TDK Launches InvenSense Sensor Partner Program to Empower IoT innovation with Sensor Technology

June 24, 2024

• InvenSense Sensor Partners enable efficient prototyping and development for applications such as wearables, hearables, healthcare devices, drones, other IoT and robotics
• Partners offer reference designs, evaluation kits, modules, and software algorithms with InvenSense MEMS sensors to help build IoT solutions, accelerating time-to-market and reducing total costs
• Current partners include Renesas, Ambiq, Qualcomm Technologies, Alif Semiconductor, Ambarella, AONDevices, Syntiant, Isentek, MindMics, and Avnet, with additional partners added quarterly
• Partners Renesas and Ambiq join TDK in exhibiting joint solutions at Sensors Converge, June 25-26

TDK Corporation (TSE:6762) announces the InvenSense Sensor Partner Program to empower faster time-to-market and innovation using InvenSense MEMS sensors in IoT, wearable, hearable, AR, VR, and robotics applications. Through these new ecosystem partnerships, more engineers and developers can access leading InvenSense sensor technology along with the reference designs, software solutions, and development kits that help them bring product designs to reality.

The InvenSense Sensor Partner Program enables ODMs, OEMs, developers, engineers, and tech enthusiasts to work with a wide variety of InvenSense MEMS sensors – motion sensors, industrial motion modules, microphones, pressure sensors, and ultrasonic sensors. Partner reference kits serve as real-world examples of how InvenSense MEMS sensors work with partner products to create more accurate, reliable, and efficient solutions across industries. This not only improves time to market but also reduces the cost of ownership for building IoT solutions.

“Renesas is thrilled to be part of the InvenSense program, as they provide a variety of high accuracy sensors that are integrated into Renesas Quick Connect Studio platform. This helps customers quickly develop system solutions for IoT, home automation, consumer and industrial applications,” said Pooja Bhadrappanavar, Renesas product marketing lead.

Current InvenSense Sensor Partner Program members include:

Microcontroller/SOC partners:

• Renesas Electronics Corporation – InvenSense partners with Renesas to empower a wide range of industrial, home electronics, and IoT applications. InvenSense MEMS sensors have been integrated on the Renesas Quick Connect platform as a sensor PMOD board (QCIoT-42688P), enabling users to select these sensors to rapidly prototype IoT solutions on Renesas MCU platforms. The AI Kit from Renesas also comes with the ICM-42670-P PMOD boards and drivers.
• Ambiq Micro – InvenSense partners with Ambiq Micro to empower ultra-low-power applications such as wearables and hearables. InvenSense motion sensors and microphones have been integrated on the energy harvesting reference design and ultra-low-power voice activation kits with the latest Apollo510 SOC; Ambiq leverages their low power/high compute leadership into power consumption constrained battery-powered applications, for markets such as healthcare, cargo/human/pet trackers, building access and self-healing conditional factory monitoring.
• Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. – InvenSense is collaborating with Qualcomm Technologies to bring the latest innovation and technology solutions to the robotics market. As the sensor provider for several Qualcomm® Robotics Platforms, TDK has worked to create the “TDK Mezzanine” board supported on all Qualcomm Robotics Platforms. This mezzanine platform allows any customer who plans to utilize Qualcomm Robotics processors to evaluate and develop upon all the necessary sensor and motor controller technology needed for any robotic product quickly and efficiently.
• Alif semiconductor – InvenSense partners with Alif Semiconductor to empower high compute AI/ML applications. TDK motion sensors and microphones have been integrated on an AK-E7-AIML AppKit, powered by Alif Ensemble E7 Fusion processor, enabling quick software development and evaluation for Edge Machine Learning use cases.

AI chip partners

• Ambarella – InvenSense partners with Ambarella and its AI vision SOCs to enable Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) for security cameras, video conference cameras, and other applications, as well as Robotics simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) functions. Ambarella’s entire portfolio of CVflow® AI SOC evaluation kits, including the newest CV72S EVK, come with InvenSense motion sensors integrated for evaluation and development of Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and EIS functions.
• AONDevices – InvenSense partners with AONDevices (AON) SOCs to empower ultra-low power voice activation, speech and sound detection applications. InvenSense microphones and motion sensors have been integrated to AON 1100/1120 evaluation kits for quick evaluation and prototyping of voice related applications on TWS, speakers, and hearables.
• Syntiant – InvenSense partners with Syntiant SOC for acoustic and motion event detection applications. InvenSense motion sensors and microphones are integrated on the RASynBoard which is an ultra-low power, edge AI/ML board, based on a Syntiant Neural Decision Processor, and a Renesas RA6M4 host MCU.

Sensor Partners

• Isentek – InvenSense partners with Isentek 3D Hall sensors for 9-axis IoT applications such as Asset Tracking, Drones, navigation, e-bikes, and more. InvenSense sensors have been integrated on 9-axis evaluation kits DK-42688-9x and DK-42670-9x, with Isentek 3D hall sensor IST8306.

