SAN FRANCISCO — Gyroscopes may soon give accelerometers a run for their money as the microelectromechanical systems of choice in a new breed of consumer gadgets, thanks to the advent of low-cost gyros from a MEMS startup. The development adds impetus to the expectation that MEMS are on the verge of winning sockets in handsets and other consumer products for motion-sensing applications.

Late last month, InvenSense Inc. (Santa Clara, Calif.), a fabless vendor of motion-sensing MEMS, announced volume manufacturing of a family of integrated dual-axis gyroscopes with a target price of less than $2 per unit, or less than $1 per axis. The price point is important, say analysts, because such devices--now primarily used in automotive apps—generally cost closer to $10 per axis. At less than $1, gyroscopes for consumer applications could augment or even supplant MEMS accelerometers, which remain less expensive but are considered less sophisticated.

Cell phones are "going to be an interesting bit of battleground" for MEMS, said Marlene Bourne, president and principal analyst at Bourne Research LLC (Scottsdale, Ariz.), a MEMS-focused market research firm. "Is that going to be the domain of gyros or accelerometers?"

Motion sensing in cellular handsets was one promising application area cited by MEMS company executives who took part in a panel at last month's Electronica show in Munich, Germany. They also argued that portable computers and gaming devices are prime candidates for incorporating motion sensing. The prevailing wisdom is that midrange handsets will be a big market for MEMS starting next year or perhaps in 2008.

"The great hope for a lot of MEMS-based motion detectors has been to put these into consumer devices," said Robert Lineback, an analyst with IC Insights Inc. (Scottsdale). "The trick has been to get the price down."

Pricing race

Analyst Bourne said MEMS are seen as providing motion-sensing capability in handsets for features like keyless dialing, scrolling through address books by tilting the phone and pedometer functions. Gyroscopes could pique handset makers' interest at the InvenSense price point, she said. But she noted that the price of triaxis accelerometers is still falling much faster than that of gyroscopes.

The average selling price (ASP) of a triaxis accelerometer is around $2 at current shipment levels, she said. By 2008, it is possible that volumes will be sufficient to drive the ASP below $1, but only if triaxis accelerometers are integrated into more than just a few handset models.