Sensym Inc, Sunnyvale, California, reckons it’s got one of the first products built using silicon micromachining techniques in the shape of its low-cost electronic tyre gauge, reports Microbytes Daily: with no moving parts, it has an easy-to-read, two-and-a-half character-LCD, is powered by three 1.4V batteries and has a National Semiconductor 4-bit COPS microcontroller with 512b of ROM and 1Kb of RAM and piezoresistive silicon pressure sensor; the pen-sized gadget not only guages pressure, but also gives over-pressure sensing and automatic calibration to zero; Sensym, which has applied for patents covering several gauge components, says the current $39.95 guage will be available later on this summer.
