STMicroelectronics Launches High-Performance Vibration Sensor with Embedded AI for Industrial Condition Monitoring

Industrial-grade vibration sensor with exceptional wide bandwidth and wide dynamic range

Intelligent Sensor Processing Unit (ISPU 2.0) inside the sensor enhances signal processing and edge AI performance while reducing power consumption

First viable alternative to piezoelectric sensors, combining superior performance, lightweight design, ease of integration, ultra-high precision, and high power efficiency for condition monitoring

STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving a wide range of electronics, has introduced an intelligent vibration sensor for industrial condition monitoring, where high precision, high reliability, and excellent power efficiency are required.

Leveraging ST's MEMS (Micro Electro-Mechanical System) technology and equipped with the Intelligent Sensor Processing Unit (ISPU 2.0), the IIS3DWB10IS vibration sensor enables advanced digital signal processing and AI inference closer to the sensing element. It is a robust, compact sensor that supports frequencies above 10kHz, measures vibrations and shocks up to 200g, and offers high digital accuracy, ease of use, and a wide operating temperature range up to 125°C, capable of withstanding harsh environments. This vibration sensor helps extend equipment uptime, reduce unexpected downtime, and enable predictive maintenance in various industrial environments.

In various industrial sectors, processes such as cutting, molding, conveying, and cooling involve rotating and vibrating equipment, making vibration analysis a major part of condition monitoring. Early detection of issues, such as predicting bearing failures, helps prevent equipment stoppages, leading to optimization of the entire production flow for companies in automotive and other manufacturing industries.

Simone Ferri, Executive Vice President of the Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors Group and General Manager of the MEMS Sub-Group at ST, commented: "ST's MEMS vibration sensors for industrial applications offer the dynamic range and bandwidth required for high-end applications, further strengthening the advantages of ST's in-sensor digital processing technology. By integrating the ISPU 2.0 with new hardware accelerators for high-speed signal processing and AI inference, we enhance the accuracy of equipment wear state recognition while reducing latency and power consumption. This next-generation vibration sensor, ideal for condition monitoring, is lightweight, easy to implement, ultra-precise, and power-efficient enough for battery operation, making it the first viable alternative to piezoelectric sensors."

Andrea Torcelli, CTO of Bonfiglioli S.P.A., commented: "The IIS3DWB10IS offers unique characteristics suitable for our target markets and environments. With its wide dynamic range, wide bandwidth, excellent temperature tolerance, and the ability to simplify circuit design for better cost-performance, it can replace existing piezoelectric sensor technology. Furthermore, integrating the ISPU 2.0 processor places complex signal processing and high-speed AI inference close to the sensing element, enabling smarter system responses."

Remote condition monitoring enables predictive and prioritized maintenance, improving equipment uptime and operational efficiency while preventing unexpected failures and enhancing safety. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global market for this technology is expected to achieve a CAGR of over 9% and exceed $5 billion by 2032*.

*https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/machine-condition-monitoring-market-112654

Technical Information

The IIS3DWB10IS vibration sensor is the first digital sensor to integrate processing capabilities with a wide bandwidth. It delivers performance that meets the needs of high-end industrial condition monitoring applications and represents a viable alternative to piezoelectric sensors.

It accurately measures vibrations exceeding 10kHz, has a wide dynamic range of up to 200g, and maintains a noise floor of only 35µg/sqrt(Hz), comparable to piezoelectric sensors. Furthermore, the IIS3DWB10IS offers accuracy and sensitivity equivalent to piezoelectric sensors, along with the advantages of digital sensing, such as smaller size, lower power consumption, simplified electrical and mechanical design, and high flexibility in computational partitioning.

The ISPU 2.0 (Intelligent Sensor Processing Unit) is a new hardware accelerator that executes real-time signal processing and AI processing at the edge. This hardware accelerator further speeds up the processing of frequently used functions and improves power efficiency. The core is programmable in C language and includes built-in RAM for program and data.

The supported ecosystem includes software libraries that assist in running algorithms commonly used in standard vibration monitoring (such as FFT, filtering, envelope, velocity severity, and anomaly detection) on the ISPU.

Supporting 40 MIPS and 40 MFLOPS of digital signal processing, the ISPU 2.0 delivers up to 4 times the processing performance of the previous generation. Additionally, the ISPU 2.0 sensor interface achieves 6 times the data transfer rate with the MEMS circuit.

The IIS3DWB10IS also includes a 2048 x 80-bit FIFO register and a high-precision temperature sensor.

Its robust MEMS-based design supports an operating temperature range of up to 125°C. The IIS3DWB10IS is covered by ST's 10-year long-term product supply guarantee for industrial products.

The IIS3DWB10IS is offered in a 16-lead LGA package (4.5 x 4.5 x 1.5 mm). The leads feature a wettable flank structure, facilitating automated optical inspection in high-quality surface mount assembly processes. Production is expected to begin by July 2026, with a unit price of approximately $25 for quantities of 1000.

For more details, please visit the website.

About STMicroelectronics

ST is a global integrated semiconductor manufacturer with approximately 49,000 employees, a comprehensive supply chain, and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. Collaborating with over 200,000 customers and thousands of partner companies, ST develops semiconductor solutions and builds ecosystems that support customer business creation and a sustainable society.