Accelerometer
Measures linear (translational) change in movement. When an object is moved from one point to another in a straight line, acceleration and decceleration occurs. Freefall acceleration due to gravity equals 1.0 g, and forms the basic unit of measurement. Single- and multi-axis accelerometers are able to detect magnitude and direction of the acceleration as a vector quantity, and can be used to sense orientation, vibration and shock.
AirLock
Use your air signature as an alternative to text passcodes. With simple, discrete motions you can now unlock your phone or access secure applications with a single hand using AirLock.
AirSign
Instead of typing in a pass code to unlock a phone, a unique air signature can be used for secure authentication (AirSign™).
MEMS Anchor
A point at which part of a MEMS device is secured to the substrate to anchor mechanical parts.
ASIC
Application Specific Integrated Circuit
BlurFree
BlurFree™ technology: eliminates blur to create sharp action photos in imperfect conditions
Calibration Algorithms
Calibration algorithms are used to minimize the effects of sensor imperfections such as offset and sensitivity errors.
Analog Output Sensor
Provides a voltage output which is proportional to the input stimulus.
Digital Output Sensor
Provides a binary code output whose value is proportional to the input stimulus.
DMP
Embedded hardware accelerator called a Digital Motion Processor™ or DMP™ is used to calculate sensor fusion (called MotionFusion™) which is generated by combining the outputs from multiple motion sensors. This sensor fusion provides more accurate motion tracking functionality than that achieved by using standalone sensor, and can be used to quickly and easily incorporate motion into end equipment without having to become a motion expert.
EIS
Electronic Image Stabiliztion, or EIS, works by cropping the video image from a larger resolution sensor such as 5-8 MP typically employed in phones. This cropping does not affect the final resolution of the captured video since even a full HD video has a resolution of ~2MP, normally cropped from the center of the high resolution image sensor.
Embedded MotionApps
Embedded MotionApps is a software solution for MotionProcessing from InvenSense, that provides calibrated MotionFusion (sensor fusion) outputs in an embedded processor environment.
Angular Displacement
The relative change in angular position. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) contains gyroscope and accelerometer sensors which together can measure the relative change in position of an object in 3D-space as it moves from one angle to another.
Angular Velocity
Angular Velocity, also referred to as Angular Acceleration, is the rate of change of angular displacement with respect to time. Gyroscopes measure angular velocity in units of degrees per second.
Coriolis Force
A force causing deflection of moving objects when they are viewed from a rotating reference frame. This causes a translational force in the other orthogonal direction. Gyroscopes measure angular rate by measuring the Coriolis Force generated when an internal vibrating mass is rotated.
CMOS (Complimentary Metal Oxid Semiconductor)
A technology used to create integrated circuits based on insulated gate field effect transistors, similar to MOS, but uses complimentary MOS transistors to provide the circuit functions.
MEMS Comb-Drive
An electrostatic actuated MEMS device consisting of inter-digitated fingers similar to a comb. The comb has two halves, a fixed and a movable part. A potential difference applied across the two parts results in an attractive electrostatic force that pulls the combs together. Both linear and radial formats exist. They form the basis of inertial sensors and RF resonators.
Compass Sensor
A sensor which detects the earth’s magnetic field and functions as a compass.
Cross-Axis Sensitivity
The amount of unwanted sensed signal from another axis which is orthogonal (90 degrees) to the desired axis.
Dead Reckoning
Is the process of estimating one's current position based upon a previously determined position, or fix, and advancing that position based upon known or estimated speeds over elapsed time, and course.
Degrees of Freedom (DoF)
The set of displacements and rotations along which an object can move. Six degrees of freedom (x, y, and z) are sufficient to fully define motion in free space.
Die
The square or rectangular section of a wafer onto which a cingulated integrated circuit (chip) is fabricated.
Etching
The process of removing semiconductor material.
Fab
Semiconductor industry term for a chip fabrication facility.
FIFO (First-In, First-Out)
Used in the case of memory for data processed in the same order in which it is stored resulting in a data storage buffer that can be used to reduce the resources required by the host processor.
Foundry
The factory where the devices are manufactured. This is at the wafer level. Same as “Fab”.
Free-Fall
The state of motion with no acceleration other than acceleration due to gravity.
Gee (g) is the unit of acceleration equal to the acceleration due to gravity on the earth’s surface. For instance, 1.0g is approximately equal to 9.81 m/s²
Gyroscope
Gyroscopes measure angular velocity (Ω) by sensing Coriolis acceleration and are traditionally used for measuring the rate of rotation.
Heading
The direction toward which an object in motion is pointing relative to a frame of reference. Also known as “Attitude”, Heading is a calculated output from an IMU.
