Hall Sensor Enables 360° Navigation

The AS5013 two-dimensional contactless magnetic encoder IC monitors the displacement of a magnet in a knob relative to its center position and provides x and y position information via an I²C interface. The device is a complete Hall-sensor IC for human-machine interface apps and includes user-selectable power-saving modes, five integrated Hall sensing elements for detecting up to ±2 mm lateral displacement, an ADC, XY coordinate and motion detection engine, and a smart power management controller. Other features include interrupt modes and two operating modes: idle mode with less than 3 µA current consumption and low-power mode with selectable readout rate. Price for the AS5013 is $2.92 each/1,000. AUSTRIAMICROSYSTEMS USA INC., Raleigh, NC. (919) 676-5292.