TDK Corporation (TSE:6762) announces a suite of InvenSense SmartMotion® custom sensing solutions for more intuitive user experiences with TWS ear buds, AI glasses, augmented reality eyewear, smart watches, fitness bands, and other IoT devices. Combining leading MEMS sensor innovation with sensor fusion software, the three newest IMUs are based on TDK’s latest ultra-low power, high-performance ICM-456xx family that offers edge intelligence for the next generation of consumer technology at the highest motion tracking accuracy.

“The challenge in today’s wearable market is delivering features like seamless augmented reality (AR) or high-fidelity spatial audio without sacrificing the compact, stylish form factor and all-day battery life,” said Pankaj Aggarwal, VP & GM of the Consumer and Industrial Motion, InvenSense, a TDK group company. “Our ICM-456xx family with BalancedGyro™ technology and on-chip intelligence solves this problem. It ensures that every user head turn, every UI gesture, and every AR overlay is instantaneous, stable, and incredibly power efficient.”

Instead of relying on power-hungry central processors, SmartMotion® on-chip software enables computational work related to motion tracking to be offloaded to the motion sensor itself, so that intelligence decisions may be made locally – allowing other parts of the system to remain in low-power mode. The sensor fusion algorithm and machine learning capability provide seamless motion sensing with minimum software effort by the customer.

The newest SmartMotion® solutions, based on the ICM-456xy family of 6-axis IMUs, include:

• SmartMotion ICM-45606 for TWS applications including ear buds, headphones and other hearable products. This next-generation VibeSense360 TWS solution supports on-chip sensor fusion with high yaw accuracy, vocal vibration detection, and machine learning for sensing user gestures and activity detection. This part number will be available at distributors by the end of Q1.

• SmartMotion ICM-45687 for wearable and IoT technology is now available via sales inquiry. The IMU-45687 enables on-chip algorithms like bring-to-see, wake-on-motion, and tap, plus machine learning for activity classification and user gesture detection.

• SmartMotion for Smart Glasses ICM-45685, first announced September 16, 2025, now also enables new features, sensing whether users are putting glasses on or taking glasses off (wear detection) and vocal vibration detection (VVD) for identifying the source of the speech through its on-chip sensor fusion algorithms. This custom sensing solution also enables high-precision head orientation tracking, optical/electronic image stabilization, intuitive UI control, posture recognition, and real-time translation – all at ultra-low power.

The new SmartMotion ICM-45685 is part of an array of TDK custom sensing solutions for Smart Glasses that includes TMR sensors for hinge angle detection, MEMS microphones for voice-activated AI, Ultrasonic Time-of-Flight sensors for precise wear detection and gesture tracking, and PositionSense 9-axis solution with IMU+TMR magnetometer and software for absolute orientation detection and navigation.
 

Glossary

• 6-axis: 3-axis gyroscope + 3-axis accelerometer

• 9-axis: 6-axis IMU + 3-axis TMR

• EIS: electronic image stabilization

• GAF: gyro-assisted fusion

• IMU: inertial measurement unit

• MEMS: micro-electro-mechanical systems

• OIS: optical image stabilization

• TMR: tunnel-magneto resistance

Main features

• Ultra-low power IMU with lowest power gyroscope in the industry

• Superb vibration rejection with BalancedGyro™ technology

• High accuracy head orientation tracking with on-chip gyro-assisted fusion (GAF) algorithm

• OIS/EIS for camera modules

• Activity classification via machine learning and InvenSense sensor inference framework (SIF)

• Accelerometer based vocal vibration detection to detect speech from the person who wears the device

• Intuitive UI control by user gestures like tap, double/triple tap, head nodding or shaking

Main applications

• AI smart glasses

• Augmented and extended reality eyewear

• Fitness or sports eyewear

• TWS ear buds or headphones

• Smart watches

• Smart rings

• Fitness bands

• AI-powered smart home devices