Aerospace MEMS based sensors Aerospace applications of MEMS based sensors include the potential to eliminate conventional flight control surfaces, reduce drag, provide lift-on-demand, and enhance aerodynamic performance of compressors, turbines and air intakes.
They consist of complete inertial and navigation units on a single chip.
They are ideal for applications in harsh environments (e.
g.
, high temperatures, vibration, erosive flows, and corrosive media).
They have long term bias stability and high reliability.
Capacitive accelerometers are specifically designed for harsh environments and therefore safety critical applications in Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and Attitude-Heading and Reference System (AHRS) products.
They are used in aerospace, missiles and precision munitions.
Inertial navigation systems Sensors are used in inertial navigation systems to determine location and orientation.
They measure change from a single starting point in three dimensions.
Instrument measurements provide the remaining information.
Motion sensors measure changes in acceleration, time, and rotation.
They are used in accelerometers to enable calculation of speed and, with speed and time together, distance.
In gyroscopes they enable calculation of rotation, including heading.
MEMS based sensors can measure gyroscopic inertia, the tendency of rotating objects to maintain a fixed orientation, resisting forces trying to tilt them.
Rotation is measured against a stabilized reference line, or axis.
When an aircraft turns right, the gyroscope turns left.
Ring laser gyroscopes Ring laser gyroscopes operate by exciting atoms in a plasma to release electromagnetic energy in a cavity.
Each end of the cavity reflects the energy back and forth, and it forms a standing wave pattern.
The wave frequency is the measurement used.