Xsens, 3D motion tracking technology and products innovator, introduces a suite of sensor fusion software for smartphones, media tablets and other mobile devices. Leveraging over a decade of patented software innovation used every day by thousands of users in the professional domain, Xsens is now offering solutions to the consumer electronics industry.
The company recently established its first partnership aimed at integrating Xsens’ technology in a component for consumer mobile devices.
The combination of Xsens’ sensor fusion software with miniature motion sensors will enable mobile device functionality such as natural user interfacing, context awareness, augmented reality, gaming and map navigation. Market analyst IHS iSuppli estimates the total market for motion sensors that need 9-axis fusion to rise to 1.3 billion US$ in 2015. “The opportunities for motion sensing are immense. We envision that the way we use and interact with our devices, and with the digital world at large, will radically change the way we live and work”, stated Casper Peeters, CEO of Xsens.
Xsens’ accurate, robust and low-power sensor fusion software for 3D motion tracking based on MEMS sensors, including gyroscopes, accelerometers and magnetometers, is now available to sensor manufacturers, semiconductor and device manufacturers. “9-axis sensor fusion is just the beginning. Application developers expect accurate 3D motion data to develop the physical interaction based apps of the future. Fusing data from ever more integrated sensors such as pressure sensors, cameras, GPS, ultrasonic and so on will deliver on that future need”, says Per Slycke, CTO of Xsens. “Key to these innovations is the availability of robust sensor fusion software that takes full advantage of the capabilities of the sensors.”
Xsens’ sensor fusion software is deployed in tens of thousands of sensor modules in the professional domain today. It is in use by customers ranging from leading game developers such as Electronic Arts and Sony Computer Entertainment, to system integrators in robotics, industrial automation and control. Over ten years of experience and continuous improvements in the software have made it exceptionally accurate and robust in various real-life situations and environments.
The sensor fusion software has now been tailored to meet the demands of consumer electronics devices. Per Slycke explains: “The load has been reduced to just a few MIPS, which allows the software to run in the background and enable applications such as context awareness and personal navigation. Xsens is recognized as a leader and expert in MEMS motion sensing signal processing and sensor fusion, and now our team of experts is available for the consumer industry.” Next to the focus on low power consumption, the code size and memory footprint is tiny. The software is flexible and can be integrated in the MEMS sensor module or in low power companion cores in the application processor.
