Bosch Sensortec launched its BHI160BP at Electronica. It’s the first-of-its-kind Position Tracking Smart Sensor that uses integrated inertial sensors for enhanced GPS location tracking.

The BHI160BP is designed to enable pedestrian position tracking when used with a GPS or GNSS module saving up to 80 percent in system power consumption as opposed to a typical GNSS-only solution, without compromising accuracy.

The device offers longer battery life and charging intervals for wearable applications such as smartwatches and fitness trackers and other mobile devices including smartphones or hearables. It also tracks a person’s position with an inertial sensor-based algorithm for Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR).

This helps the device maintain the utmost accuracy even when the GNSS signal is blocked or weakened by tall buildings or being indoors, for example, guaranteeing accurate pedestrian navigation regardless of obstructions.  

"Pedestrian position tracking is a crucial application for mobile applications; unfortunately, GPS modules can rapidly drain a device’s battery capacity – especially when the battery is as small as in wearable devices," says Dr. Stefan Finkbeiner, Bosch Sensortec’s CEO. "Our new Position Tracking Smart Sensor solves this problem and enables users to navigate reliably while extending the operation of GPS tracking in their devices from several hours up to several days."

To see the Position Tracking Smart Sensor BHI160BP in action, check out the video below.