editor's blog
Subscribe Now

Isn’t Sensor Fusion CPU-Agnostic?

Sensor fusion is algorithms. And these algorithms are typically executed as software. So that should be simple, right?

Just get your sensor fusion libraries from whomever you prefer (could be the sensor vendor, could be one of the sensor-agnostic folks), and then run it in the processor of your choice.

That processor could be the AP in a phone, although more and more that’s deprecated in favor of sensor hubs and other local, less power-hungry resources. Largely microcontrollers. And there shouldn’t really be any dependence on the specific computing platform chosen – as long as it has the resources to handle the algorithms. Right?

So I was a bit surprised when I saw that Movea and ST had collaborated to make Movea’s sensor fusion available on a very specific ST microcontroller: the STM32F401. Wouldn’t Movea’s stuff work on any ST microcontroller? Or anyone else’s, for that matter?

The answer is yes. Turns out that the collaboration alluded to in the announcement reflected work that Movea did to optimize their algorithms for that particular microcontroller. So the implication would be that, although you could run the algorithms on other ST microcontrollers, for example, they would run most efficiently on this particular one. Says ST’s Michael Markowitz, “This is precisely the result of a custom optimization by Movea to perfectly map the F401, which has an architecture that is well suited to performing sensor fusion at very low power.”

And, as such, ST would appear to be positioning that particular microcontroller as its preferred sensor hub platform. But there’s nothing that says you can’t use a different one.

You can find out more about this particular combination in the ST/Movea release.

Leave a Reply

featured blogs
Jul 1, 2025
I don't know which of these videos is better: humans playing games with water pixels or robots playing games....

Libby's Lab

Libby's Lab - Scopes out Littelfuse C&K Aerospace AeroSplice Connectors

Sponsored by Mouser Electronics and Littelfuse

Join Libby and Demo in this episode of “Libby’s Lab” as they explore the Littelfuse C&K Aerospace Aerosplice Connectors, available at Mouser.com! These connectors are ideal for high-reliability easy-to-use wire-to-wire connections in aerospace applications. Keep your circuits charged and your ideas sparking!

Click here for more information

featured paper

AI-based Defect Detection System that is Both High Performance and Highly Accurate Implemented in Low-cost, Low-power FPGAs

Sponsored by Altera

Learn how MAX® 10 FPGAs enable real-time, high-accuracy AI-based defect detection at the industrial edge without a GPU. This white paper explores a production-proven solution that delivers 24× higher accuracy, 488× lower latency, and 20× lower power than traditional approaches, with a compact footprint ideal for embedded vision systems.

Click to read more

featured chalk talk

Power Modules and Why You Should Use Them in Your Next Power Design
In this episode of Chalk Talk, Amelia Dalton and Christine Chacko from Texas Instruments explore a variety of power module package technologies, examine the many ways that power modules can help save on total design solution cost, and the unique benefits that Texas Instruments power modules can bring to your next design.
Aug 22, 2024
43,293 views