Tiny 3-Axis Accelerometer - MMA7450L - Freescale

Freescale has introduced the MMA7450L, a tiny 3-axis digital-output accelerometer. Freescale claimed that this accelerometer is the thinnest one available in the market today. This new micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) device  is available in a 0.8 mm thin plastic land grid array (LGA) package. MMA7450L accelerometer is designed for handheld terminals that implement user interfaces based on hand movements and appliances that require movement, acceleration or inclination sensing.

Demetre Kondylis, Freescale's Sensor and Actuator Solutions Division, said:

This digital output accelerometer allows designers to make mobile devices, such as mobile phones and portable gaming, more advanced, enjoyable and easier to use…

We have achieved a 77-percent reduction in package size and combined three axes of sensing direction with digital output, eliminating the need for an A/D converter and external memory. In short, this is an ideal acceleration sensor for the handheld consumer electronics market…

The MMA7450L accelerometer has I2C and SPI interface communication buses. The digital output streamlines communication with the MCU or microprocessor. It eliminates the need for a dedicated analog-to-digital converter and enables the sensor to share interfaces with other devices. MMA7450L accelerometer can be connected directly to a wireless platform, such as Freescale's i.MX architecture. The new accelerometer enables an array of motion-based functions, such as tilt scrolling, tap to mute, freefall hard disk drive protection and gaming control.

The MMA7450L accelerometer includes a g-select feature with three sensitivities (2g, 4g, 8g). This gives developer the flexibility to select the g-force detection level a specific application needs. The MMA7450L accelerometer is an ideal solution for portable consumer electronics that require a fast response time, low-voltage operation, low-current consumption, high sensitivity, and a standby mode ability. The MMA7450L accelerometer offers a very high immunity to vibration and shock resistance, up to 10,000g.

Key features of MMA7450L 3-axis digital-output accelerometer

• Low-profile 14-pin 3mm x 5mm x 0.8mm LGA package
• XYZ: 3-axes of sensitivity
• Digital output (I2C and SPI)
• High sensitivity
• Variable g-select: 2g, 4g or 8g
• Ability to survive shocks up to 10,000g
• 64 LSB/g at 2g
• 64 LSB/g at 8g in 10-bit mode
• Standby mode: 5 micro amps
• Level detection for motion recognition
• Programmable threshold interrupt output
• Single or double click recognition
• Low voltage operation: 2.4V - 3.6V
• Low current consumption: 400 micro amperes

The MMA7450L accelerometer is in sampling now. Volume quantity is expected to be available in Q3 2007 with suggested list price $2.66 per unit in 10K piece qty.

Freescale also offers the evaluation board  and reference board for its new accelerometer. A KIT3468MMA7450LE ($35) evaluation board and RD3152MMA7260Q ($99) reference board is available now.

More info: Freescale MMA7450L 3-Axis Accelerometer