Creating a better signal path is the secret to getting the most of your MEMS sensors. The performance of a MEMS sensor is largely determined by the quality of the MEMS device itself. It seems obvious, does it not? And yet, it’s not true – or rather, it’s not wholly true. In fact, the specifications of the interface to the MEMS device have a large impact on the quality and strength of signal from the MEMS device.

Implementing instant, high-speed Near Field Communication between two independent devices has been made easier and cheaper with the introduction of the AS3953 interface chip from ams. The AS3953 offers a high data-rate interface between a NFC device such as a smartphone and any host microcontroller with a standard Serial Peripheral Interface.

ams has announced that their ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) for car seat occupancy detection systems is now entering high-volume production. Takata Corporation, the leading automotive safety systems supplier, will employ the ASIC in their occupant classification systems.

ams AG is approaching volume production of first automotive products developed along the new functional safety standard ISO26262.

ams announced today that it has gained another high-volume design win for its FlexRay transceiver family. The AS8222 transceiver was designed for extended high-temperature operation, and will be used in a transmission control module manufactured by a top tier-one automotive supplier. The module will be used in a family of cars manufactured by one of Europe’s largest car manufacturers.

ams AG released the AS3661, a new smart LED driver which controls up to nine LEDs to produce sophisticated indicator lighting effects in mobile devices independent of the power-hungry baseband processor.

ams, a leading worldwide designer and manufacturer of high-performance analog ICs for consumer, communications, industry, medical and automotive applications, today announced it has developed a reference design which shows how a simple current and voltage measurement circuit can produce state of charge (SOC) readings for electric scooter batteries.

ams introduced today the AS3421 and AS3422, single chip ANC solutions with integrated speaker driver ICs, which make it easier for manufacturers of Bluetooth headsets, headphones and earpieces to implement Active Noise Cancellation.

The Full Service Foundry business unit of ams today announced an extension of its dedicated test solutions for its customers. This move is an extension of the company’s ”More Than Silicon” initiative, under which ams provides a package of intellectual property, cell libraries, consultancy and testing services to help customers successfully develop advanced analog and mixed-signal circuit designs based on its specialty technologies.

ams today launched the AS5132, a magnetic rotary position sensor IC offering accurate angular measurement even at very high rotation speeds.

A new name has appeared in the world of high-performance analog semiconductors and best-in-class sensor solutions with the announcement today by austriamicrosystems that “ams” will be its new company brand. The new brand name, “ams,” unites austriamicrosystems and the brand and identity of TAOS, acquired in 2011.

austriamicrosystems’ Full Service Foundry business unit today announced an extension of its 0.35µm High-Voltage CMOS fabrication service, offering Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) protection up to 8kV at 50V and up to 4kV at 120V operating voltage in Integrated Circuits (ICs) fabricated on its specialist H35 process.

austriamicrosystems today introduced the world’s first lightning sensor IC, the AS3935 Franklin Lightning Sensor with an embedded intelligent algorithm. Named after American innovator, Benjamin Franklin, the austriamicrosystems’ low power lightning sensor provides people with advanced warning of approaching electrical storms giving them additional time to take shelter.

austriamicrosystems announced today a global sponsorship of the Freescale Cup, an international competition organized by Freescale Semiconductor in which teams of University students build, program and race intelligent, autonomous model race cars around a track. The fastest car to complete the track on its own without derailing wins.

austriamicrosystems today released the AS5048, a 14-bit magnetic encoder IC offering new features which make it easier than ever to achieve accurate, reliable angle measurements in microcontroller-based applications. The AS5048, which provides a PWM output and either an SPI or I2C interface, supplies absolute angle measurements to a host microcontroller.

austriamicrosystems introduced at the Light+Building exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany, today its TSL4531 ambient light sensor device family, which enables sophisticated daylight harvesting for intelligent lighting systems and luminaires.

austriamicrosystems introduced at the Light+Building exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany, today its TSL4531 ambient light sensor device family, which enables sophisticated daylight harvesting for intelligent lighting systems and luminaires.

Two new RFID reader chips from austriamicrosystems combine low-power operation, small size and low cost to offer an attractive route to RFID implementation in embedded, portable and consumer devices. The AS3993 is an EPC Class 1 Gen 2 RFID reader IC which implements all the relevant protocols, including ISO 18000-6C, the ISO 29143 air-interface protocol for mobile RFID interrogators, and ISO 18000-6A/B (for operation in direct mode).

A new smart LED driver IC, the AS3668 introduced by austriamicrosystems (SIX: AMS), a leading global designer and manufacturer of high performance analog ICs, controls up to four LEDs to produce sophisticated indicator lighting effects in mobile phones and tablets without requiring the intervention of the power-hungry baseband processor.

austriamicrosystems has announced the AS3674 and AS3490 LED backlight drivers for smartphone LCD displays. These new LED drivers enable the industry’s best application efficiency at a peak level of 90%, including the DC-DC converter and the current sources. With a PCB footprint of only 11.5mm², and just four external components required, the AS3674 and AS3940 are well suited for smartphones and other mobile devices where space is at a ...