Product category:
Analogue and Mixed Signal ICs
News Release from: Freescale Semiconductor | Subject: MMA6270Q, MMA6280Q and MMA7261Q
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 16 February 2006
Accelerometers aim for consumer
applications
Three highly sensitive sensors address the rapid shift in the micro electromechanical systems industry toward greater adoption within the consumer market.
Freescale Semiconductor has introduced three highly sensitive sensors to address the rapid shift in the micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) industry toward greater adoption within the consumer market The introduction of the MMA6270Q (xy-axis), MMA6280Q (xz-axis) and MMA7261Q (xyz-axis) MEMS-based sensors - also known as accelerometers - extends Freescale's current offering from 1.5 to 10g
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 20 Mar 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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The three low-gravity (low-g)sensors aimed at the low-cost consumer electronics market are ideal for electronic systems that require the detection of small changes in force resulting from fall, tilt, motion, positioning, shock or vibration.
"While the MEMS industry has traditionally been associated with automotive applications, the consumer market continues to gain ground as these tiny sensors become more sensitive and less expensive", said Marlene Bourne, Principal Analyst at Bourne Research.
"The use of MEMS sensors in consumer electronics is forecast to grow from $355 million in 2005 to nearly $800 million in 2010, as more people rely on mobility and benefit from the improved ease-of-use interfaces that MEMS sensors provide".
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The MMA6270Q (xy-axis), MMA6280Q (xz-axis) and MMA7261Q (xyz-axis) sensor devices provide two and three axes of sensitivity based on the application needs.
The MMA6280Q, the industry's first xz-axis accelerometer, can sense in both lateral and perpendicular planes, which eliminates the need for daughter cards and makes it a more cost-effective solution when a three-axis device is not needed.
Applications include advanced pedometers that can measure a runner's foot motion, distance and speed.
All three sensor devices allow for selectable sensitivity where various sensitivities are needed for multiple applications and functions.
"As a leading supplier of 1-2-3 axis sensors, Freescale is addressing a growing customer and market demand for a greater range of g-select for new applications", said Demetre Kondylis, General Manager of Freescale's sensors business.
"The products will enable greater functionality and ease of use allowing our accelerometers to expand into new markets".
The MEMS-based sensors can be used in any consumer, industrial or healthcare monitoringproduct or embedded system using the six sensing functions to meet the application needs.
The MMA6270Q (xy-axis), MMA6280Q (xz-axis) and the MMA7261Q (xyz-axis) are currently available in production quantities.
The suggested resale price in 25,000-piece quantities starts at US $3.58 for the MMA6270Q, $3.85 for the MMA6280Q and $4.43 for the MMA7261Q.
Suggested consumer product pricing is less than $2 in high volume.
The RD3152MMA7260Q ZigBee sensing triple axis reference (Zstar) design demonstrates the latest innovations from Freescale using 2.4GHz wireless connectivity, a three-axis sensor and embedded flash microcontrollers.
The development tool contains the MC9S08QG8 MCU, combined with the MMA7260Q xyz-axis accelerometer, which can be directly replaced with the MMA6270Q, MMA6280Q or MMA7261Q, 2.4GHz MC13191 wireless transceiver and MC68HC908JW32 for USB 2.0 full speed.
Evaluation kits are also available for the three MEMS-based sensors.
The small circuit boards can be used to evaluate the devices to quickly develop prototypes.
The kits - KIT3109MMA6270QE, KIT3109MMA6280QE and KIT3109MMA7261QE - are available at a suggested resale price of US $35 each.
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