Date: 12/01/2012

Single MEMS gyro for both user motion and image stabilization in smart phones

The new dual-core gyroscope from STMicroelectronics is designed to handle user-motion based gesture recognition and optical image stabilization in mobile phones, tablets, and other smart consumer devices. The dual-core gyroscope delivers separate output for the two different functions in a 4x4x1 mm package.

"ST's dual-core gyroscope lights two candles with one flame," said Benedetto Vigna, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of ST's Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group. "Instead of using two dedicated sensors with significantly different specifications, phone and tablet manufacturers can now simply integrate a single gyroscope for both gesture recognition and camera image stabilization, which enables more reliable performance, sleeker form factors, and lower costs."

Other key features of L3G4IS includes:
Supports power-down and sleep modes and an embedded FIFO (first-in first-out) memory block for smarter power management.
The sensor outputs data through independent I2C and SPI interfaces and offers additional digital embedded features, such as configurable low- and high-pass filters.
The gyroscope embeds a temperature sensor and can operate with any supply voltage over the range of 2.4 to 3.6V.

Availablity: Now in samples and volumes in Q22012
Price: Each at $3.9 for volumes in the range of 1,000 pieces.