As a quick review, translators, also known as level shifters, are used to connect two different voltage domains; for example connecting a 1.2 V microcontroller to a 5 V I/O device. Translators can be unidirectional or bidirectional, meaning they can translate either from only one side to the other, or can operate in both directions. Traditional bidirectional translators thus require a direction pin to set the translation direction. The newest family of autosense translators do not require a direction pin, as they can automatically determine the direction of data through the device. This removes one pin from the package, resulting in smaller package, reduced cost, and the need to create a direction control signal.