editor's blog
Subscribe Now

Freescale’s Sensor Hub Integration

We’ve seen the move from APs managing sensors to MCUs acting as sensor hubs to integration of sensors with MCUs, as with ST. Well, Freescale has now jumped in as well, integrating an accelerometer with a 32-bit Coldfire V1 MCU into what they’re calling their Xtrinsic Intelligent Motion platform.

Given the number of IMUs out there integrating accelerometers, gyros, and magnetometers, I asked why they were just going with an accelerometer only. They said that, frankly, in earlier days, customers didn’t seem interested in sensor hubs. They’re coming around, and clearly they’ve made their way into phones. But now industrial and other customers are starting to take note. But they’re not so much interested in the gyros and magnetometers.

That’s not to say you can’t use them; you can add other sensors into the hub via their I2C/SPI connectivity.

One of the other challenges they see for users is the fact that most sensor hub environments are closed, limiting your choice of sensors and software. They’re trying to keep things as open as possible, allowing you to integrate whatever other sensors and software they want from any vendors they choose. Freescale will provide free software, but you’re not locked in.

You can find more information in their release.

Leave a Reply

featured blogs
Mar 28, 2024
The difference between Olympic glory and missing out on the podium is often measured in mere fractions of a second, highlighting the pivotal role of timing in sports. But what's the chronometric secret to those photo finishes and record-breaking feats? In this comprehens...
Mar 26, 2024
Learn how GPU acceleration impacts digital chip design implementation, expanding beyond chip simulation to fulfill compute demands of the RTL-to-GDSII process.The post Can GPUs Accelerate Digital Design Implementation? appeared first on Chip Design....
Mar 21, 2024
The awesome thing about these machines is that you are limited only by your imagination, and I've got a GREAT imagination....

featured video

We are Altera. We are for the innovators.

Sponsored by Intel

Today we embark on an exciting journey as we transition to Altera, an Intel Company. In a world of endless opportunities and challenges, we are here to provide the flexibility needed by our ecosystem of customers and partners to pioneer and accelerate innovation. As we leap into the future, we are committed to providing easy-to-design and deploy leadership programmable solutions to innovators to unlock extraordinary possibilities for everyone on the planet.

To learn more about Altera visit: http://intel.com/altera

featured chalk talk

Shift Left with Calibre
In this episode of Chalk Talk, Amelia Dalton and David Abercrombie from Siemens investigate the details of Calibre’s shift-left strategy. They take a closer look at how the tools and techniques in this design tool suite can help reduce signoff iterations and time to tapeout while also increasing design quality.
Nov 27, 2023
16,421 views