Casio and Renesas Electronics combined forces to reduce power consumption on the G-Shock GBD-H1000 watch with heart rate monitor and GPS functionality, unveiled last month.

Renesas provided the main controller for fellow Japanese company Casio’s latest addition to the G-Shock line of shock-resistant watches that is equipped with an optical sensor that measures heart rate by detecting changes in the blood flow under the skin.

Other features include a triple sensor that measures compass bearing, barometric pressure and altitude, and temperature, and an acceleration sensor that measures step count and distance travelled, in addition to GPS functionality that acquires location information.

The Renesas RE Family controller implements high-load internal watch processing while consuming very little power. This makes it possible to build user-friendly watches that offer an array of functions while requiring only solar power for charging during daily use.

The controller uses Renesas’ SOTB process technology to achieve the low power consumption levels in both operating and sleep modes. Renesas and Casio worked together from the development stage of the watch to achieve both multifunctionality and low power consumption.

“The development of GBD-H1000 necessitated technical innovation to achieve processing performance that went beyond a mere linear extension of the capabilities of previous processors,” said Yuichi Masuda, senior general manager at Casio. “We selected Renesas’ SOTB technology for its superior results in terms of both performance and power efficiency. I am deeply grateful for the tremendous contribution of the Renesas RE Family to the functional advances of the GBD-H1000.”

Moving forward, Renesas says it will continue to focus on the development of low-power consumption controllers built around SOTB technology to help realise a smart society prioritising human prosperity and the environment.

“I am honoured that Casio has adopted the Renesas RE Family as the main controller for their new G-Shock watch,” said Hiroto Nitta, senior vice president at Renesas. “I am deeply impressed by Casio’s commitment and passion to develop something that has never been achieved before, and I am delighted that together, we were able to break through the technical hurdles to extend the multifunctionality of G-Shock. I look forward to continuing our collaboration with Casio in pursuit of further technological innovation in future and to working together on the development of new products that will enrich people’s lives.”