Low-cost gyro sensor measures pitch, yaw, roll and more

The high-performance system comprises an extremely robust TA7546 fibre-optic gyro sensor unit that is connected via a dedicated serial port to the separate TA7576 controller unit. This features twelve +/-5V analogue outputs with a 200kHz refresh rate, a time/mark signal input, car speed input and angle reset input. The analogue outputs provide attitude angle measurement in pitch to +/-90 degrees and roll/yaw to +/-180 degrees with an accuracy of +/-0.5 degrees. X,Y, Z angular rate is measured to +/-100 degrees per second, and X,Y,Z acceleration up to 49m/s2 - all within an accuracy of 0.2 per cent of full-scale.

Although aimed predominantly at the dynamic road vehicle testing industry, the attitude measurement system will also be of interest to other test and calibration applications in motion simulation, wind tunnel testing, and the amusement ride markets. The fibre-optic gyro sensor unit has also been used on a remotely piloted helicopter application specifically designed for use in hazardous earthquake and geological studies.