Mr. Vishal GOYAL, Senior Manager – Technical Marketing, Analog MEMS and Sensors [AMS], India, Asean and ANZ, STMicroelectronics talks about Micro Electro Mechanical System [MEMS] and how they are radically different from other silicon ICs.
They have become an integrated part of our life and widely used in fastest growing electronic market such as Mobile phone, tablet, wearable, IoT, Automotive and healthcare. This article encompasses type of MEMS and the new advancement.
MEMS – Type and advancements
Motion MEMS
Accelerometer
Also called a g-sensor, accelerometer can be used to detect linear acceleration, vibration, tilt, free fall detection etc. Accelerometer is used to implement features such as horizontal levelling, anti-theft, vibration alert, pedometer, remote monitoring of adults and kids etc.
Gyroscope
Gyroscope measures angular velocity and used to implement features such as gaming, 3D mouse, athlete training etc.
Magnetic Compass
Magnetic Compass can detect earth’s magnetic field and can give direction sense to devices. It is widely used in indoor navigation and map navigation in mobile phone.
Motion sensors are also now available in integrated form. ST has introduced a highly integrated MEM IC – LSM9DS0 which combines accelerometer, gyroscope, compass in a single 4X4mm IC.
