Bosch Sensortec — BHI260AP Self Learning AI Smart Sensor with Integrated IMU

The Bosch BHI260AP motion-tracking sensor for wearable fitness-tracking devices includes self-learning Artificial Intelligence (AI) software to enable users to personalize fitness tracking by ‘teaching’ the device to identify their movements.

The BHI260AP is a system-in-package which includes a programmable 32-bit CPU and an integrated six-axis motion sensor: a 16-bit three-axis accelerometer, and a 16-bit three-axis gyroscope.

The sensor’s AI software supports a standard set of 15 pre-learned fitness activities, and can operate in four modes: Learn, Personalize, Auto-track, and Enhance. In the Learn mode, users can add new fitness activities, while in Personalize mode they can adapt existing activities to their own style to increase the accuracy of calorie counting and analytics.

In Auto-track mode, users can automatically track and count the performance of activities, enabling assessment of the intensity of exercise in endurance and strength training. The Enhance mode enables manufacturers to add new fitness activities without having to modify the software.

Since the AI runs on the sensor itself, no internet connection or tethering to a smartphone is required: this reduces power consumption and minimizes latency.

To reduce development time, the sensor includes functions to support fitness tracking, swimming analytics for lap count and style classification of the four common strokes, pedestrian dead reckoning, and relative and absolute orientation. Orientation data can be used to provide feedback to enable the user to improve the style in which they perform a motion.

The low power consumption makes the device suitable for use in always-on sensor applications.