MGC3030 / MGC3130 3D Gesture Controllers

By Microchip Technology 57

MGC3030 / MGC3130 3D Gesture Controllers

Microchip's MGC3030/MGC3130 are single-chip solutions to enable 3D gesture control in almost any product, such as wireless speakers, radios, light switches, and remote controls. The MGC3x30 are optimized for embedded usage, require no host intelligence or resources, and come with a complete gesture portfolio.

The Benefits of GestIC Technology

Similar to capacitive touch sensing, GestIC technology uses E-field sensing to detect gestures. Electrodes remain invisible behind the device housing, allowing an aesthetically pleasing industrial design without the need for holes or other cutouts typically required for cameras or infrared-based systems. Further benefits include:

  • Full surface coverage, no blind spots
  • Lighting independent
  • Built-in adaptive noise filtering
  • Low costs
  • Only gesture solution with built-in auto wake/sleep
    • <100 µA sleep current
  • Low system complexity

The MGC3030/MGC3130 output direct and immediately usable results—everything is detected on-chip including gestures, approach, touch events and x/y/z 3D positions (exclusive to MGC3130). The MGC3x30 controllers are true single-chip solutions for the next generation of user interface, enabling gesture based UI applications for embedded products.

Fast, Precise, and Robust
  • Implemented as a low-power mixed-signal System-on-Chip (SoC), the MGC3x30 controllers offer a rich set of smart functional features including:
  • 0 (touch) to 10 cm detection range
  • Fast report rate up to 200 Hz (5 ms)
  • Field upgradable on-board gesture suite
  • Digital interface (I2C) and configurable GPIOs
Gesture Portfolio (Click for Larger Image)

On-Board Gesture Recognition

Gesture recognition is performed on chip to eliminate the complexity and need for additional processing, a unique feature to GestIC technology shortening time-to-market. The gesture suite gives the MGC3030/MGC3130 controllers the ability to recognize gestures while the rest of the system is powered down or in a power savings mode. It is field upgradable to ensure the system can accommodate and use additional gesture algorithms as they become available. Like speech and language, everybody’s hand gestures have a unique quality that differs in timing, amplitude and a broad range of other metrics. The integrated GestIC Technology Colibri Suite makes use of a Hidden Markov Model for high recognition rates of various gestures. This detects the subtle difference between deliberate gestures and general hand movement to limit response to unintended gestures.

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