If you have a high-end smartphone, ride a motor bike, used a headset in a virtual reality game, or used a wireless computer pointing device, then you have encountered a gyroscope sensor. Gyroscope sensors range in size from very large ones that are used in the space shuttle to ones that are very much smaller and used in motion sensing, car navigation, the balance control of robots, and single lens reflex and digital cameras.
More recently, vibration gyroscope sensors have found their way into vehicle electronic stability control systems, shake detection systems for compact video cameras, and many other applications.
How a Gyroscopic Sensor Works
Gyroscope sensors are devices that sense angular velocity, which is the change in the angle of rotation per unit of time. When things rotate around an axis, as the axis of a common bike wheel, they have what’s called angular velocity. Angular velocity is usually expressed in degrees per second of deg(s).
If a gyroscope sensor is attached to the axis, you can then measure the angular velocity of that axis. There are two other axes which are perpendicular to this axis and each other, but in a simple sensor for a wheel, these would not measure any rotation.
Suppose that a wheel spins once per second. It would have an angular velocity of 360 degrees per second but the gyroscope sensor also needs to measure whether the spinning direction is clockwise around the axis or counter-clockwise around the axis.
Gyroscopic Checkpoints
An accurate gyroscopic sensor is a stable gyroscopic sensor. There are several key factors that go into making a stable gyroscopic sensor.
Noise density is used to check the level of noise in the sensor. The lower the noise density there is in the sensor, the higher the stability. Temperature also plays an important role. A gyroscopic sensor that can maintain a stable temperature over time with little deviation can better measure changes in angular velocity. Finally, a stable gyroscopic sensor operates without being affected by vibrations from sources other than angular velocity and is resistant to shock and other physical damage.
Moving forward, the demand for gyroscopic sensors, particularly vibration sensors, will increase in areas such as robot motion control and vehicle driver safety.
Watson Industries has been producing solid state gyroscopes for more than 35 years and provides economical custom products and engineering services around the world. The company is experienced in a wide range of sensor applications ranging from outer space to undersea. To learn more about these applications, visit www.watson-gyro.com.
