InPlay and Azoteq Collaborate on VR Controller Reference Design

IRVINE, Calif., March 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- InPlay Inc, a leading provider of advanced wireless connectivity SoCs for the virtual reality market, and Azoteq, a specialist in mixed-signal and sensor ICs, have announced a collaboration to develop a VR controller reference design that combines InPlay's flagship SMULL SoC product, the IN618, with Azoteq's ProxFusion® combination sensor, the IQS7222C.

The reference design, which is aimed at VR headset manufacturers and developers, will feature the latest advances in inductive sensing technology, enabling precise and responsive control of virtual environments. The reference design will also provide robust and low-latency wireless data transfer solution, which will enhance the user experience.

The IN618 SMULL SoC from InPlay is a powerful and highly integrated system-on-chip that includes an Arm Cortex-M4F CPU, and a suite of sensor interfaces that enable seamless interaction with the virtual world. The IN618 SMULL SoC also features InPlay's patented SMULL (Synchronous Multi-node Ultra Low-Latency) technology, which provides real-time wireless networking with millisecond latency for excellent reliability and robustness. The technology enables and can scale up to 128 wirelessly connected network nodes while maintaining ultra-low communication latency over the 2.4GHz ISM frequency band, making it an ideal candidate for latency-critical applications in audio and gaming.

Azoteq's inductive sensor technology is based on advanced inductive  sensing techniques, which enable precise and accurate displacement measurement of an inductive coil and a metal target.  The inductive sensor is highly configurable, and can be optimized for different applications, including VR controllers, gaming controllers and other human-machine interface devices.  The implementation of  Azoteq's inductive sensing technology overcomes reliability issues present in current triggers, mechanical buttons, and joystick solutions as demonstrated in this VR controller reference design.

"We are excited to be working with Azoteq on this VR controller reference design," said Jason Wu, CEO of InPlay. "Their expertise in user-interface sensor technologies,  combined with our leadership in SoC design and low latency wireless networking technology, will enable us to deliver a best-in-class solution for the VR market."

"InPlay's SMULL SoC, the IN618, is the ideal platform for our ProxFusion® combination  sensor technology," said Jean Viljoen, VP Marketing of Azoteq. "We believe this collaboration will result in a VR controller that sets a new standard for precision, performance, and reliability."

The reference design will be available to manufacturers and developers shortly,  providing a competitive solution for VR controller design and development, including the integration of inductive  sensing and wireless data transfer capabilities. This will greatly simplify the development process and help to speed up time-to-market for VR headset manufacturers and developers.

"With the integration of InPlay's SMULL SoC and Azoteq's ProxFusion® combination sensor technology, we are confident that we will be able to deliver a VR controller that will provide an immersive and responsive user experience," said Jason Wu. "We look forward to working with manufacturers and developers to bring this innovative solution to the VR market."

InPlay and Azoteq are committed to providing the VR industry with cutting-edge technology and look forward to continuing their collaboration in the future.

About InPlay

InPlay Inc is a fabless semiconductor company whose mission is to provide highly scalable, low-latency, low-power wireless communications technologies that unlock the vast potential of the VR/AR, healthcare and wireless industrial IoT markets. The company was founded by a group of wireless engineers experienced in wireless and mobile communication systems with unique technologies in RF, analog mixed-signal circuits, and low-power circuit design. InPlay has a research and development team in Irvine, California, with operations and business development in both the United States and China.

About Azoteq

Azoteq (www.azoteq.com) is a pioneer in sensor fusion. With two decades of capacitive-sensing experience, the sensor offering is now expanded to include multi-sensor technologies on single ICs. The first generation of ProxFusion® offers capacitive, Hall-effect, inductive and temperature sensing. Azoteq has design and manufacturing centers in South Africa and China, and sales offices and distributors in South Africa, Asia, Europe and the USA. IQ Switch®, ProxSense®, ProxFusion®, LightSense™, AirButton®, WearMax™ and DYCAL™ are trademarks of Azoteq (Pty) Ltd.

Media Contact:

Emmy Chang
[email protected]

Jean Viljoen
[email protected]
+27 21 863 0033

SOURCE InPlay Inc.; Azoteq