. Also offered is the ZSTAR3 kit for multiple digital and analog accelerometer boards, connected through an RF ZigBee 2.4-GHz communication interface to a single USB node. (MMA7455L $2.60 ea / 10,000; MMA7456L, $2.70 / 10,000; i.MX31 PDK, $2,499; ZSTAR3, $99 — available now.)

Freescale Semiconductor , Austin , TX
Sales 800-521-6274
http://www.freescale.com