Low-power accelerometers offer compact solution

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Oct 3, 2007

The LIS331 accelerometers deliver high performance at low power consumption and their ultra-compact robust design provides very high immunity to vibration and shock.

STMicroelectronics has released 'nano' three-axis linear accelerometers.

The versatile, low-power MEMS sensors provide complete output flexibility and embedded smart features, meeting the demand for miniaturised motion-sensing solutions in the consumer and industrial markets.

ST's three-axis motion sensors represent a significant step forward in the product's miniaturisation.

The 3 x 3 x 0.9mm plastic package effectively addresses the space and weight constraints of portable electronic devices.

The LIS331 accelerometers deliver high performance at low power consumption and their ultra-compact robust design provides very high immunity to vibration and shock survivability up to 10,000g.

ST's 'nano' motion sensors are suitable for a wide range of low-g applications in the consumer and industrial markets, including motion user interfaces in mobile and gaming devices, free-fall detection for hard-disk data protection and vibration monitoring and compensation in white-goods appliances.

ST's LIS331DL integrates a standard SPI/I2C digital interface and smart embedded features including click and double-click recognition, wake-up and motion detection, high-pass filters, and two dedicated, highly programmable interrupt lines.

Click and double-click recognition allows manufacturers to associate simple tapping gestures with user commands, such as turning a portable device on or off, opening a document, browsing an application menu, or muting a ringing mobile phone without taking it from the pocket.

The configurable high-pass filters can be turned on to enable motion-activated functions and vibration monitoring regardless of whether the end product is tilted or placed upside down at the moment of measurement.

Two separate, highly programmable interrupt signals enable immediate notification of motion detection and click/double-click events, giving manufacturers more freedom and flexibility in their design and applications.

The analogue-output LIS331AL provides individual acceleration values for all three axes.

The sensor offers a full-scale output range of +/-2.0g, high-temperature stability and tight offset tolerances.

A built-in self-test capability allows the customer to verify the functioning of the sensor after it has been assembled on board.