Microchip's module simplifies motion monitoring

March 02, 2015

Microchip's module simplifies motion monitoring

Whether your design is based on a Microchip PIC MCU or not, the MM7150 motion module makes it easy to monitor motion. The module combines Microchip's...

Whether your design is based on a Microchip PIC MCU or not, the MM7150 motion module makes it easy to monitor motion. The module combines Microchip’s SSC7150 motion co-processor with an accelerometer, a magnetometer, and a gyroscope. Because it employs an I2C connection, it can connect to any compatible MCU to get motion and position information. Potential applications include portable devices and robotics; industrial applications such as commercial trucks, industrial automation, patient tracking, and smart farming; and consumer electronics such as the Internet of Things (IoT), remote controls, gaming devices, toys, and wearable devices.

The SSC7150 is pre-programmed with sophisticated sensor fusion algorithms, which intelligently filter, compensate, and combine the raw sensor data to provide highly accurate position and orientation information. The small form factor (17 mm by 17 mm) module is self-calibrating during operation, using data from the pre-populated sensors: the Bosch BMC150 6-axis digital compass, and the BMG160 3-axis gyroscope.

The module is single-sided, so it can easily be soldered down during the manufacturing process. It’s also available in a daughtercard configuration to simplify prototyping (Microchip calls the daughtercard a PICtail).

Rich Nass, Embedded Computing Brand Director