Gyroscopes: Current and Emerging Technologies

Abstract

Gyroscopes and accelerometers are unique devices, the critical input sensors for inertial navigation and surveying systems. Among the many types of gyroscopes only a few have proved adequate for precise inertial applications. These are the ring laser gyroscope (RLG), electrostatic suspended gyroscopes (ESG), air-bearing floated-gimbal spinning mass gyroscopes, and dynamically tuned rotor gyroscopes (DTG). All have been developed to a high art among precision instruments, with supremely low noise and bias errors. Extensive acceptance of inertial navigation systems in commercial flight service, particularly using RLGs, has also required and stimulated development of practical and competitve reliability, cost, and lifetime.A few currently emerging gyroscope technologies might play a role in future inertial systems, but it is not yet clear whether they can advance to be competitive in performance and cost with current gyroscopes. Most notable is the fiber-optic gyroscope (FOG), another form of optical gyroscope, which in the last several years has advanced to a state suitable for engineering prototypes in aircraft attitude heading and reference systems. Another is the hemispherical resonator gyroscope (HRG), which uses the precession of vibrations on the rim of a “wine glass” shaped quartz resonator.