At this year’s Sensors Converge Conference & Expo in San Jose, California, FierceElectronics and Sensors Converge presented the 2021 Best in Sensors Awards. The awards recognize the most innovative companies and products among 13 distinct categories.
This year’s winner in the Internet of Things (IoT) & Wireless category was InvenSense, a TDK company, for its TDK SmartBug.
The SmartBug is a multi-sensor wireless module that brings together several TDK micro-electrical-mechanical systems (MEMS) sensors and algorithms. The result is a single, rechargeable multi-sensor module that fits in the palm of your hand. And because there’s no need for additional programming, soldering, or modifications out of the box, the TDK SmartBug is a convenient tool for IoT product developers to understand how their devices and algorithms perform in the real world.
The TDK SmartBug combines six different sensors:
- Motion sensor that features an accelerometer and gyroscope
- Ultrasonic sensor for distance measurements
- Pressure sensor for barometric pressure and differential pressure measurements
- Humidity sensor to measure relative humidity
- Magnetometer
- Temperature sensor
For data transmission, the TDK SmartBug comes with a low-energy Bluetooth (BLE) microcontroller unit (MCU) with the option to connect an add-on board for ultrasonic sensor capabilities, WiFi connectivity, and SD card support.
In addition to providing reliable, high-quality raw data, the TDK SmartBug can also be a dedicated source of intelligent data. The module can provide smart sensor data from IoT sensor algorithms for door open/close detection, 6 and 9 axis sensor functions, pedometer, activity classification, gestures, range/distance data, and air mouse monitoring. The algorithms can be fine-tuned and customized to the specific user requirements.
But the TDK SmartBug is not just about the hardware. Sensor data and outputs can be easily visualized, streamed, and recorded on the SmartBug application, available on Windows 10. Data can also be collected without the software on an SD card for later review and analysis.
Between the different sensors, data transmission options, and flexible software, the TDK SmartBug can help product designers and inventors solve some of IoT’s biggest challenges in almost any application or industry. For example, in smart home applications, the TDK SmartBug can detect door and window movements as well as HVAC filter conditions. In the shipping and logistics industry, the module can monitor the condition of a sensitive shipment by logging motion, pressure, temperature, and humidity data.
This isn’t the first time TDK InvenSense has earned a Best in Sensors Awards. Last year, two of the company’s products won awards in the COVID-19 Technologies and IoT categories. And this year’s Best in Sensors Woman of the Year is none other than Dr. Milena Vujosevic, Senior Director and Head of Technology Development, MEMS Packaging and Assembly, TDK.
InvenSense, a TDK company based in San Jose, is a world-leading provider of MEMS platforms that can be found in mobile, wearables, smart home, industrial, and automotive products around the world. The company became part of the MEMS Sensors Business Group in 2017 with the goal of focusing on sensors as an important part of IoT-enabling technology. InvenSense’s vision is to be the leading provider of sensor systems on chips (SoC) platform solutions providing an “Always On” solution by enabling the most seamless sensing experience at the lowest power.
Click here for the complete list of finalists in the Best of Sensors 2021 Awards.