Wurth Elektronik presents a very compact MEMS-based (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) absolute pressure sensor: The 2.0 x 2.0 x 0.8 mm sized WSEN-PADS measures pressure in the range between 26 and 126 kPa. Its output data rate can be selected between 1 and 200 Hz. The sensor contains an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) and a temperature sensor. This means the output values are already calibrated.
The WSEN-PADS absolute pressure sensor offers the possibility of preparing the measured data for various applications using activatable integrated algorithms in such a way that the programming workload for a connected controller is greatly reduced. The measured data can be read out via a standard I2C interface. The I2C interface is extended by an additional interrupt pin whose function can be modified by the user. An application example is the use of the pressure sensor as an altimeter.
Thanks to its high resolution, the sensor provides information that enables the position of individual floors in buildings to be mapped. This supports an indoor navigation system. WSEN-PADS is not only extremely suitable for mobile devices on account of its slim design: Since the sensor can be operated at very low power consumption, it is possible to supply it with batteries or even energy via energy harvesting—Wurth Elektronik offers technical support here. The piezoresistive sensor is specified for an industrial temperature range from -40 to +85°C.
