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This method of navigation is called dead reckoning.
#What does a gyroscope measure update
If combined with a mechanical paper map or a digital map archive (systems whose output is generally known as a moving map display since the guidance system position output is often taken as the reference point, resulting in a moving map), the guidance system could use this method to show a pilot where the plane is located geographically in a certain moment, as with a GPS navigation system - but without the need to communicate with or receive communication from any outside components, such as satellites or land radio transponders, though external sources are still used in order to correct drift errors, and since the position update frequency allowed by inertial navigation systems can be higher than the vehicle motion on the map display can be perceived as smooth.
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įor example, if an IMU installed in an aeroplane moving along a certain direction vector were to measure a plane's acceleration as 5 m/s 2 for 1 second, then after that 1 second the guidance computer would deduce that the plane must be traveling at 5 m/s and must be 2.5 m from its initial position (assuming v 0=0 and known starting position coordinates x 0, y 0, z 0). The attitude estimate is used to transform acceleration measurements into an inertial reference frame (hence the term inertial navigation) where they are integrated once to get linear velocity, and twice to get linear position. This is fused with the gravity vector measured by the accelerometers in a Kalman filter to estimate attitude. A typical implementation referred to as a Strap Down Inertial System integrates angular rate from the gyroscope to calculate angular position. In a navigation system, the data reported by the IMU is fed into a processor which calculates attitude, velocity and position. Modern inertial measurement unit for spacecraft. An IMU is at the heart of the balancing technology used in the Segway Personal Transporter. They are a competing technology for use in motion capture technology. They are also frequently used for sports technology (technique training), and animation applications. Low-cost IMUs have enabled the proliferation of the consumer drone industry. Some gaming systems such as the remote controls for the Nintendo Wii use IMUs to measure motion. IMUs also have the ability to determine developmental levels of individuals when in motion by identifying specificity and sensitivity of specific parameters associated with running. Fitness trackers and other wearables may also include IMUs to measure motion, such as running. Almost all smartphones and tablets contain IMUs as orientation sensors. In land vehicles, an IMU can be integrated into GPS based automotive navigation systems or vehicle tracking systems, giving the system a dead reckoning capability and the ability to gather as much accurate data as possible about the vehicle's current speed, turn rate, heading, inclination and acceleration, in combination with the vehicle's wheel speed sensor output and, if available, reverse gear signal, for purposes such as better traffic collision analysis.īesides navigational purposes, IMUs serve as orientation sensors in many consumer products. The data collected from the IMU's sensors allows a computer to track a craft's position, using a method known as dead reckoning. Simpler versions of INSs termed Attitude and Heading Reference Systems utilize IMUs to calculate vehicle attitude with heading relative to magnetic north. IMUs are also essential components in the guidance and control of unmanned systems such as UAVs, UGVs, and UUVs. The IMU equipped INS forms the backbone for the navigation and control of many commercial and military vehicles such as manned aircraft, missiles, ships, submarines, and satellites. IMUs are often incorporated into Inertial Navigation Systems which utilize the raw IMU measurements to calculate attitude, angular rates, linear velocity and position relative to a global reference frame. Typical configurations contain one accelerometer, gyro, and magnetometer per axis for each of the three principal axes: pitch, roll and yaw. Some also include a magnetometer which is commonly used as a heading reference. IMUs work, in part, by detecting changes in pitch, roll, and yaw.Īn inertial measurement unit works by detecting linear acceleration using one or more accelerometers and rotational rate using one or more gyroscopes.