MEMS Sensors

• Joint effort pairs Chirp’s ultrasonic technology with the Qualcomm^® Snapdragon^™ Mobile XR (VR/AR) Platform to enable ultra-wide field-of-view, inside-out controller tracking for mobile VR/AR at 1/100 power of other solutions.

January 8, 2019

TDK Corporation (TSE: 6762) announced it is working with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. through its group company, Chirp Microsystems, to make inside-out six degree-of-freedom (6-DoF) controller tracking available to mobile VR/AR head-mounted displays (HMDs) powered by Snapdragon Mobile XR Platforms. For Chirp, today’s announcement further validates Chirp’s ultrasonic tracking technology as the optimal solution for mobile VR/AR systems, offering high-precision, low latency tracking with low power consumption and near-zero computation cost.

Powered by Chirp’s CH-101 digital ultrasound transceiver, the 6-DoF controller tracking system is based on Chirp’s SonicTrack^TM ultrasonic sensor fusion library that is optimized for the Snapdragon Mobile XR Platform to provide ultra-low power, high-precision, drift-free tracking of hand-held gaming controllers.

“Our ultrasonic controller tracking solution is enabled by the CH-101 ultrasonic transceiver, the lowest power, smallest size ultrasonic transceiver on the market today,” said Michelle Kiang, CEO of Chirp Microsystem. “The power required by the tracking system is only a few milliwatts – about a hundred times less than an optical tracking system. More importantly, it requires minimal computation power to calculate the controller location compared to that needed in computer vision based tracking systems, allowing more processing power to be preserved for graphic rendering and tasks. Ultrasonic tracking also allows us to offer an incredibly wide field-of-view so that the HMD never loses track of the controllers as the user moves around. These features make our tracking solution really well-suited to mobile VR and AR systems where heat dissipation and short battery life are killer problems. We couldn’t imagine a better collaborator for the mobile industry than Qualcomm Technologies.”

“Qualcomm Technologies is a leader in mobile technologies for next generation XR entertainment and productivity experiences,” said Ziad Asghar, VP of product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Chirp’s ultrasonic tracking technology offers high-performance tracking and low computation cost for mobile VR. By utilizing Chirp’s technology with our Snapdragon Mobile XR platform, XR OEMs can create truly untethered, immersive experiences.”

Chirp Microsystems, a TDK group company, will be at the upcoming CES 2019, showcasing the Chirp SonicTrack platform, along with a comprehensive portfolio of sensors, electronic components and solutions for mobile, wearables, AR/VR, automotive, IoT and industrial applications in Booth #30306, Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall 3, January 8-11, Las Vegas, Nevada. Please visit: www.chirpmicro.com or contact Chirp Sales at sales@chirpmicro.com for more information.

Glossary

• 6-DoF: Six Degrees of Freedom (Three degrees of x-y-z SHIFT and three degrees of x-y-z ROTATION)
• 3D: three-dimensional
• FoV: Field of View
• AR/VR/XR: Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality / Extended Reality
• Ultrasonic: Utilizing, produced by, or relating to ultrasonic waves or vibrations

Main applications

• AR/VR/XR
• Smart home
• Drone and robotics
• Connected IoT devices
• Mobile and wearable
• Automotive

Key features and benefits of the Chirp SonicTrack ultrasonic controller tracking solution:

• Mobile optimized – ultralow power, light weight and does not require base station
• Near-zero computation load
• Works under any lighting condition
• Expanded Field of View (FoV)

About TDK Corporation

TDK Corporation is a leading electronics company based in Tokyo, Japan. It was established in 1935 to commercialize ferrite, a key material in electronic and magnetic products. TDK's comprehensive 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 the areas of information and communication technology and automotive, industrial and consumer electronics. The company has a network of design and manufacturing locations and sales offices in Asia, Europe, and in North and South America. In fiscal 2018, TDK posted total sales of USD 12 billion and employed about 103,000 people worldwide.

About Chirp Microsystems

Chirp Microsystems, a TDK group company, is bringing ultrasonics to everyday products. Chirp’s piezoelectric MEMS ultrasonic transducers offer long range and low power in a tiny package, enabling products that accurately perceive the 3D world we live in. Combined with Chirp’s embedded software library, these sensors advance user experiences with VR/AR, wearables, robotics, drones and occupancy detection. For more information, please visit: www.chirpmicro.com

Qualcomm and Snapdragon are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries.

Qualcomm Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.

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