Sensors for Head-Mounted Displays and Handheld Controllers

TDK Corporation announces the launch of a complete portfolio of VR sensors enabling a new class of highly accurate and affordable all-in-one VR solutions. The key platform components are:

• InvenSense ICM-42688 6-axis motion sensor for HMDs provides the lowest noise figure in the industry and features the only high-resolution measurement mode, enabling the measurement of VR headset movement with unprecedented accuracy.
• InvenSense ICM-42686 6-axis motion sensor for VR controllers provides the industry’s only extended range motion measurement mode, enabling the accurate tracking of the handheld controller movement at any speed.
• Chirp Microsystem’s ultralow power CH-101 ultrasonic transceiver coupled with Chirp’s SonicTrack system is the only time-of-flight based inside-out tracking solution for all-in-one VR systems that delivers true 3D positioning between the head-mounted-display and the handheld controllers.
• TDK Sensor Fusion software that processes the sensor inputs simultaneously to create a simple, fused output that describes the exact 3D position and movement of all VR HW components and runs on commercial application processors.
• TDK TMR sensing elements that enable magnetometers with significantly higher resolution than traditional Hall-effect based magnetometers, thereby enabling the exact determination of the orientation changes of the HMD and controllers.

The key sensor requirement for any VR system is the precise alignment between the Head-Mounted-Display (HMD) and the Handheld Controllers. This means that even the slightest head or the most extreme hand movement needs to be measured fast and accurately, to allow the immediate rendering of the changed VR scenery. Even small misalignments between the HMD and controllers can severely impact the user experience and eventually lead to game-over “motion sickness”.

In addition to the excellent performance of the VR sensor platform, TDK all-in-one VR platform also sets new standards with respect to small size, low weight, and reduced Bill-of-Materials (BOM), which taken together enable the most affordable and wearable all-in-one VR systems in the industry.

TDK and its group companies offer a comprehensive portfolio of sensors, electronic components and solutions for mobile, wearables, AR/VR, automotive, IoT and industrial applications will be at CES 2019, showcasing the next-generation of all-in-one VR platforms, in Booth #30306, Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall 3, January 8-11, Las Vegas, Nev. Please visit: www.invensense.com  for more information. TDK TMR sensing element-based magnetometers are available from TDK partner AKM (www.akm.com), and samples are available under the part number AK09940.