BeBop Sensors has announced a new smart fabric sensor designed for next-gen human interaction. The Note Touch reference design includes a small fabric sensing array (16×16 nodes) and a software toolkit to experiment with touch interfaces on any curved or flat surface and rapidly bring new ideas to market. Using gestures such as taps, swipes, and multi-touch, […]
MEMS & Sensors
Nuances of low power MCUs for wireless sensors and wearables
The optimization of microcontrollers (MCUs) in power-sensitive applications such as wireless sensor nodes and wearables is all about maximizing power management effectiveness. To minimize power consumption, low-power MCUs typically operate at frequencies below 50 MHz, compared with hundreds of MHz or even 1+ GHz for conventional MCUs. These power-optimized MCUs also use low-power peripherals; they […]
Infineon’s OktoberTech 2021 goes virtual October 21
Infineon Technologies’ annual half-day business and technology briefing, OktoberTech2021, goes virtual this year and with a first-ever look into the combined technologies of Infineon and Cypress, a strong portfolio of product and system solutions for the world’s next innovations. In addition to keynote and technical presentation, the on-demand, virtual, half-day event will highlight advanced technologies. […]
Is it time for printed temperature sensors?
IDTechEx thinks so. In recently updated IDTechEx report, “Printed and Flexible Sensors 2022-2032: Technologies, Players, Markets,” market researchers concluded that the “demand for printed temperature sensors is forecast to grow substantially over the next decade, with an increasing number of companies developing this technology.” The report explains that the new class (printed and flexible) of […]
What is the outlook for the MEMS Sensor Market?
With their accuracy, reliability and potential to make smaller electronic devices, microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensors have gained considerable traction in the past few years and are poised for healthy growth in the future. Miniaturized consumer products, IoT-connected devices and wearables, typify emerging applications of MEMS sensors According to a report on MarketWatch, the global MEMS […]
MEMS challenges – and silicone solutions
by Jayden Cho, Manabu Sutoh, and Roderick Chen, Dow The market for microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices is growing, especially in the automotive industry. However, designers of these devices face engineering, manufacturing, and application challenges. For example, traditional organic adhesives may not be able to withstand the higher temperatures associated with today’s electronics, especially in 5G […]
Can a PUF solve sensor/network vulnerabilities?
The Internet of Things (IoT) and sensors are inextricably linked. According to a recent article in Forbes, “by 2025, it is expected that there will be more than 30 billion IoT connections…and…trillions of sensors connecting and interacting on these devices.” The downside to all this connectivity is that it leaves sensors and their connected networks vulnerable to attacks. While […]
MEMs microphones feature high SNR, wide dynamic range
TDK Corporation introduces three new MEMS microphones as part of the SmartSound family of products for mobile, IoT, and other consumer devices. Each of these high-performance microphones pushes the boundaries of microphone acoustic performance, providing advanced feature sets with very low power in small package footprints. The SmartSound family of MEMS microphones from TDK are […]
How do microphone sensors fit into a smart home?
A quick search for “sensors in the smart home” can easily identify dozens of sensors – primarily for sensing physical properties. The results could be one of many specific sensing technologies or specific products. For example, one search showed: Fire/CO detection Leak/moisture detection Window & door open and close Video doorbell Smart thermostat Motion sensors […]
Differential switch routes high-frequency signals
The MM5600 DPDT switch from Menlo Micro routes signals to 20 GHz, 40 Gb/sec. 5G is one of the technologies driving the need for higher-speed digital and RF signals. Those signals, which often run over differential pairs through a PCB, typically need switching. MEMS switches offer fast switching speeds with low power and low signal…