Full tilt for camera sensor

A tiny opto-mechanical sensor which recognises if it is tilted vertically or horizontally could help digital cameras ‘know’ if a picture is being taken in portrait or landscape format.

When equipped with the appropriate software, the camera would immediately store the images with the correct orientation so that the user would not need to tilt the camera to view the pictures. In addition, users would no longer have to spend time rotating images on the monitor after the pictures have been transferred to the computer.

The new orientation sensor was developed by the Siemens subsidiary Osram Opto Semiconductors, which recently presented it at the Electronica trade fair in Munich. The sensor is especially designed for use in mobile devices such as cell phones, MP3 players and digital cameras.

Known as SFH 7710, the new sensor is a small, energy-efficient component with a digital output. The sensor measures 4mm2 and is 1.8mm high. It operates on a supply voltage of 2.5V and requires 50µA of electricity on average so as not to put too great a strain on the battery of a camera or cell phone.