New TDK 9-axis PositionSense™ Sensor Solution Helps Ensure Consumer Tech Users Are ‘Never Lost’

● PositionSense™ is a 2-chip 9-axis sensor solution for absolute orientation detection and fast sensor calibration at ultra-low power consumption

● Integrates TDK's 6-axis IMU and TDK's 3-axis TMR-based magnetometer, on-chip sensor fusion software, and off-chip pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) software

● Enables next-gen positioning accuracy for wearables, AR glasses, smartphones, and similar devices

TDK Corporation (TSE:6762) announces the InvenSense PositionSense™ – a new 2-chip 9-axis sensor solution enabling next-gen positioning accuracy for navigation, wearable, mobile, and AR/VR devices. As the newest TDK sensor solution for precise orientation and relative position detection, PositionSense integrates TDK's lowest-power 6-axis IMU and TMR-based 3-axis magnetometer with on-chip sensor fusion software and calibration software to enable fast and accurate orientation tracking. PositionSense integrates seamlessly with TDK's industry-leading PDR software for accuracy and power consumption, enabling applications such as geofencing and GNSS duty cycling. 

"When your device is built using PositionSense, its users are always on track and never lost," said Joseph Bousaba, CEO of InvenSense, a TDK group company. "When people step out of a subway and ask their watch or phone for directions, they expect to be sent in the proper direction instantly and without delay; the PositionSense sensor solution ensures that happens."

The speed and precision of PositionSense's absolute orientation detection comes from the integration of its components:

• TDK 6-axis SmartMotion® IMU, the lowest-power IMU with high-performance MEMS technology and vibration-resistant gyroscope

• TDK 3-axis magnetometer, the lowest-power magnetometer with high-sensitivity and accuracy, along with magnetic field shock resistance

• TDK on-chip sensor fusion software, enabling fast and accurate 9-axis sensor calibration

• TDK off-chip PDR software, with support for a variety of devices, platforms, and human motions

"The new TDK 9-axis solution provides a best-in-class, fully synchronized IMU and compass solution capable of high accuracy, ultra-low power, and strong magnetic sock resilience, making it ideal for navigation applications," said Jordi Munoz, CEO of mRobotics.

TDK will provide a demonstration of PositionSense during CES 2025 at booth #15815 in Las Vegas, January 7-10.

Glossary

• 6-axis: 3-axis gyroscope + 3-axis accelerometer

• IMU: Inertial measurement unit

• MEMS: Micro-electro-mechanical systems

• TMR: Tunnel-magneto resistance

• PDR: Pedestrian Dead Reckoning

Main applications*

TDK PositionSense addresses a wide range of consumer product applications, including but not limited to:

• Smartphones

• Wearables

• Hearables/TWS Earbuds

• AR/VR

• Drones

• Robotics

  
  

Features and benefits by component

• High sensitivity
  

• High accuracy

• Lowest-power magnetometer

• Magnetic field shock-resistance

• Low noise

• Wide range

IMU Technology

• Lowest power IMU technology

• High-performance MEMS technology

• Industry-first vibration-resistant gyro with BalancedGyro technology

• Low noise accelerometer

• On-chip sensor fusion and precise time synchronization, for immediate processing of sensor data at exact moment of motion

• Fast and accurate gyro and mag cross-calibration

• Automatic magnetic shock recovery

• PDR application-level software for a variety of operating systems and platforms