Freescale Semiconductor (News - Alert) Holdings I, Ltd., has announced a new pressure sensor chip that includes an altimeter. The Freescale Semiconductor Xtrinsic MPL3115A2 detects altitudes. The micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology-based sensor enables advanced location-based and navigation applications for smart mobiles, tablets, and industrial and medical devices.

The sensor in the device can gauge according to the altitude the floor the user is on. Wayne Chavez, operations manager for consumer and industrial sensors at Freescale said that MEMS sensors were not just for human-machine interfaces anymore.

Chavez added, “The new Xtrinsic pressure sensor uses smart algorithms to derive altitude from barometric pressure readings, to locate pedestrians for both location based services, and for safety applications, like e911, where authorities might want to find people who are in trouble, perhaps even unconscious.”

“The reality was that they were an innovation engine. These products were important because they're an improvement relative to the prior generation, but they're by no means the only things happening at Freescale at the forum or this year,” Henri Richard, Freescale senior vice president and chief sales and marketing officer, added.

The MPL3115A2 smart pressure sensor provides altimetry and barometric pressure detection with a resolution of 30 cm. This feature enables the device equipped with the sensor, such as a handset, to determine the elevation of the location at a granular level. Within multi-story buildings, the phone has the ability to detect a particular floor where the user is located.

Chief Financial Officer Alan Campbell stated that Freescale had tremendous potential to grow earnings faster than the market through revenue growth, gross margin expansion and deleveraging. The shares of the company have shot up by 13% since their initial public offering.

In industrial and business settings, the Xtrinsic MPL3115A2 sensor is used to track assets. During emergency situations like search and rescue operations, the sensor finds the precise location. The MPL3115A2 also helps to monitor residential heating and cooling systems.

In medical applications, it is used to monitor the location of patients, and in health monitoring and detection systems. In desktop weather stations, the sensors provides forecast of climate changes.

The Xtrinsic MPL3115A2 sensor includes temperature compensation and has variable sampling rates. It controls the sleep and auto-wake modes to reduce power consumption.

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