Image Stabilization
A technique used to decrease image blur, often used to compensate for camera vibration caused by hand jitter or other motion.
Inertia
The resistance of any physical object to a change in its state of motion. It is represented numerically by an object's mass.
Integrated Circuit (IC)
Also called a microcircuit, microchip, silicon chip, or chip that is a miniaturized electronic circuit, consisting mainly of semiconductor devices, as well as passive components.
Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)
A combination of both accelerometers and gyroscopes that senses motion including the type, rate, angle, and direction of that motion.
Inertial Sensor
An instrument that uses the principles of inertia to perform measurement.
MEMS (Microelectromechanical system)
Electrical system that integrates mechanical elements and electronics all patterned on a silicon substrate using standard micro fabrication techniques.
MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor)
A type of integrated circuit fabrication process based on insulated gate field effect transistors originating from the VLSI industry.
MotionCommand
MotionCommand™ technology: integrates simple single-handed gestures to control handsets
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MotionFusion
Sensor fusion (called MotionFusion™) is generated by combining the outputs from multiple motion sensors. This sensor fusion provides more accurate motion tracking functionality than that achieved by using standalone sensor, and can be used to quickly and easily incorporate motion into end equipment without having to become a motion expert.
Motion Processing
Motion Processing, which measures and intelligently processes the movements of devices in three dimensional spaces, is the next major disruptive technology that will drive innovation in handheld consumer electronic (CE) product design, human interface design, and application navigation and control.
MotionProcessing
MotionProcessing measures and intelligently processes the movements of devices in three dimensional spaces. For a detailed description of our MotionProcessing Platform click here.
MotionTracking
Motion interface is rapidly becoming standard function in many leading consumer electronic products. MotionTracking is the tracking of device motion accurately and precisely in free space.
MPU
The term was defined and popularized by InvenSense in 2009, who marketed the world's first 'MPU', or Motion Processing Unit™, a single-chip motion processor featuring a 3-axis gyroscope, 3-axis accelerometer, and 9-axis MotionFusion™ with an embedded Digital Motion Processor™ (DMP) hardware accelerator engine for complete motion processing capability. Along with the MotionApps™ and Embedded MotionApps software solutions, the DMP simplifies and accelerates the integration of motion into consumer electronic devices.
Noise
As related to motion, signal noise is [created by what and has what effect]
Nonlinearity
Is the behavior of a circuit, particularly an amplifier, in which the output signal strength does not vary in direct proportion to the input signal strength.
OIS
Optical image stabilization (OIS) is a high-performance solution that increases a camera's ability to obtain good images in low light conditions. It works to minimize the effects of unwanted hand motion (jitter) by moving an optical element (such as a lens or imager) in response to motion in such a way as to negate the effect of that motion.
Orientation
The position in free space, commonly identified as portrait/landscape.
Orthogonal Plane
A set of mutually perpendicular axes meeting at right angles.
Oscillation
Repetitive periodic movement such as vibration or constant rotation.
Periodic Motion
Motion that repeats itself at definite intervals of time.
Pitch Axis
The Y rotation axis in a 3D system.
Pressure
Consumer pressure sensors measure air pressure and can be used to calulate altitude.
Roll Axis
The X rotation axis in a 3D system.
Rotation
A single complete turn on an axis.
Sensitivity
The minimum magnitude of input signal required to produce an output signal having a specified signal-to-noise ratio, or other specified criteria.
Sensor
A device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into a signal which can be read by an observer or by an instrument.
Sensor Fusion
Sensor fusion (also called MotionFusion™) is generated by combining the outputs from multiple motion sensors. This sensor fusion provides more accurate motion tracking functionality than that achieved by using a standalone sensor, and can be used to quickly and easily incorporate motion into end equipment without having to become a motion expert.
Silicon
A chemical element, which has the symbol Si, and is the principal component of most semiconductor devices, most importantly integrated circuits or microchips.
Shock
Sudden acceleration or deceleration caused primarily by an impact.
Tilt Inclination
Measurement of angular slope with respect to gravity
TouchAnywhere
InvenSense TouchAnywhere™ technology creates an interactive browsing experience and keeps the screen free of fingerprint smudges by using taps and touches on the other surfaces of a device to control applications, advance to the next photo, turn an e-book page, skip to the next song on a playlist, etc.
Translational Motion
Linear movement without rotation
User Interface
The means in which a user interacts with a system.
Vibration
Mechanical oscillatory motion about an equilibrium point.
Yaw Axis
The Z rotation axis in a 3D system.
Wafer
A circular piece of silicon, sapphire or other substrate material onto which MEMS and integrated circuits are fabricated. A wafer normally consists of multiple dies, one IC per die. Wafers are available in 4”, 6”, 8” and 12” diameter.
