InvenSense

InvenSense Inc. (NYSE: INVN) is the provider of the MotionTracking™ sensor system on chip (SoC) for consumer electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, wearables, gaming devices, optical image stabilization, and remote controls for Smart TVs. InvenSense provides the motion controller in the Nintendo Wii game controller and the Oculus Rift DK1.^[1] Its motion controllers are found in the Samsung Galaxy smartphones and most recently in the Apple iPhone 6.^[2] Founded in 2003, InvenSense is headquartered in San Jose, California with offices in Wilmington, Massachusetts, China, Korea, Japan, Slovakia and Taiwan.^[3][4]

Technical Capabilities

InvenSense MotionTracking tracks complex user motions with the use of motion sensors such as microelectromechanical gyroscopes, (including 6-axis gyroscopes)^[2] accelerometers, compasses, and pressure sensors. the system then calibrates data, and creates a single data stream.^[5] With complex movement tracking comes a drain on battery life. Ed Oswold at BetaNews writes "Low power is a signature of InvenSense's product lineup, and one of its new chips seems like a good fit. In June, 2014, the company announced the release of a new gyroscope chip that uses just under six milliwatts of power in a chip that is only .75 millimeters thick." ^[3]

InvenSense also provides Optical Image Stabilisation for Smartphone cameras. Will Greenwald, a CNET technical writer, has said "These tiny gyroscope chips are a key part of camera image-stabilization systems that detect hand movements and reduce shake in photographs. Many ultracompact cameras, such as Casio's Exilim EX-Z850, already have onboard image stabilization. Unfortunately, this stabilization has been just a bit too bulky to fit onto truly tiny cameras, including the extremely dense optical mechanisms and circuitry of camera phones. InvenSense's little gyroscope could lead to antishake features on the smallest camera phones." ^[6]

References