MEMS sensor gives sense of balance to handhelds

MEMS sensor gives sense of balance to handhelds

Analog triaxial accelerometer for detecting inclination, motion, shock, and vibration comes in 3 x 3 x 0.9-mm package

Housed in a field-proven 3 x 3 x 0.9-mm miniature 12-pin LGA package, the BMA140 acceleration sensor has a ±4-g measurement range and a low 0.9-µA standby current, so it can be used in mobile consumer goods such as game controllers, cell phones, PDAs, medical devices, and navigation aids. Designed for sophisticated applications, the sensor is said to act as an artificial balance organ, precisely detecting static or dynamic motion in three dimensions simultaneously.

Unlike digital devices, the sensor’s parallel analog (voltage) output is directly proportional to instantaneously measured acceleration, maximizing motion data without the impact of digitizing on speed or resolution. Designers can choose external ADCs, multiplexers, or filters tuned to product requirements, accurately detecting specific motion patterns and rejecting irrelevant ones. For designs where part count and lower system costs are critical, the sensor permits serial analog output through an integrated multiplexer, letting designers send the three signals to a single-channel A/D converter.

Consuming only 200 µA in active mode, the RoHS-compliant precalibrated sensor withstands overloads to 10,000 g. For upgrade of in-production designs, the sensor is also offered as BMA145 in a 4 x 4 x 0.9-mm 16-pin LGA. (Contact Julia Patzelt for pricing — available now.)

Bosch Sensortec , Reutlingen , Germany
Julia Patzelt 011-49-7121-3535921

http://www.bosch-sensortec.com