SensorBall

Texas Instruments asked the team to design a marketing product that would attract more customers to the company’s booth at a trade show and showcase the performance of its devices. SensorBall uses components from the TI analog portfolio, including an analog-to-digital converter, digital-to-analog converter, operational amplifier, voltage regulator, and microcontrollers. An accelerometer, vibration motor, heart rate monitor, light sensor, and temperature sensor complement the TI products and show what an integrated system might look like. Users interact via a graphical user interface with games and demonstration modes incorporated into the ball, which is made of clear plastic with an internal polycarbonate structure to house all the components. The ball communicates with a personal computer via Bluetooth Low Energy, and a user interface displays sensor output and enables mode changes.