Smart accelerometer needs less than half of previous devices’ board space
Said to be the world’s smallest LGA-packaged accelerometer, the BMA220 MEMS digital triaxial g sensor has a 2 x 2-mm footprint, about 44% that of the previous 3 x 3-mm devices. Despite its small size, the device packs a lot of capability; not only does it provides programmable measuring ranges of ±2, ±4, ±8, and ±16 g (selectable using either an I2 C or SPI data port), it also has the ability to recognize specific motion patterns.
Intended for use in such applications as smart phones, game controllers, and other mobile electronics, the sensor’s built-in algorithms recognize spatial orientation and common motion sequences. The algorithms run on the device’s internal ASIC, which is bonded and wired to its MEMS sensor. The ASIC lets the device autonomously and automatically distinguish between random movement, slow or rapid movement, 3D changes in its spatial position, or a single or double tap, so the host system and the developer do not have to deal with processing raw, complex, three-axis acceleration data. Recognition parameters can be set by the developer.
The sensor draws just 250 μA in operation and 1 μA in standby from a 1.8-V supply. It resolves 62.5-mg in its ±2-g range and is linear to within ±2% of full scale. Its bandwidth can be switched from 32 Hz to 1 kHz using the data port. (Under $1 ea / prod qty — available now.
Bosch Sensortec , Reutlingen , Germany
Julia Patzelt 011-49-7121-3535921
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