Freescale Has a 12-Axis Sensor for Windows 8

By Douglas Perry
published

Freescale will be offering a new sensor that integrates many more functions than your typical smartphone or tablet sensor beginning in Q3.

The company is currently showcasing 12-axis sensor development reference platform at Computex as well as at Sensors Expo in Rosemont, Illinois. The company said it will also be bringing the sensor to its Freescale Technology Forum (FTF) in San Antonio, Texas, later this month.

The device, which will only support Windows 8-based mobile devices, has a 3-axis accelerometer, a 3-axis magnetometer, an altimeter, a pressure and temperature sensor as well as an analog ambient light sensor. Freescale said that the sensor also supports a "selection of compatible gyroscopes." The microcontroller acts as fabric to combine the individual features via the company's sensor "fusion software" to combine, configure and process the sensor data for Windows 8 apps.

The demonstrated reference platform connects to a host PC via USB.

Douglas Perry
8 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Am I counting wrong?

    3 axis acceleration
    3 axis magnetometer
    altitude
    pressure
    temperature
    ambient light

    where are the missing 2 additional sensors to get to 12?
    Reply
  • misiu_mp
    How many axis? I really really really hate the crap loading marketers that pollute a perfectly sound and scientific environment with their own retarded definitions of well-defined terms. Fuck you, idiots!
    Reply
  • annymmo
    Altimeter?

    I want direct, raw information from sensors.
    Not some device that outputs something with all kinds of assumptions mixed in it.
    Reply
  • jkflipflop98
    Doesn't GPS provide your altitude with 3 or more signals? And yes, I agree fully with Mr. misiu_mp - stop raping my terminology for your marketing speak.
    Reply
  • jhansonxi
    What exactly makes the hardware Win8 only? The sensor isn't running the OS, it's just a peripheral.
    Reply
  • Shinobi_III
    jkflipflop98Doesn't GPS provide your altitude with 3 or more signals? And yes, I agree fully with Mr. misiu_mp - stop raping my terminology for your marketing speak.
    I believe GPS is two-axis, the height is pre-calculated by some standardised measurement.
    It's off the charts wrong for me so I would guess it's true.

    On the other hand my razr has a 32 channel gps receiver, does that mean my phone is 40 axis? =)
    Reply
  • freggo
    2012: Wow, that's pretty cool. I am amazed
    2013
    2114
    ......
    2024: Check this out from on old magazine. How could they live with such basic teck? btw, Have you refueled my Jet Pack ?

    Reply
  • _Cosmin_
    jhansonxiWhat exactly makes the hardware Win8 only? The sensor isn't running the OS, it's just a peripheral.
    Drivers does. They get and interpret data and then output it to programs...
    If the drivers are not developed for other OS`s... you can`t use the sensors.
    Same shit happened to printers when they switch to winxp (no drivers for usb result in no more printers compatible with win98 - and you were force to "evolve").
    Reply