# QSH features

Describes the Qualcomm® sensing hub (QSH) features and their impact on the IoT use cases.

The following table describes the impact on QSH for deployment in scenarios with IoT devices:

Table : QSH features

| Feature | Enable or disable? | Impact | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| OS and hardware-independent | N.A. | <ul class="simple"><br><li><p>Development is easy.</p></li><br><li><p>Plug and play of QSH-compliant sensors across the targets.</p></li><br></ul> | <ul class="simple"><br><li><p>QSH drivers or algorithms are compliant across Qualcomm® Snapdragon platforms.</p></li><br><li><p>APIs are generic, and abstract the underlying OS.</p></li><br></ul> |
| Sensors in local memory | Yes. | <ul class="simple"><br><li><p>Saves power by enabling the local memory.</p></li><br><li><p>Due to the limited local memory, only finite sensors fit in here.</p></li><br></ul> | <ul class="simple"><br><li><p>Enables QSH to operate in ultralow power mode, meeting the low-power requirements of the industry.</p></li><br><li><p>Suitable for background use cases.</p></li><br></ul> |
| Sensors in Normal mode | Yes. | <ul class="simple"><br><li><p>More memory and more on-chip resources are available.</p></li><br><li><p>Higher power consumption due to more on-chip resources being active.</p></li><br></ul> | <ul class="simple"><br><li><p>Access to the larger main memory allows integration of more sensors.</p></li><br><li><p>Supports cycle-intensive operations.</p></li><br></ul> |
| Factory calibration | No. | <ul class="simple"><br><li><p>Improved sensor accuracy.</p></li><br></ul> | <ul class="simple"><br><li><p>By default, this feature is available.</p></li><br><li><p>QSH supports calibration for hardware-based sensors.</p></li><br><li><p>Calibration standardizes equipment for precise results, which ensures that the sensor values match the baseline.</p></li><br><li><p>Recalibration maintains sensor accuracy and adjusts for sensitivity changes over time.</p></li><br><li><p>For more information, see <a href="https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-7/topic/develop_sensors.html#calibrate"><span class="std std-ref">Calibrate sensors</span></a>.</p></li><br></ul> |
| Flexibility in configuring the sensors | No. | <ul class="simple"><br><li><p>Configure the buses, power rails, GPIOs, Interrupt/Polling modes and so on, for  physical sensors.</p></li><br></ul> | <ul class="simple"><br><li><p>By default, this feature is available.</p></li><br><li><p>Change sensors configuration, such as Serial Bus type, GPIOs, and Interrupt/Polling mode.</p></li><br><li><p>Sensors are configured using the Registry files parsed during QSH framework initialization.</p></li><br><li><p>For more information, see <a href="https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/resource/topics/80-70020-7A/configuration_customization.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" class="xref cursorpointer" onclick="Window.BookmapComponent.navigateExternalFile('https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/resource/topics/80-70020-7A/configuration_customization.html')">Configure sensors</a> in <a href="https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/resource/topics/80-70020-7A/overview.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" class="xref cursorpointer" onclick="Window.BookmapComponent.navigateExternalFile('https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/resource/topics/80-70020-7A/overview.html')">Qualcomm Linux Sensors Guide - Addendum</a>.</p></li><br></ul> |
| Software-based sensors | Yes. | <ul class="simple"><br><li><p>Includes device motion, activity, and device physical position sensors.</p></li><br></ul> | <ul class="simple"><br><li><p>These sensors are a set of software algorithms.</p></li><br><li><p>Enables device motion using significant motion.</p></li><br><li><p>Supports device positioning and direction using linear acceleration, gravity, geomagnetic rotation vector, and rotation vector sensor.</p></li><br><li><p>Step counter, step detector, and activity recognition help to identify user activities.</p></li><br><li><p>For more information, see <a href="https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-7/topic/overview.html#software-sensors"><span class="std std-ref">Software-based sensors</span></a>.</p></li><br></ul> |
| QSH direct channel | Yes. | <ul class="simple"><br><li><p>Low latency and improved performance.</p></li><br></ul> | <ul class="simple"><br><li><p>The QSH direct channel is an interface designed for high-speed applications. It ensures that sensor data is transmitted with minimal delay, which is crucial for high-rate applications that require real-time or near-real-time data processing.</p></li><br><li><p>The overall system performance is enhanced due to the efficient handling and quick access to sensor data, making it suitable for applications that demand high-speed data processing.</p></li><br><li><p>For more information, see <a href="https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-7/topic/qsh_api_reference.html#qsh-direct-channel-apis"><span class="std std-ref">QSH direct channel APIs</span></a>.</p></li><br></ul> |

Last Published: Jun 26, 2025

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