Melexis announces the world's smallest medical grade FIR sensor, assembled in a surface mount package for use in a variety of applications, including wearables and, in particular, advanced in-ear-devices (so-called hearables) and clinical point-of-care applications where highly accurate human body temperature measurement is required.

The MLX90632 is based upon Melexis' established far infrared (FIR) technology that utilizes the fact that all objects emit heat radiation. Miniaturized far-infrared sensors are typically sensitive to thermal disturbances, however, the MLX90632 mitigates this effect through sophisticated compensation algorithms; delivering high levels of thermal stability. The new medical-grade MLX90632 is optimized for the normal human body temperature range, where it offers medical-grade accuracy of ± 0.2 °C thanks to advanced in-factory calibration procedures.

The ultra-small device is a complete solution in a 3x3x1mm QFN package which includes the sensor element, signal processing, digital interface and optics thereby allowing rapid and simple integration into a wide variety of space constrained modern applications. The small size, high thermal stability and optimization for human body temperature make the medical MLX90632 ideal for ultra-small modern health monitoring devices, such as portable diagnosis tools capable of monitoring body temperature continuously. Monitoring vital signs repeatedly is a key enabler of preventive medicine practices to detect early critical health conditions. The sensor is also highly suited for more classic medical devices such as forehead or ear body thermometers.

Commenting on the new product release Joris Roels, Marketing Manager Temperature Sensors said: “Melexis has already shipped millions of medical grade sensing devices and this new device builds upon this expertise. The MLX90632 will be a disruptive sensing technology in many applications, allowing leading manufacturers to differentiate their devices and offer important health-related functionalities.”

The new medical-grade MLX90632 infrared sensor is a finalist for the 'Innovative product award' organized by Sensors Expo 2019.

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