Four-in-one environmental sensor, available from RS Components, saves space and power in portables, wearables, and IoT devices

RS Components (RS), the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc (LSE:ECM), a global multi-channel distributor, is stocking the Bosch Sensortec BME680 four-in-one environmental sensor and associated shuttle board that simplifies product creation. The sensor integrates temperature, humidity, pressure, and gas sensing for energy-conscious, cost-sensitive and space-constrained applications.

Measuring only 3mm x 3mm x 0.93mm, the BME680 minimises average power consumption by combining an energy-efficient active mode, called forced mode, and a low-power sleep mode that draws only 0.15µA. In forced mode, the sensor performs one cycle taking temperature, pressure, humidity, and gas measurements in sequence before automatically returning to sleep.

Fast sensor response times minimise the forced mode cycle time, measurements can be individually enabled or disabled to save power, and up to 10 temperature and duration settings can be stored for the internal gas-sensor heater to optimise the energy consumption.

By providing extremely accurate and linear responses, the BME680 serves applications such as air quality measurement or weather monitoring stations, context sensing in wearables or building automation, personal navigation devices, sports trackers, and advanced industrial monitors. The 8-pin LGA metal-lid package ensures high stability and interference immunity, allowing use in challenging outdoor or industrial environments.

In addition, RS is stocking the BME680 shuttle board that contains a ready-to-use BME680 sensor and makes all the pins accessible to aid development and testing. Sharing the standardised Bosch shuttle board footprint allows use directly in customer projects or with the Bosch Sensortec application board and configuration software for configuring sensor parameters and monitoring readings.

BME680 users can also take advantage of rich developer resources, including the Bosch software environmental cluster for managing sensor data and calculating results such as air quality from combinations of sensor readings.

The Bosch Sensortec BME680 sensor and shuttle board are now available from RS in the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions.