Bosch showcases consumer MEMS sensor portfolio

2012 CES, LAS VEGAS, USA: Bosch, the leading manufacturer of MEMS sensors, announced that two Bosch Group companies, Bosch Sensortec and Akustica, will be jointly showcasing their consumer MEMS products at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week in Las Vegas.

One of the highlights of the exhibit will be a demonstration of Bosch Sensortec’s newly announced BMG160 – the world’s smallest available 3-axis gyroscope and its corresponding 9 degree-of-freedom sensor fusion software.

With the introduction of Bosch Sensortec’s new gyroscope, Bosch’s consumer MEMS product portfolio is the only one in the world from which mobile device manufacturers can procure all of the MEMS sensors needed for navigation, motion control, and audio input. Bosch’s renowned and unparalled experience in the design and manufacturing of high volume, high quality MEMS sensors for automotive applications has enabled Bosch Sensortec and Akustica to continually meet the demands of leading consumer electronic device manufactures with new and innovative products.

Consumer MEMS products have been a significant contributor to rising annual production rates of MEMS sensors at Bosch’s Reutlingen, Germany fabrication facility and to the company’s production of its 2 billionth MEMS sensor.

Not only does Bosch Sensortec have the most extensive MEMS sensor product line-up for mobile phones, but it is also the only supplier that designs and manufactures all of its MEMS components in-house. Complementing its broad range of sensors, Bosch Sensortec’s new 9 degree-of-freedom sensor fusion software library provides manufacturers with a complete plug-and-play system solution for navigation and motion control, significantly reducing manufacturer programming and design time.

The unique combination of in-house MEMS and software design gives Bosch Sensortec a complete understanding of their sensors and the ability to quickly optimize designs to deliver customers the highest precision results. Visitors of Bosch’s CES booth can also see Bosch Sensortec’s exclusive 6 to 14 Bit accelerometer portfolio in 2 mm x 2 mm packages as well as the highest performance barometric pressure sensors available for consumer devices.

Along with Bosch Sensortec, Akustica will be highlighting its AKU230 digital microphone. The AKU230 is the world’s smallest monolithic MEMS device and the first product introduced by Akustica after its acquisition by Bosch in 2009. Designed and manufactured using a patented CMOS MEMS process, the AKU230 was a first validation of the strength gained by combining the Bosch size, resources, and experience with Akustica’s fully in-house MEMS, ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit), and package design teams. The AKU230 is used today by the world’s leading laptop manufacturers and by other consumer device manufacturers using microphone arrays for high quality voice input.

In 2011, Akustica demonstrated its continued commitment to high quality and worldwide customer support by adding new distributors and manufacturer representatives in the United States, and opening an Akustica sales office in Shanghai. Additionally, Akustica built an anechoic chamber in its Taiwan sales office in order to provide local, quick-turn acoustic testing for its customers. The additional teams and capabilities will support Akustica as it expands its microphone portfolio and introduces products targeted at the mobile phone market in 2012.