OREANDA-NEWS. May 24, 2012. In a trend-setting move for the consumer electronics industry, Bosch Sensortec has integrated two triaxial MEMS sensors in a single package. This combination of an acceleration sensor and a gyroscope yields the BMI055, the smallest Inertial Measurement Unit in the market. The BMI055 is designed to meet the requirements of advanced consumer electronics applications with six degrees of freedom (6DoF) such as game consoles or gaming applications in smartphones and tablet computers.

 Designers benefit from a one-stop solution for 6DoF applications in which the elements – acceleration sensor, gyroscope, and software – are all of a piece. Supplied in a LGA 3.0 x 4.5 x 0.95 mm package, the BMI055 offers the smallest footprint in the market. With its high degree of integration, the BMI055 reduces the bill of material (BoM) and at the same time facilitates the qualification process. Since it lowers the component count, it also simplifies assembly.

Exact measurement, flexible design options
With a resolution of 16 bit for the gyroscope and 12 bit for the accelerometer, combined with excellent signal/noise ratio, the unit provides precise, reliable measurement results. For greater design flexibility, the measurement range of the sensors is programmable – ±125 °/s to ±2000 °/s for the gyroscope and ±2 g to ±16 g for the accelerometer. The latter also shows a low zero-g offset of typically only 70 milli-g. I2C and SPI digital interfaces offer versatile communication options. For use in battery-powered consumer devices, the BMI055 exhibits very low power consumption.

 Along with the BMI055, Bosch Sensortec offers a custom software solution which combines measurement data of both sensors, providing optimized sets of data for various target applications. In combination with an optional geomagnetic sensor, the software even enables the design of 9DoF applications.

World leading design and manufacturing competency
The BMI055 Inertial Measurement Unit is based on Bosch Sensortec's proven MEMS sensor technology, the result of 15 years of experience in the field of gyroscope development. The BMI055 further expands Bosch Sensortec’s product spectrum of advanced MEMS sensors. The company owns the entire value chain including sophisticated MEMS sensor technology IP, high-volume manufacturing experience and software expertise. For the customer, this translates into advanced product design quality and excellent delivery performance – decisive factors in today’s demanding markets.

Bosch Sensortec GmbH is a fully owned subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH. It develops and markets micro-mechanical sensors for consumer electronics, mobile phones, safety systems, industrial technology and logistics. The product portfolio includes triaxial geomagnetic and acceleration sensors, triaxial gyroscopes, barometric pressure sensors and a comprehensive software portfolio for various applications. Since its foundation in 2005 Bosch Sensortec emerged as the technology leader in the addressed markets. The Bosch Group has been the global market leader for MEMS sensors since 1998 and has to date sold more than 2 billion MEMS sensors.