Bosch Sensortec and Espressif develop magnetic sensing platform for wearables and smart devices
Bosch Sensortec and Espressif Systems have collaborated on a new magnetic sensing interaction solution designed for wearables, AI toys and other compact smart devices. The platform combines Bosch Sensortec’s 3-axis magnetic sensors with Espressif SoCs to enable non-contact accessory detection, position sensing and gesture-based interaction.
The solution uses changes in the surrounding magnetic field to identify accessories and track their position without requiring cameras, antennas or mechanical switches. It can distinguish up to ten magnetic accessories and supports sensing distances of up to 150 mm.
At the centre of the platform is Bosch Sensortec’s BMM350, a 16-bit, 3-axis magnetic sensor based on Tunnel Magnetoresistance (TMR) technology. The device delivers high sensitivity and low-noise operation while maintaining a compact footprint of just 1.28 x 1.28 x 0.5 mm in a wafer-level chip-scale package.
The sensor’s small size and low power consumption make it suitable for battery-powered wearables and portable devices. In addition, its field shock recovery capability helps maintain stable operation in environments subject to magnetic interference.
Compared with camera-based or NFC solutions, magnetic sensing offers a lower-cost alternative while allowing sensors to be fully embedded within products, preserving industrial design flexibility.
Beyond accessory recognition, the BMM350 can also support applications including head tracking for spatial audio, indoor navigation, AR/VR systems, smart glasses and precision position sensing.
The companies expect magnetic sensing technology to play an increasing role in next-generation wearable and consumer devices, enabling new interaction methods while reducing system complexity and power consumption.
