On Wednesday, Sentons, the US-based semiconductor company specializing in developing ultra-sonic sensors and software-based solutions, announced a new ultra-low-power processor and a gesture engine for wearables. The new SDSWave (SNT8250) processor and the gesture engine aim to offer a customizable, ergonomic user experience on tiny surfaces of wearables.
Sentons says its new SDWave wearable solutions can turn the entire device into a force-sensitive touch interface that’s able to register and distinguish gestures at different speeds and pressure levels.
The solution also works well on curved displays and wet surfaces. Sentons says the processor and gesture engine can be used in various wearables, including smartwatches, smart glasses, earbuds, fitness trackers, and so on.
“We’re excited to finally bring a solution to market that allows device designers to make use of even the tiniest surface to make it touch and force interactive. This outdoor and water-immune interactivity unlocks new user experiences and capabilities for wearables, something the industry has never seen before,” said Jess Lee, Sentons President and CEO.
Here are some of the main highlights of the SNT8250 processor:
- Unlocks new user experiences with virtualized buttons that are redefinable in software
- Gesture functionality in the presence of water
- Highly engineered to identify intended touch and press patterns and reject false touches and falsing from water
- Works with metal surfaces, unlike the capacitive touch
- Haptics triggering is available with the sensor module
- Compatible with thin, small displays with curved design
- Power consumption: 20 microwatts in standby mode and 80 microwatts in operating mode
Other ultrasonic SDSWave solutions in Senton’s portfolio include SDS CameraBar and SDS GamingBar. SDS CameraBar uses ultrasound to turn your phone’s frame into a zoom slider. Meanwhile, SDS GamingBar allows OEMs to implement ultrasonic game triggers. It has been featured in gaming phones like the ASUS ROG Phone 5 and Lenovo’s Legion Phone.