Rethinking MEMS sensor design for the masses

摘要

Mems inertial sensors have been around for more than 25 years, from the first prototypes developed in universities to initial product offerings from the likes of Analog Devices, Bosch, Motorola (now Freescale) and STMicro-electronics. Driven by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, with the promise of ubiquitous inertial navigation, MEMS sensors saw their first commercial success as collision detectors in vehicle airbag systems.rnFast-forward 20 years. Airbags that started on high-end cars are now available on every vehicle. The use of sensors in cars has expanded into allrnmanner of vehicle dynamics. Improvements in the cost, size and power of current sensors, along with expansion of the vendor base, have allowed MEMS sensors to spill over into consumer electronics such as game controllers and smartphones.