Solution/Software Partners

• MindMics – InvenSense partners with MindMics to produce infrasonic earbuds for artifact compression for in-ear heart health monitoring. MM-TW-01WT infrasonic earbuds use the InvenSense 6-axis motion sensor for heart health monitoring while listening to music and taking calls.

Distribution/Design House Partners

• Avnet – We partner with Avnet (an official distributor of TDK) to build RASYN (Renesas Syntiant) AI ML board for predictive maintenance, acoustic event and scene classification, multi sensor fusion applications.

“Ambiq and InvenSense have mutual goals for energy efficiency in battery-powered applications like wearables, hearables, factory automation, and asset trackers,” said Mike Kenyon, VP of Sales at Ambiq. “With InvenSense’s ultra-low power sensors and Ambiq’s lowest power microcontrollers, customers can seamlessly develop solutions with a faster time-to-market.”

At Sensors Converge in Santa Clara, California, June 25-26 (TDK Booth #920), Renesas and Ambiq will join TDK in exhibiting solutions empowered by InvenSense sensors, including:

• Renesas will demonstrate its Quick Connect Studio platform, with InvenSense SmartMotion^TM ICM-42670-P for asset tracking and AI-based Smart Motion gestures with the AI Kits.
• Ambiq will demonstrate its HarvestKit including the InvenSense SmartMotion^TM ICM-45605 MEMS sensor; the AP4+ VOS Kit including the InvenSense SmartSound^TM T5838 microphone with Acoustic Activity Detect, and the award-winning Apollo510 SoC.

“We believe in the power of collaboration to drive progress at TDK. Through our InvenSense Sensor Partner Program, we’re committed to empowering our customers, developers and engineers to pioneer cutting-edge IoT solutions, with access to our leading MEMS sensors, partner solutions, reference designs, and boards,” said Sahil Choudhary, Director Product Marketing, IoT Sensors, at InvenSense, a TDK Group Company.

For more information about the InvenSense Sensor Partner Program visit invensense.tdk.com/partner-showcase or contact Sahil Choundhary, Director of Product Marketing and InvenSense Partner Program Lead, at [email protected].

Glossary

• UToF: Ultrasonic Time of flight
• PDM: Pulse density modulation
• SoC: System on chip
• EIS: Electronic image stabilization
• OIS: Optical image stabilization
• IMU: Inertial measurement unit
• PMOD: Peripheral module
• ODM: Original design manufacturer
• OEM: Original equipment manufacturer

Key InvenSense Sensors

• ICM-42670-P IMU – Low power IMU
• ICM-45605- Ultra-Low Power IMU with Balanced Gyroscope
• ICM-42688-P – Ultra-low noise IMU
• T5838 – Low Noise PDM Microphone

About TDK Corporation

TDK Corporation is a world leader in electronic solutions for the smart society based in Tokyo, Japan. Built on a foundation of material sciences mastery, TDK welcomes societal transformation by resolutely remaining at the forefront of technological evolution and deliberately “Attracting Tomorrow.” It was established in 1935 to commercialize ferrite, a key material in electronic and magnetic products. TDK‘s comprehensive, innovation-driven portfolio features passive components such as ceramic, aluminum electrolytic and film capacitors, as well as magnetics, high-frequency, and piezo and protection devices. The product spectrum also includes sensors and sensor systems such as temperature and pressure, magnetic, and MEMS sensors. In addition, TDK provides power supplies and energy devices, magnetic heads and more. These products are marketed under the product brands TDK, EPCOS, InvenSense, Micronas, Tronics and TDK-Lambda. TDK focuses on demanding markets in automotive, industrial and consumer electronics, and information and communication technology. The company has a network of design and manufacturing locations and sales offices in Asia, Europe, and in North and South America. In fiscal 2024, TDK posted total sales of USD 14.6 billion and employed about 101,000 people worldwide.

About InvenSense

InvenSense, a TDK Group company, is a world-leading provider of Sensing Solutions. InvenSense’s vision of Sensing Everything® targets the consumer electronics and industrial areas with integrated Motion, Sound, Pressure, and Ultrasonic solutions. InvenSense’s solutions combine MEMS (micro electrical mechanical systems) sensors, such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, compasses, microphones, barometric pressure sensors, and ultrasonic time-of-flight sensors with proprietary algorithms and firmware that intelligently process, synthesize, and calibrate the output of sensors, maximizing performance and accuracy. InvenSense’s motion tracking, ultrasonic, audio, location platforms and services can be found in Mobile, Wearables, Smart Home, Industrial, Automotive, IoT, Robotics, and many more types of products. InvenSense became part of the MEMS Sensors Business Group within the Sensor Systems Business Company of TDK Corporation in 2017. In April of 2022, Chirp Microsystems formally merged with InvenSense. InvenSense is headquartered in San Jose, California and has offices worldwide.