STMicroelectronics highlights at Electronica India 2017 show with Electronics Media. Vishal Goyal, Senior Manager – Technical Marketing, Analog and MEMS Group, RF, Sensors and Analog Custom Products, India, Asean and ANZ, STMicroelectronics, shares his insights on MEMS market, Wearable’s technologies and latest product showcased in electronica productronia India 2017 show.
Question: What new strategies STMicroelectronics have introduced in MEMS area and highlight the differentiating factors?
Response: ST offers the widest range of MEMS and sensors covering a full spectrum of applications from low-power devices for IoT and battery-operated applications to high-end devices for accurate navigation and positioning, Industry 4.0, augmented virtual reality components and smartphones.
ST is at the center of the evolution of the MEMS and sensors industry, driving continuous innovation for more diverse applications of sensors and micro-actuators with wide-ranging product portfolio, reliable supply chain and strong ecosystem of global and local partners. Our MEMS products target a wide array of applications in computer peripherals, telecommunications, automotive, industrial and consumer markets .We are the one-stop MEMS supplier of choice offering an unrivalled comprehensive portfolio of micro-machined accelerometers, gyroscopes, pressure, magnetic and acoustic sensors, and microphones and has the capability to manufacture these in multi-sensor combos with on-board processing, control functions, sensor-fusion algorithms, and wireless connectivity.
Q: Throw some light on potential India holds for MEMS segment and what could be global trends?
R: India is a land of opportunities and it is emerging as a manufacturing hub. Global customers are setting up Design and Manufacturing activities in India. This is open good opportunities for MEMS and sensors in India.
According to Gartner, MEMS-based smart sensors are set to gain maximum traction in the worldwide smart sensor market that is forecast to grow to $57.77 billion by 2022; at 18.1% CAGR. The market is driven by factors including concern toward security & surveillance, rising need for energy-efficient devices, growing consumer electronics sector, surge in automotive industry on a global basis, favorable government initiatives, and growing trend of miniaturization in sensors.
Q: What are the views of STMicroelectronics on the Wearable Technologies?
R: ST sees Wearable Technology as a major opportunity to augment the world, from empowering individuals to be more creative and productive to addressing global societal challenges such as the world’s ageing population. We work with customers worldwide to deploy our world-class capabilities in all four key semiconductor technologies – sensors, embedded processing, connectivity and power management – and our unrivalled track record in close partnering with customers to deliver today’s solutions and those that will change tomorrow.
Q: Can you elaborate your sensor products for Smart Driving?
R: ST is enriching its sensor portfolio to address automotive and industrial markets, while maintaining leadership in the consumer segments, and is well positioned to ride the wave of IoT & Smart Driving with its Micro-actuators.
MEMS technologies can be used in both sensors and in actuators. In actuators, STMicroelectronics brings system integration partners and a technology to enable it. For example a MEMS actuator can act to control micro mirrors that can reflect both visible and invisible light. So these can enable applications such as HUDs (Head up Displays).
Q: What are the ST’s latest products at display in EP India 2017?
R: Built on the theme of “ST is Making Everything Smarter“, we demonstrated technologies and solutions for Smart Driving and IoT, Smart City/Homes, and Smart Things.
The demos displayed wide range of Internet-of-Things applications built around ST’s MEMS and Sensors and featured customers’ end product with ST technologies inside, including:
- SandPuppy FITBELT
Description:
SandPuppy FITBELT is a smartphone-controlled, pain relief device with a deep, penetrating heat and micro-vibration for on-the-move back-pain relief. The device embeds ST’s low-power microcontroller (STM32L0), Bluetooth™ low energy (BLE) network processor (BlueNRG-MS), and a high-side driver (VN5012AK-E).
- ST product inside:
Micro-controller: STM32L051C8T6
Access line ultra-low-power 32-bit MCU ARM®-based Cortex®-Mo+,up to 64 KB Flash, 8 KB SRAM, 2 KB EEPROM, ADC
Bluetooth: BlueNRG-MS
The BlueNRG-MS is a very low power Bluetooth low energy (BLE) single-mode network processor, compliant with Bluetooth specification v4.1
High Side Driver: VN5012AK-E
Features
- Portability – Use it wherever you go, while working, in your car or in flight
- Heating – Deep warmth with temperatures adjustable up to 60 degrees Celsius
- Micro Vibration – Adjustable vibration levels to add a soothing hum and melt away the pain
- Smart – Customize heat and vibration levels on a user friendly SandPuppy app
- Fitbelt Dimensions : Length – 45″ Width – 6.75″ Height – 0.5″ to 1″
- Comes with its own charger, mobile app, travel pouch and size extender
- Conceptualized, designed and assembled this product in India by Afferent Wearable Tech Private Limited
