14-06-2018
Ever since mankind has become aware of direction, movement, displacement and acceleration, there has been a need to devise a method that can measure or record this. Examples of these needs and methods can be found in history, such as (the simplest form of direction determination) the (old-fashioned) compass.
Today we use the latest techniques to measure "smart" direction and movement/displacement. You can immediately think of the well-known GPS method (which we know from our navigation system in the car), but there are many products where the use of an (absolute) location is not strictly necessary. Within this product segment (within electronics development) the so-called IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) has been very popular in recent years.
An IMU is the modern (and compact) form of an “INS” (Inertial Navigation System) which has been used for years for navigation of (for example) ships, aircraft, and space vehicles (missiles).
An IMU contains an accelerometer, gyroscope and (the new models) also a magnetometer. By integrating these three functionalities (on chip level) it is possible for today's consumer electronics to measure complete movement orientation and to provide feedback to the user. Think for example of smartphones, tablets, remote controls and balance vehicles (Segway). All these products contain an IMU!
Do you also have an idea in which an IMU or INS should be integrated? Please contact us to find the most suitable solution!