Toshiba launches single package application processors for wearable devices

Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO:6502) today announced the launch of "TZ1001MBG", an application processor for wearable devices, as the latest addition to ApP Lite™ family. Sample shipments will start in May, with mass production scheduled to start in September, 2014.

There has been an explosion of interest in services that monitor activity levels and durations, as tools to help prevent lifestyle diseases, promote exercise and improve nutrition. It increases the demand for the wearable devices that the services depend on.

Toshiba's new application processor is a single package that integrates an accelerometer to measure motion, a processor to handle the data acquired by the sensor, flash memory to store data, and a Bluetooth^® Low Energy controller that supports low power communication. This reduces mounting area, contributing to downsizing of wearable devices.

The processor also offers an original low power consumption design, allowing use in wearable devices that require long battery runtimes.

Toshiba is also expanding the line-up of its TZ1000 series by developing "TZ1011MBG", which adds a gyroscope and a magnetometer to the package of devices described above.

Key Features

• Integrates a wireless communication function, a sensor, a memory and a processor in one package
  Functions necessary for wearable devices are integrated in a single package, contributing to small system design.

• Allows connection to external sensors
  The product integrates high resolution ADCs that can convert analog signals from external sensors, such as pulse wave and electrocardiogram (ECG), into digital data, and deliver it to the internal processor.

• Embedded ARM^® Cortex^®-M4F processor
  High performance ARM^® Cortex^®-M4F with DSP and floating point processing unit allows combination of data from multiple sensors, both internal and external, to improve accuracy (sensor fusion).

• Integrates Bluetooth^® wireless communication function
  Integration of Bluetooth^® Low Energy controller and RF circuit allows transfers of raw and processed data to external equipment, such as smartphones and tablets.

Applications

Wearable devices, such as activity monitors, smart watches, bracelet- and glasses-type devices.

Source: Toshiba