A recent report from ABI Research (News - Alert), “MEMS Accelerometers” indicates that MEMS (Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems) accelerometers hit the limelight in the past year.

 

However, the research firm says, that most consumers are probably unaware that MEMS is what makes Nintendo Wii’s motion-sensing remote control and Apple (News - Alert) iPhone’s self-orienting display possible.

 

ABI Research senior analyst Douglas McEuen says that these popular products are only the high-profile advance wave of what will be a rising tide of new and innovative uses for the tiny motion sensors.

 

McEuen said in a statement that other major game console manufacturers are following Nintendo’s lead in seeking accelerometer applications for their next-generation products. He pointed out that games are only one use for these specialized devices and they are already widely used in automotive airbag systems where the high sales volume has helped drive down prices. MEMS can also measure vibration in industrial machinery; and are used in exercise step-counters. They will also be increasingly seen in a growing numbers of other phones and PDAs.

 

According to ABI, researchers in the United States fitted accelerometers to football helmets in order to measure the impact when players collide. Few manufacturers share this high-potential market including Analog Devices (News - Alert), Freescale, ST Microelectronics, OKI Semiconductor and Hitachi Metals America.

 

McEuen added that the sky’s the limit in the very creative consumer electronics market.

He noted that the growth rate of this market will be determined by the imaginations of designers as they think up innovative and unexpected ways to incorporate accelerometers into new devices. Also, the arrival of another wildly popular consumer product that sells large numbers worldwide could give this market a significant boost.

 

ABI’s “MEMS Accelerometers” report provides a detailed examination of MEMS accelerometer technology and the requirements for competitive solutions, including essential product capabilities. This report includes an in-depth market forecast that numerically tracks both positive and negative market forces and provides profiles of key manufacturers and early-adopting handset/CE vendors.