CIE Components in Electronics
STMicroelectronics has announced a raft of analogue and mixed-signal devices targeting the rapidly growing market for wearable technology. These devices include current sensors, audio amplifiers, op amps, analogue switches, and battery gas gauges enabling ST to offer the industry’s most complete set of building blocks for creating innovative wearable applications.
Wearable applications are making a growing impact in markets that range from new healthcare technologies including remote heart-rate monitoring to consumer applications such as smart fashion accessories and they represent a range of current and future markets that market analysts Strategy Analytics projects to grow by more than 70% through 2017.
“In conjunction with our range of motion and environmental sensors and our successes in a broad range of already-available wearable applications, our new ultra-low power microcontrollers, and BlueNRG Bluetooth Smart wireless connectivity solution, the analogue and mixed-signal devices complete a comprehensive platform that will help make ST a one-stop supplier for customers developing wearable applications,” said Andrea Onetti, General Manager Analog and Audio Systems Division, STMicroelectronics.
Examples of devices suitable for wearable applications include ST’s single, dual, and quad op amps, such as the OA4NP33 quad low-power op amp, that offer an ultra-low-power typical consumption of just 580nA per channel (at 1.8V power supply), making them ideally suited for functions such as sensor signal-conditioning in battery-operated wearable devices. Another product, the GG25L gas gauge, uses a patented OptimGauge algorithm to monitor battery voltage to an accuracy of 0.25%.
Examples from ST’s portfolio of motion sensors include the LIS2DH12 ultra-low-power digital 3-axis accelerometer and the LSM303C ultra-compact high-performance e-compass module. ST’s M24SR dynamic tags add NFC connectivity to wearable applications for convenient wireless pairing, automatic connection to websites, or warranty-card activation.
All of the devices are available in volume from March 2014.
