Of course, GPS is important, but radar and the automatic identification system (AIS) use various sensors to track and report on ship positions in real-time. Sensor fusion is being developed for autonomous shipping. And there are hydrophones combined with other sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to identify and track whale movements […]
Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)
What sensors do you need to land on the moon?
NASA is developing several sensor systems and algorithms for use on Artemis moon landings. It’s called the Safe and Precise Landing – Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE) technology suite. It consists of three primary elements: An inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a camera for terrain relative navigation. Second is Doppler LiDAR to determine the lander’s velocity […]
PIGAs can indeed fly – and are still the best, Part 3: History and future
The PIGA is the oldest accelerometer and widely used in rocketry and guidance, and still the best – but MEMS-based devices are getting closer. The previous parts looked at the principle and operation of the PIGA. This part looks briefly at its history and refinement and the MEMS-based versions of the PIGA being developed and […]
PIGAs can indeed fly – and are still the best, Part 2: Operation
The PIGA is the oldest accelerometer and widely used in rocketry and guidance, and still the best – but MEMS-based devices are getting closer. At the core of each single-axis PIGA is a gyroscope. The performance of this gyro – which is unrelated to the orientation gyros – plays a large role in determining the […]
PIGAs can indeed fly – and are still the best, Part 1: Frame of reference
The PIGA is the oldest accelerometer, is widely used in rocketry and guidance, and is still the best – but MEMS-based devices are getting closer. When you see an inexpensive drone, a more sophisticated one, an unmanned aircraft, a standard piloted aircraft, guided or intercontinental ballistic missile ICBM), an underwater drone or submarine, or a […]
Sensors, sensors everywhere. Now what do I do?
By Moshe Sheier, Vice President of Marketing at CEVA Mobile computing has driven an explosion in product opportunities – smartphones, wearables, hearables, sports cameras, and more. Sensing will further extend opportunities in applications which must be environment-aware. Now it’s commonplace to think about object recognition and collision warning through visual, radar, or Lidar sensing. Short-range […]
Laser module addresses applications in industrial sensing and measurement
EMCORE has introduced its Model 1790 1550 nm High-Power Laser Module for LiDAR and Optical Sensing. The 1790 was developed for use as a CW coherent optical source for next-generation FMCW LiDAR systems in autonomous vehicles and other optical sensing applications. A custom version of this product is being adopted by a major provider of […]
Silicon Sensing’s inertial measurement technology for small SAR satellite
Silicon Sensing Systems’ high-performance DMU30 micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) inertial measurement unit (IMU) has been selected by the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS) of Fukuoka, Japan, for the control system of Japan’s first X-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) small satellite. This is a 1m resolution, high-performance, X-band SAR-satellite weighing only 100Kg. Ultimately, iQPS […]
How does heterogeneous integration impact sensors?
For those not familiar with the term, heterogeneous integration (HI) occurs when diverse components are assembled into System-in-Package (SiP) architectures. Late in 2019, SEMI, the global industry association representing the electronics design and manufacturing supply chain, announced the 2019 release of the Heterogeneous Integration Roadmap (HIR). Prominent examples of the roadmap are wireless and mixed […]
Silicon Sensing develops inertial measurement systems for the space market
Two all-silicon inertial measurement systems, developed to meet the specific demands of the small satellite and launch vehicle markets, will be exhibited at Space Tech Expo, 2019 by Silicon Sensing Systems Ltd. The new RMU30 combines below one-watt power consumption with performance that is comparable to much larger and higher consumption fiber optic-based gyro systems. […]
