Bosch introduces rugged pressure sensors

     Wearable fitness trackers are rapidly gaining popularity. Air pressure sensors enable wearables to detect changes in the user's altitude, such as going up and down stairs, to calculate the number of calories the user has burned. Until now, many air pressure sensors have not been resistant to liquids, so integrating them into waterproof products has been a challenge. To solve this problem, Bosch Sensortec has developed the BMP384, a rugged air pressure sensor in a compact package and offering market-leading accuracy.

     The BMP384's high performance and low power consumption make it ideal for wearables, home appliances and industrial applications in harsh environments. The innovative packaging design of this new sensor uses a unique gel designed to prevent the intrusion of water and other liquids, as well as dust, with the required integration features. Oems can now integrate air pressure sensors directly into products that require high ruggedness.

     "Bosch has applied years of experience in building reliable sensors for harsh environments to the design of the BMP384." Dr. Stefan Finkbeiner, CEO of Bosch Sensortec, said, "Until now, engineers have faced great challenges in integrating air pressure sensors into applications involving water or other contaminants. Performance degradation often occurs during the service life of the end product. This new sensor makes integration easier and gives manufacturers and users peace of mind."

     The new BMP384 pressure sensor is ideal for wearables such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, for example in activities such as swimming and running. The special gel inside the package protects against common liquids such as salt water, rain, sweat and sunscreen. Measuring just 2.0 x 2.0 x 1mm3, it offers seamless integration even in extremely small devices.

     In addition to wearables, the sensor can also be used in household appliances, such as water level detection in washing machines, to ensure accurate measurement of water volume and prevent overflow. The BMP384 is also extremely durable, making it ideal for use cases in dusty environments such as clogging detection in vacuum cleaners.

     The BMP384 is not only rugged, but also uncompromising in its performance. It has a relative accuracy of +/ -8 Pa, an absolute accuracy of +/ -40 Pa, and a temperature coefficient offset (TCO) of +/ -1.0 Pa/K. What's more, the sensor's power consumption is only 3.2 mA (typical value) at a data rate of 1 Hz, which puts an extremely low load on portable device batteries.