Sensirion Inside: TDK’s smart multi-sensor wireless module

TDK’s SmartBug™ (MD-42688-P) is a multi-sensor wireless module that leverages TDK MEMS sensors and algorithms for a wide range of IoT applications. This module combines six sensors, a powerful wireless (BLE) MCU, seven algorithm-driven features and a rechargeable battery, all in a small lady-bug enclosure. It also comes with the option of an Add-On board that includes a Wi-Fi module, an SD card slot and an ultrasonic sensor from TDK. The integrated SHTC3 is a digital humidity and temperature sensor optimized for battery-driven applications and high-volume consumer electronics. The sensor has been designed to overcome conventional limits in size and power ratio in order to fulfill the requirements of the consumer electronics market and products like TDK’s SmartBug. Sensirion’s CMOSens® Technology offers a complete sensor system on a single chip. The small 2 x 2 x 0.75 mm³ DFN package enables applications in even the smallest of spaces. The sensor covers a humidity measurement range of 0% to 100% RH and a temperature measurement range of -40°C to 125°C with a typical accuracy of ±2% RH and ±0.2°C. The broad supply voltage of 1.62 V to 3.6 V and an energy budget of under 1 μJ per measurement make the SHTC3 perfectly suited to mobile or wireless applications powered by battery. TDK’s SmartBug solution enables quick and easy access to smart and reliable sensor data without the need for programming, soldering or extra modifications. This provides detailed insights into real application signatures, environment variations and multi-sensor/algorithm behaviors. It includes an ICM-42688-P 6-axis IMU, an ICP-10101 pressure sensor, Sensirion’s humidity and temperature sensor, a magnetic sensor and an optional CH-101 ultrasonic sensor from TDK, creating an all-in-one sensor solution. A unique feature of this module is the provision of smart sensor data from IoT sensor algorithms with customized tuning parameters. The algorithms include Door Open/Close Detect, 6 and 9-axis sensor fusion, Asset Monitoring, HVAC Filter Monitoring, Pedometer, Activity Classification, Gestures and Air Mouse Monitoring. The SmartBug data and outputs can be easily visualized, streamed and recorded on a Windows 10 Application – SmartBug. This application is available to download for free from the Microsoft Store. The application offers great flexibility for acquiring data from BLE, Wi-Fi or USB, depending on the use case. In addition, the SD card logging feature allows autonomous logging of data (up to 32 GB) without any Windows 10 application. "The humidity and temperature sensor from Sensirion was a perfect choice for the SmartBug module with its low power, small size and high accuracy, making it suitable for IoT-based remote data collection use cases," says Sahil Choudhary, Product Manager, Motion and Pressure Sensors IoT, InvenSense, a TDK group company. "TDK’s SmartBug is the perfect fit for our environmental sensors such as the SHTC3 humidity and temperature sensor, offering precise and reliable measurements and enabling engineers to develop new IoT products quickly and easily," says Heiko Komaromi, Sales Director for Consumer Electronics at Sensirion.