Silicon Sensing has developed a new high performance, low-cost MEMS angular rate sensor which delivers outstanding performance for precision telematics applications requiring integrated inertial sensors.

Advances in GPS receiver, sensor and GSM cellular phone technologies and their wide use in consumer products, have combined to unleash a whole new industry producing affordable equipment for asset location, tracking, health and usage monitoring, generally referred to as telematics. Low-cost GPS provides approximate position, heading and velocity. However, in certain applications where GPS signals are impaired or where accurate attitude, heading or position is an imperative, the solution needs good quality, yet affordable inertial sensors.

Using a unique fourth generation MEMS vibrating ring gyroscope technology, the new CRG20 gyro possesses extremely low drift and scale factor error characteristics from a sub-10mm² package. With more than 13 million MEMS rate sensors in the field, some now having clocked-up nearly ten years of fault-free operation, Silicon Sensing's CRG20 comes with a good pedigree of performance, robustness and reliability.

Some applications for telematics need highly dynamic motion information on position, attitude and heading. A typical case study is the emerging requirement for vehicle driver behaviour, crash detection and analysis for insurance purposes. Using an integrated GPS/INS system based on CRG20 angular rate sensors and MEMS accelerometers a small 'black box' can be fitted any moving vehicle or object to determine its total dynamic behaviour in the field. A crash event can be detected and the due to the shock-resistant nature of the sensor technology in CRG20 the pre- and post-impact trajectory can be determined providing dependable forensic evidence for fault determination. In this type of application it's the job of the rate sensor to reliably determine which way the accelerometer is pointing so that relative position can be determined to centimetre accuracy over short periods.

In addition to supplying the CRG20 sensor Silicon Sensing has a wealth of experience and capability in the field of sensor integration, IMU design and manufacture and GPS/INS integrated navigation design. This capability spans over 90 years and the company can trace its roots to the first Sperry Gyroscope company formed in 1913. This engineering know-how and expertise can be used to support and assist in the development of telematics systems to ensure optimum system level design.

We welcome your inquiries to discuss the use of the new CRG20 in your application.

Just e mail us or call +44 (0)1752 723330