Kionix has introduced the KXTH5 tri-axis analogue accelerometer, which improves multiplexed switching for hard disk drive protection by 400% over its predecessor, the KXPB5, which is scheduled for obsolescence this year. The acceleromter boosts the speed at which the hard disk drive can detect a drop, to increase system robustness. It has an integrated four-channel multiplexer that decreases system microcontroller requirements to only one ADC and two digital I/Os, reducing part count and saving cost and board space. A high sampling rate of 32kHz/axis is combined with the short 5µs settling time of the integrated multiplexer, allowing the accelerometer to match the performance of three separate analogue outputs. Power consumption is down to 350µA when operating and 5µA on standby. Operation can be customised to suit the application in the range of 1.8 and 3.6V DC. This is programmed at the factory, as is sensitivity which is customisable within the range between ±1.5 to ±6g. Factory-programmable options for a switched capacitor, low pass filter or no pass filter are for noise management. The accelerometer is packaged in a small 3x5x0.9mm 14pin land grid array.
