With the SMB380 acceleration sensor, Bosch Sensortec is adding an digital sensor with a customized setting function to its product line of triaxial sensors. The SMB380 is especially suitable for human machine interfaces (HMI), free-fall detection, as well as mobile and ultra-low-power applications. Measuring 3 mm x 3 mm x 0.9 mm, the SMB380 fits into smallest mobile devices. The sensor supports customer products in evaluating movement profiles and in releasing reactions via an interrupt line. The sensor logic can be configured with the help of a programmable interrupt pin to analyze high-g or low-g thresholds or to recognize gentle movements. This, for example, can be used for detecting vibrations or free-fall. Another field of application is opened up by a special operation mode. Despite the low current consumption, this mode can detect acceleration or activate the interrupt function – for example, to wake up a mobile phone from its battery-saving sleep mode.

The SMB380 generates a 10bit output signal which is transmitted via a serial interface that is programmable in I2C or SPI mode. In addition, the sensor features an interrupt signal. Different measurement ranges can be configured using the serial interface: ±2 g, ±4 g, and ±8 g. The sensor consumes 1 µA in standby and less than 200 µA in operation mode. This offers various new fields of application for mobile devices. Several applications can be realized at the same time using only a single sensor, e.g. menu scrolling as well as free-fall detection. In addition, current consumption can be reduced even further thanks to the programmable measurement function.

The sensor will be available as an engineering sample from January 2007. Bosch Sensortec plans to start series production in June 2007.