World’s smallest MEMS accelerometers for wearables and hearables
Bosch Sensortec has launched the world’s smallest MEMS accelerometers by using Wafer Level Chip Scale Package (WLCSP) and I3C interface.
The BMA530 measures 1.2 x 0.8 x 0.55 mm³ and tracks activities with its step counter and is especially suitable for wearables. This can also be used for gesture recognition in toys, fall detection in laptops and other devices, and power management functions such as putting a smartphone to sleep when it is not moved.
The BMA580 variant includes voice activity detection saves power and extends battery life in hearables.
Both are being shown for the first time at the CES 2024 show in Las Vegas this week.
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Typically, microphones in hearables consume a lot of power because they need to be always-on to listen for voice activity. Instead, the BMA580 uses bone conduction to detect the vibration of the user’s voice and then wakes the microphone from sleep – for an overall power saving. No other sensor on the market combines bone conduction with this miniature sensor size.
The BMA580 enables user interaction with a hearable in response to the user tapping the device, for example to answer or end a call. The sensor’s software includes an algorithm that can distinguish between single, double and triple taps.
Compared to Bosch’s current generation BMA253 MEMS accelerometers, the BMA530 and BMA580 have a 76 percent smaller footprint and have been reduced in height from 0.95 mm to 0.55 mm. This size reduction is achieved with the WLCSP packaging and makes them easy to place on a PCB, and their integrated features make them easy for design engineers to integrate into portable products.
The new accelerometers offer multiple power modes and automatically switch from low-power to high-power modes to extend battery life. They offer a flexible set of connectivity options, including an I3C interface.
“The demand for tiny sensors with ever-increasing performance is growing as the industry moves towards more stylish and minimalist designs that require smaller sensors,” said Stefan Finkbeiner, General Manager and CEO of Bosch Sensortec. “The new BMA530 and BMA580 provide an ultra-compact, fully-featured solution to meet this demand.”
The MEMS accelerometers can be ordered from distribution from Q1 2024.
https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/products/motion-sensors/accelerometers/bma530/; https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/products/motion-sensors/accelerometers/bma580/
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