微機(jī)電系統(tǒng)(MEMS)芯片不僅徹底改變汽車(chē)的安全性(透過(guò)觸發(fā)安全氣囊)，也為智能型手機(jī)注入了智能元素(可感測(cè)方位)。 MEMS 并進(jìn)一步催生全新的產(chǎn)品應(yīng)用類(lèi)型，從動(dòng)作感測(cè)遙控器到可監(jiān)控與追蹤農(nóng)場(chǎng)動(dòng)物放牧的MooMonitor頸圈。 如今，美國(guó)ICEdot公司還開(kāi)發(fā)出一款結(jié)合 MEMS 與緊急定位傳送器功能的頭部創(chuàng)傷偵測(cè)系統(tǒng)，能夠讓穿戴運(yùn)動(dòng)頭盔者在遭遇撞擊而失去意識(shí)時(shí)，實(shí)時(shí)發(fā)送求救訊號(hào)，使傷者能更迅速獲得緊急治療。 “ICEdot” 這個(gè)名字取自‘In Case of Emergency’的意思，它一開(kāi)始用于緊急事故通告服務(wù)中，讓參與摩托車(chē)越野賽或滑板等危險(xiǎn)運(yùn)動(dòng)的人穿戴一種內(nèi)建PIN與緊急聯(lián)絡(luò)電話(huà)的特殊腕帶識(shí)別手鏈(或者也能做成專(zhuān)用貼紙貼在頭盔上)。當(dāng)有人撥打此求緊急電話(huà)并提供PIN時(shí)，該系統(tǒng)會(huì)立即傳送一則通知給配戴手鏈者的緊急聯(lián)絡(luò)人，而如果遇到有 糖尿病或過(guò)敏等必須就醫(yī)的特殊狀況時(shí)，現(xiàn)場(chǎng)人員還會(huì)即使指導(dǎo)如何加以因應(yīng)。 然而，隨著 MEMS 傳感器出現(xiàn)，該服務(wù)如今已能在配戴者遭受撞擊失去意識(shí)時(shí)，自動(dòng)發(fā)送信息給緊急聯(lián)絡(luò)人了。 ICEdot公司CEO Chris Zenthoefer表示：“這款傳感器的運(yùn)作方式是用戶(hù)必須先在系統(tǒng)中預(yù)先登錄緊急聯(lián)絡(luò)人(通常是配偶或家中成員)的信息，一旦在發(fā)生事故而失去意識(shí)時(shí)，便會(huì)傳送文字簡(jiǎn)訊或email通知緊急聯(lián)絡(luò)人，告知用戶(hù)的 GPS 坐標(biāo)，并以電話(huà)指示緊急聯(lián)絡(luò)人如何與用戶(hù)聯(lián)系。而如果無(wú)法聯(lián)系到緊急聯(lián)絡(luò)人時(shí)，那么該系統(tǒng)就會(huì)派出救護(hù)車(chē)或派人員前往處理?！?

約僅手掌大小的ICEdot搭載充電用的mini-USB埠，以及加速度計(jì)和陀螺儀。
Source：ICEdotf0hesmc

本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 本文下一頁(yè)：該組件內(nèi)部整合了哪些功能模塊？

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• MEMS電子鼻讓你的手機(jī)也擁有嗅覺(jué)
• 面向醫(yī)療市場(chǎng)的MEMS傳感器應(yīng)用
• MEMS新應(yīng)用讓紙上書(shū)寫(xiě)與iPad同步f0hesmc

{pagination} ICEdot 利用用戶(hù)智能手機(jī)中的 GPS 芯片來(lái)確定其位置，并以手機(jī)的無(wú)線(xiàn)網(wǎng)絡(luò)發(fā)送緊急信息，因而得以簡(jiǎn)化 ICEdot 組件。約僅手掌大小的 ICEdot 可防水，外表看起來(lái)相當(dāng)簡(jiǎn)單，不僅沒(méi)有任何的按鍵，也只采用單一USB埠進(jìn)行充電。它還能夠利用低功耗藍(lán)牙連接到配戴者的智能手機(jī)。 該組件內(nèi)部整合了藍(lán)牙IC、聚合物鋰離子電池，以及由意法半導(dǎo)體(ST)提供的三軸加速度計(jì)與三軸陀螺儀。透過(guò)該加速度計(jì)與陀螺儀，以及TI微控制器執(zhí)行演算法，能夠測(cè)量出撞擊的嚴(yán)重程度(經(jīng)由加速度計(jì)測(cè)量)以及頭部是否受傷(經(jīng)由陀螺儀測(cè)量)。因此，ICEdot就能判斷配戴用戶(hù)只是從自行車(chē)上跌倒沒(méi)受到 什么傷害，還是嚴(yán)重摔傷可能導(dǎo)致腦震蕩或其它腦部創(chuàng)傷之間的差異。 Zenthoefer解釋?zhuān)骸拔覀儾粌H測(cè)量力道，同時(shí)也仿真用戶(hù)的大腦可能經(jīng)歷的過(guò)程?；谀X部的流體以及大腦的左右移動(dòng)，就能評(píng)估腦部遭受的情況。我們并不會(huì)明確指出用戶(hù)有腦震蕩的現(xiàn)象，但能夠估算出用戶(hù)遭到了與腦部重創(chuàng)一樣的力道，應(yīng)而可能需要實(shí)時(shí)協(xié)助。”

