Apr 5 2005
Hitachi Metals, Ltd., has announced that it has achieved a one-third reduction in the size of its world’s smallest 3-axis accelerometers with keeping the almost same functions and performance as the current products’. These new accelerometers replace previous Hitachi Metals products as the world’s smallest. They have also developed a wireless 3-axis accelerometer as an R&D tool for their customers.
These two new products bulk out Hitachi Metals’ product lineup, and will contribute to the further evolution and expansion of this market. Hitachi Metals is now focusing on its 3-axis accelerometer business and is increasing its production capacity sixfold to 600,000 pcs. per month.
3-axis accelerometers are used to protect mobile devices, such as music players and notebook computers that are fitted with hard disk drives against accidental falls and mishandling; to detect acceleration in navigation and traffic control systems; in sensors for motion measurement and security systems, as well as in a broad range of other applications. The digital consumer electronics industry is interested in still more possibilities for these devices. Hitachi Metals utilized its micromachine and precision assembly technology to begin the development of these devices and has now produced the world’s smallest*4 3-axis accelerometer. Following that, the Company developed the world’s smallest 3-axis accelerometer with integral temperature correction IC and continues to pioneer a new market encompassing mobile devices through its world-leading R&D. As the requirements for smaller size and higher performance in mobile devices grow more stringent, the demand for increasingly compact 3-axis accelerometers is rising.
Hitachi Metals set out to develop a smaller, thinner 3-axis accelerometer without sacrificing performance by refining its element design, mounting, and other proprietary technologies. They eventually succeeded in developing a 3-axis accelerometer that is one-third the size of previous models. This will contribute to the miniaturization and increased performance of devices that incorporate these accelerometers, and at the same time will allow the incorporation of these sensors in devices that previously had no space for them, expanding the scope of their application.
In addition, as a tool to support the development of new applications of 3-axis accelerometers for its customers, Hitachi Metals has developed and added to their product lineup a small, thin wireless 3-axis accelerometer. This device was developed in cooperation with Medical Electronic Science Institute. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo).
These two new products strengthen Hitachi Metals’ lineup, while contributing to the creation and expansion of new markets.
Features
- Extremely small and thin package size of 3.4×3.7×0.92 mm (one-third the volume of the Company’s current product)
- Integral IC for temperature compensation functionality. This eliminates both the need for separate temperature compensation circuitry and variation in sensor performance resulting from differences among individual piece and temperatures.
- Low power consumption. Low current drain of 0.36 mA when operating at 3 V. Standby mode allows further reduction in power consumption.
- Offers free-fall detection. Outputs pulse signal when acceleration is zero for all three axes, and a pulse signal 2/1000 of a second after free-fall commences.
- Fitted with voltage output terminal for temperature sensors, so can be used as temperature sensors.
- High shock durability of 5000G allows use in severe conditions, contributing to the development of the market for accelerometers for use in mobile devices.
- Lead-free solder compatible and can tolerate the high temperatures of a reflow soldering furnace, contributing to environmental protection.
- Wireless 3-axis accelerometer-ready. Use of wireless accelerometers allows the study and evaluation of various applications.
http://www.hitachi-metals.co.jp