AUSTIN, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–May. 14, 2013– More than 6 billion motion sensors are expected to ship in mobile handsets and tablets by 2016, according to analyst firm IHS. Systems designers rely on sophisticated MEMS sensors to enable compelling functionality in smart devices ranging from tablets to gaming consoles to sports, eHealth and activity monitors. To help developers more easily add, program and manage increasing sensor content within devices, Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE: FSL) is introducing a new Xtrinsic intelligent sensor hub that serves as a highly advanced sensor fusion platform.
Designed to exceed basic 3-axis sensor market requirements, Freescale’s Xtrinsic FXLC95000CL sensor hub integrates an on-board accelerometer with capability to manage multiple external sensors. The solution provides an ideal platform for making smarter system-level decisions by enabling complex calculations required for sensor fusion algorithms via interpreted sensing information and control rather than simple raw data processing.
Using the sensor hub, designers can efficiently scale a basic 3-axis accelerometer system up to a full 9-axis inertial measurement unit with altimetry, ambient light sensing, temperature sensing, humidity sensing and other capabilities. Exceptional scalability and integration allow sensor data to be processed locally, offloading compute cycles from the host processor and ultimately reducing system power consumption while boosting performance.
“With the rapidly multiplying number of sensors in everyday products, it is becoming increasingly complex for systems designers to manage all of the sensor data efficiently, while also accounting for potential future functionality,” said Babak Taheri, vice president and general manager of Freescale’s Sensor and Actuator Solutions Division. “The open architecture of Freescale’s hub solution gives designers the flexibility they need to create innovative applications without requiring a hardware change. It also allows designers to connect other sensors to the hub, which increases the variety of applications it can support – anything from medical monitoring to improving your golf swing.”
The Xtrinsic FXLC95000CL combines a 32-bit ColdFire V1 MCU core, 128K flash memory and 6K RAM with an open architecture and development support from a suite of code development tools, including the award-winning CodeWarrior Integrated Development Environment (IDE). To help jump-start product creation, Freescale also offers a software library suite that includes the Freescale MQX™ operating system, a hardware abstraction layer, a sensor manager and popular applications such as eCompass software. The open architecture programmability and supported API allows software developers to quickly create an intelligent platform for managing multiple sensors for a variety of applications including pedometers, shock event trackers, 9-axis inertial measurement units, context awareness solutions, device orientation detection solutions and more.
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Product features
The Freescale FXLC95000CL Xtrinsic intelligent sensor hub includes:
- 3-axis low-noise accelerometer
- +/-2g, 4g, 8g configurable dynamic ranges available
- Up to 16-bit resolution
- 32-bit MCU
- ColdFire V1 CPU with hardware MAC unit
- 128K flash, 16K RAM, 16K ROM
- Up to 16 MHZ internal clock source
- 2 serial interfaces to support both master and slave I²C and SPI connectivity
- Sleep instructions and low power mode to enable local power conservation
- Wide operating voltage and temperature range
- 1.72 V to 3.6 V I/O supply voltage
- -40 C to 85 C operating temp range
- Small package footprint
- 3mm x 5mm x 1mm 24-pin LGA package
Pricing and availability
Samples of the FXLC95000CL Xtrinsic intelligent motion-sensing platform are available now, with production quantities planned for June at a suggested resale price starting at$2.20 (USD) in 10,000-piece quantities. The KITFXLC95000EVM development board is available now for a suggested resale price of $99 (USD). For more information, visithttp://www.freescale.com/sensingplatform.
A proven leader in sensing solutions
Expanding on its more than 30-year heritage of sensor innovation, Freescale’s Xtrinsic sensing solutions are designed with the right combination of high-performance sensing capability, processing capacity and customizable software to help enable smart, differentiated sensing applications. With Xtrinsic sensing solutions, Freescale’s vision is to offer a diverse and differentiated product portfolio to meet the expanding needs of the automotive, consumer and industrial segments. Xtrinsic solutions offer distinct blends of functionality and intelligence designed to help customers deliver differentiated innovation and win in highly competitive markets.
About Freescale
Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE: FSL) is a global leader in embedded processing solutions, providing industry leading products that are advancing the automotive, consumer, industrial and networking markets. From microprocessors and microcontrollers to sensors, analog integrated circuits and connectivity – our technologies are the foundation for the innovations that make our world greener, safer, healthier and more connected. Some of our key applications and end-markets include automotive safety, hybrid and all-electric vehicles, next generation wireless infrastructure, smart energy management, portable medical devices, consumer appliances and smart mobile devices. The company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing and sales operations around the world. www.freescale.com