ICEdot碰撞偵測(cè)器可安裝在運(yùn)動(dòng)頭盔上，偵測(cè)可能發(fā)生的頭部外傷。
Source：ICEdotf0hesmc

ICEdot 主要針對(duì)自行車(chē)騎士，但幾乎可應(yīng)用在任何需要戴頭盔或安全帽的運(yùn)動(dòng)與環(huán)境下，如騎機(jī)車(chē)、滑雪以及馬術(shù)等(但不建議足球運(yùn)動(dòng)，因?yàn)樵搼?yīng)用程序目前并不針對(duì)這 項(xiàng)運(yùn)動(dòng)需求) 。在用戶(hù)發(fā)生撞擊意外后，智能型手機(jī)的應(yīng)用程序會(huì)在發(fā)送訊息給緊急聯(lián)絡(luò)人開(kāi)始倒數(shù)計(jì)時(shí)，讓用戶(hù)有時(shí)間取消自動(dòng)通知。該應(yīng)用程序還能記錄在活動(dòng)期間的加速度 和旋轉(zhuǎn)速度，以及整體重力(G-force)。 ICEdot并計(jì)劃在未來(lái)更新其應(yīng)用程序，以提供先進(jìn)的追?性能，以實(shí)現(xiàn)更佳 功耗控制，并期望能在一次充電后可維持長(zhǎng)達(dá)一個(gè)月的電池壽命(目前約需4小時(shí)完全充電后僅維持一整天)。此外，目前的僅能支持 iPhone 4S 或更新的版本，很快地也將支持 Android 版本。 本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 編譯：Susan Hong 參考英文原文：MEMS Enables Personal Crash Detector，by R. Colin Johnson

相關(guān)閱讀：
• MEMS電子鼻讓你的手機(jī)也擁有嗅覺(jué)
• 面向醫(yī)療市場(chǎng)的MEMS傳感器應(yīng)用
• MEMS新應(yīng)用讓紙上書(shū)寫(xiě)與iPad同步f0hesmc

{pagination} MEMS Enables Personal Crash Detector R. Colin Johnson PORTLAND, Ore. — Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) chips have already revolutionized automotive safety -- by triggering airbags -- and put the "smart" into smartphones -- by sensing orientation. MEMS are enabling whole new categories of products, from motion-sensing remote controls to the MooMonitor that tracks herds of farm animals. Now a new device from ICEdot, in Tulsa, Okla., combines an emergency location transmitter function with a MEMS-based head-trauma detection system to enable anyone wearing a sports helmet to more easily receive the emergency treatment he or she needs if knocked unconsciousness. ICEdot -- which stands for "in case of emergency" -- began as an emergency notification service that instructed anyone who participates in a dangerous sport -- from motocross to skateboarding -- to wear a special wrist-band identification bracelet with a PIN and an emergency telephone number on it. When a person calls that number and supplies the PIN, which can also be put on your helmet with a special sticker, the service sends a notification to the wearer's emergency contact and instructs on-the-scene responders if any special medical conditions exist, such as diabetes or allergies. With the advent of MEMS sensors, however, that service has become proactive -- automatically sending out a message to an emergency contact in the event the wearer is knocked unconscious. ICEdot's CEO Chris Zenthoefer said in an interview with EE Times: The way our sensor works is you preregister with us who your emergency contacts are -- usually a spouse or family member -- then whenever you have been in an incident that knocks you unconscious, they get a message. The message, which can be either a text message or an email, gives your GPS coordinates and instructs them to try and contact you by phone. If you are unresponsive, then they can send an ambulance, or go there themselves if its nearby. The palm-sized ICEdot has a single mini-USB port for charging and houses an accelerometer and gyroscope. (Source: ICEdot) ICEdot leverages the global positioning system (GPS) chip in the user's smartphone to determine their location, and uses the cellular connection in the user's phone to send the emergency message, thus simplifying the ICEdot device itself. The palm-sized ICEdot, which is waterproof, is deceptively simple with no buttons and just a single USB port for charging. It connects to the wearer's smartphone using low-power Bluetooth where all configuration selections are made. Inside the device is the Bluetooth radio, a polymer-lithium battery and both a three-axis accelerometer and three-axis gyroscope, both by STMicroelectronics. By using both an accelerometer and a gyro, algorithms running on the integral Texas Instruments microcontroller can measure both the severity of the impact -- from the accelerometer -- as well as whether the head was twisted before or after impact -- from the gyroscope. As a result, the ICEdot is capable of telling the difference between just falling off a bike, with no probable injury, and a serious fall likely causing a concussion or other brain trauma. Zenthoefer said: We are measuring the forces and mimicking what your brain experienced. Based on the fluids in your head and the way your brain moves about, this is what we think your brain has experienced. We don't say unequivocally that you have had a concussion. But rather that you have experienced forces consistent with major head trauma and that you probably need help. The ICEdot personal crash detector mounts on any helmet to detect possible head traumas. (Source: ICEdot) ICEdot is mainly used by bikers, but can be used by almost any sport using a helmet, such as motorcycling, skiing, and equestrian (but is not recommended for football, since the app is not currently geared for it). After a crash, the smartphone app counts down before sending out a message to the emergency contact, to give the user time to cancel the automatic notification. The app also records the acceleration and rotational velocity experienced during the event as well as the overall G-force. For the future, ICEdot plans to upgrade its app to provide advanced tracking capabilities for better power control, aiming for a month of battery lifetime on a single charge (currently set at only about a day before a four-hour charging period is required). Currently an iPhone 4s or later is required, but an Android version is in the works.