STMicroelectronics will add software support from Qualcomm Inc. to its inertial sensor devices for use in Android Snapdragon-based smartphones.
The hardware features integrated into the sensor will allow for the rapid introduction of new smartphones powered by Snapdragon processors with minimized power consumption and high-performance sensor capabilities, ST says. The reference software is already available in its sensors, so OEMs creating new wireless handsets can begin designs.
The agreement extends to all of ST’s inertial modules and sensors—such as motion, environmental and acoustic—including ST’s iNEMO device. The first device integrated with the software will be ST’s LSM6DS3 module, an always-on, low-power inertial sensor combining a 3-D accelerometer and a 3-D gyroscope with sensing precision.
The sensor complements Snapdragon’s ultra-low-power approach to contextual data processing and extended battery life for Android background sensor functions and other features, such as fusion of sensors with location technology, modem and camera subsystems, ST says.
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