Motion Sensors

1. What are Motion Sensors?

Motion sensors convert physical displacement or acceleration changes into signals and are primarily classified into three categories:

Inertial Sensors: MEMS gyroscopes (measure angular velocity) and accelerometers (measure linear acceleration).

Optical Sensors: Photoelectric encoders (rotational measurement) and laser displacement sensors (nanometer-level precision).

Acoustic Sensors: Ultrasonic sensors (industrial ranging) and microphone arrays (sound source localization).

Sensitivity: For example, accelerometers have a minimum detection range of ±2g.

Response Frequency: For high-speed applications, select models with a frequency >1kHz.

Operating Temperature: Industrial-grade devices support a wide temperature range of -40°C to 125°C.

Interface Type: I²C/SPI digital output or analog voltage output.

Field	Specific Application	Sensor Type
Consumer Electronics	Mobile phone pedometers, game motion control	MEMS accelerometers + gyroscopes
Automotive Electronics	Airbag activation, electronic stability systems	High-g accelerometers
Industrial Automation	Robot joint angle feedback, vibration monitoring	Optical encoders + vibration sensors
Smart Home	Human presence detection, automatic curtain control	Millimeter-wave radar + infrared sensors

Accuracy Priority: Medical devices require sensors with a 16-bit or higher ADC.

Low Power Requirements: IoT devices should focus on models with μA-level standby current.

Environmental Adaptability: Outdoor devices must meet IP67 protection.

Development Ease: Evaluate the availability of evaluation boards and SDK support.

Multi-Sensor Fusion: Combined navigation using an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) + GPS + geomagnetic sensor.

AI Integration: Edge computing chips enable local gesture recognition.

New Materials: Applications of piezoelectric sensors in energy harvesting.