Qualtre licenses Georgia MEMS gyroscope tech

Portland: Qualtre has licensed Georgia Tech micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscope technology that makes use of bulk-acoustic wave (BAW) disks as an alternative of the typical tuning-fork resonator used in the majority of MEMS gyroscopes.

Qualtre claims its technology is inferior power—thus extending the battery life of mobile devices—and less costly to produce because its silicon disks are smaller than the tuning-fork resonators used nowadays.

The company also promises samples of its BAW-based gyroscopes later on in this year.

Qualtre's gyroscopes employ a 600-by-35 micron silicon disk resonating in the MhZ range, with just a 180-nanometer gap between it and the electrodes ringing its edge. Motion leads to a variation in vibration modes in the disk which is detected as tiny deformations in the disk as it fights the Coriolis force which is opposing its motion.

As the mechanical gain in excess of 20,000, the system uses less power, according to Qualtre. The BAW method in addition has a wider dynamic range, according to the Qualtre, making its gyroscope useful for a wide assortment of consumer applications, which also includes handheld and console based gaming controllers, navigational devices, digital cameras, camcorders and remote controls.

Qualtre is at present carrying out a second round of financing to assist bring its technology to market--its primary round of financial support being $5 million from Matrix Partners (Waltham, Mass.) and Pilot House Ventures (Boston) in 2008.