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SmartSonic™ platform family of MEMS-based ultrasonic time-of-flight sensor solutions

SAN JOSE, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — October 1, 2019 — TDK Corporation (TSE:6762) today announced the immediate availability of the Chirp SmartSonic™ platform family of ultrasonic sensor time-of-flight (ToF) solutions. The SmartSonic platform is currently available with the award-winning Chirp CH-101, an ultra-low power ultrasonic ToF range sensor that provides millimeter-accurate range measurements up to 1.2m, independent of target color and transparency.

The CH-101 ultrasonic ToF sensor module (MOD-CH101) contains a CH-101 sensor on a small printed circuit board (PCB) with flat flexible connector (FFC), and acoustic housing on top that enables an omnidirectional beam pattern of the output. It is designed to allow rapid integration into customer product enclosures, prototyping and small-scale production for a wide range of applications, including AR/VR, smart home technology, drones and robotics, connected IoT devices, mobile and wearable technology, and automotive. The CH-101 sensor module connects directly into the SmartSonic developer evaluation kit (DK-CH101) for initial product evaluation using the SonicLink™ software, which can also be used by customers to develop embedded algorithms for specific applications.

Available now through distribution partners, all the supporting software and documentation is available within the Developers Corner section of the TDK website, which includes:

“Our MEMS-based ultrasonic sensing technology offers multiple advantages over more traditional infrared proximity and ToF sensors. These include lower power consumption by several orders of magnitude, range measurement accuracy that is not affected by ambient light conditions such as direct sunlight, the ability to sense any color object as well as windows and glass doors, a wide and customizable field of view (FoV), and 100 times lower range noise,” said Michelle Kiang, CEO, Chirp Microsystems, a TDK Group Company. “The SmartSonic ultrasonic sensing platform is easy to use and enables fast prototyping and flexible customer design options for a broad range of use-case scenarios, such as range-finding, presence/proximity sensing, obstacle-detection/avoidance and object position-tracking.”

The Chirp SmartSonic ultrasonic ToF sensing platform is intended for consumer electronics, AR/VR, robotics/drones, smart home/IoT, mobile/wearable, and industrial market segments. The SmartSonic evaluation kit and sensor modules are in mass production and available through distribution throughout North America. Please visit: www.chirpmicro.com or contact Chirp Sales at Email Contact for more.

Glossary

Main applications

Key features and benefits of the Chirp CH-101:

Key data

Product

 

Packaging Dimensions (mm)

 

Range

 

Range Noise

 

Interface

 

Field of View

MOD_CH101-03-01

 

8x8x3.57 PCBA

 

Up to 1.2m

 

1mm RMS (typical)

 

I2C

 

Up to 180

SmartSonic Eval Kit

DK-CH101

 

56.64mm x 83.56 mm

 

Up to 1.2m

 

1mm RMS (typical)

 

USB

 

Up to 180

About TDK Corporation

TDK Corporation is a leading electronics company based in Tokyo, Japan. It was established in 1935 to commercialize ferrite, a key material in electronic and magnetic products. TDK’s comprehensive portfolio features passive components such as ceramic, aluminum electrolytic and film capacitors, as well as magnetics, high-frequency, and piezo and protection devices. The product spectrum also includes sensors and sensor systems such as temperature and pressure, magnetic, and MEMS sensors. In addition, TDK provides power supplies and energy devices, magnetic heads and more. These products are marketed under the product brands TDK, Chirp, EPCOS, InvenSense, Micronas, Tronics and TDK-Lambda. TDK focuses on demanding markets in the areas of information and communication technology and automotive, industrial and consumer electronics. The company has a network of design and manufacturing locations and sales offices in Asia, Europe, and in North and South America. In fiscal 2019, TDK posted total sales of USD 12.5 billion and employed about 105,000 people worldwide.

About Chirp Microsystems

Chirp Microsystems is bringing ultrasonics to everyday products. Founded in 2013 based on pioneering research performed at the University of California, Chirp’s piezoelectric MEMS ultrasonic transducers offer long range and low power in a tiny package, enabling products that accurately perceive the three-dimensional world in which we live. Combined with Chirp’s embedded software library, these sensors advance user experiences with VR/AR, wearables, robotics, drones and occupancy detection. For more information, please visit: www.chirpmicro.com.

You can download this text and associated images at:
http://www.invensense.com/news-media/SmartSonic-platform-family-of-MEMS-based-ultrasonics-time-of-flight-sensor-solutions



Contact:

Global
Mr. David A. ALMOSLINO
TDK InvenSense, CA, USA
+1 408-501-2278
Email Contact

Karbo Communications
Ms. Kim LIANTHAMANI
Karbo Communications
San Francisco, CA
+1 415-255-6512
Email Contact