Apr 27 2009
InvenSense, Inc., the leading provider of MEMS-based motion processing products for consumer electronics, today announced the availability of the IXZ™-500 and IXZ™-650 dual-axis MEMS gyroscopes designed specifically for 3D remote controls and PC mice supporting TVs, home theaters, set top boxes and personal computers. The IXZ™ family of dual axis MEMS gyros represents the world's first and only single-chip integrated pitch and yaw (X- and Z-axis) motion processing products that meet the in-plane mounting requirements for both traditional as well as new generations of slim profile remote controls. Designed for audio/video (A/V) remote controls with 3D pointing functionality, the IXZ-500 features a primary output with a full scale range of up to ±500°/second with a ±110°/second internal secondary gain stage output to track slower motions for precise cursor pointing applications. The IXZ-650 targets digital TV and IPTV remote controls with its ±2,000°/second primary output to track the widest dynamic range of physical motions and a ±440°/second internal secondary gain stage output for on-screen pointing applications.
The rapidly approaching transition to digital TV broadcasting and the increasing quantity of downloadable multimedia content, such as TV shows, movies, music and shopping, drives the need for a more intuitive user interface for navigation and selection—from your desk, on the sofa or across the room. Motion processing, enabled by the IXZ technology, has led to a new class of 3D remote controls with PC mouse navigation capability enabling users to perform in one motion what would typically require six to ten mechanical button clicks. This allows a single-handed motion to quickly scroll through lists of movie titles or change volume by simply tilting the remote to the desired setting. As more content becomes available, these 3D remote controls include a wide full-scale range necessary to support the fast and complex hand movements for TV-based interactive multimedia entertainment while also supporting the exacting requirements of cursor control for menu selection.
“InvenSense continues to address the growing market need for motion processing with ‘world's first' solutions that address the specific application and market needs of CE products,” said Steve Nasiri, CEO and founder of InvenSense. “Current dual-axis gyros are based on pitch and roll (X- and Y-axis) that were originally designed for digital camera image stabilization but do not meet the functional requirements of remote controls. This forces manufacturers to mount the gyros on a daughter board that is perpendicular to the main board, resulting in higher manufacturing costs and additional height requirements.”
By leveraging its patented and volume-proven Nasiri-Fabrication platform, which integrates MEMS wafers with companion CMOS electronics through wafer level bonding, InvenSense has driven the IXZ family package size down to a small footprint of 4x5x1.2mm (QFN), while providing the highest performance, lowest noise, and the lowest cost semiconductor packaging to address the cost-sensitive remote control markets. The IXZ family addresses the key performance parameters of remote control application, including low-noise of 0.015°/s/vHz, an integrated temperature sensor providing temperature compensated bias adjustment and high cross-axis isolation achieved by its unique design. InvenSense MEMS gyroscopes set the industry's highest benchmark for robustness supporting 10,000g shock tolerance.
The IXZ-500 and IXZ-650 MEMS gyroscopes are sampling now. Contact InvenSense at www.invensense.com/contact/info_request.html for more information.