ST's MEMS sensors for sensing linear, angular and magnetic motion with altitude readings

STMicroelectronics has made available a set of three thin, high-performance MEMS sensors to sense linear, angular and magnetic motion together with altitude readings to enhance navigation and smarter user interface in mobile phones and other portable consumer devices.

ST says an emerging new class of mobile consumer applications, such as location-based services and pedestrian dead-reckoning for indoor and multi-floor navigation, require rather complex sensing capabilities. By using just three ST MEMS sensors - a geo-magnetic module, a gyroscope, and a pressure sensor - a consumer device can have a complete indication of its linear acceleration, angular velocity, earth gravity, heading and altitude. With this information, mobile users will be able to identify their direction and precise location in all three dimensions everywhere they go, including in places with no or low GPS signal, such as inside buildings in urban canyons or in mountainous and forested terrain, adds ST.

ST has also recently introduced advanced filtering and predictive software engine, which integrates the outputs from 3-axis accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetic sensors. Fusing these sensors' data through sophisticated algorithms, the iNEMO Engine delivers dramatically more accurate and reliable sensor performance - the kind of performance now in demand by makers of next-generation smart consumer devices for enhanced motion-based applications, claims ST.

"Multi-sensor capabilities enhance the mobile user experience with previously unseen realism and accuracy in next-generation motion- and location-based applications," said Benedetto Vigna, Group Vice President and General Manager of ST's MEMS, Sensors and High Performance Analog Division.