MORRISON'S QUBIK INERTIAL MEASUREMENT UNIT

Melvin M. Morrison

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	A new inertial system, “the QUBIK IMU,” uses a single sensor to provide all six output signals (three linear and three angular). The sensor is a cubic design with parallel orthogonal linear arrays of capacitors and magnetic suspension elements arranged on a selected plane for each axis of motion. A corresponding set of capacitors and magnetic suspension elements is located on the interior surface of a cubic outer assembly. The IMU has six electronic servo control circuits that process outputs from variable capacitor elements and apply magnetic forces on certain locations on the cube to keep it “centralized” in the cubic cavity. When linear and/or angular motion occurs, the restoring signals maintain the cube’s position in the cavity. The level and locations of the magnetic forces on the cube are processed by a computer using a Kalman filter. Working models of the QUBIK IMU have been built, tested, and analyzed to verify its envelope capabilities. Patent No. 4711125 was issued for this device by the U.S. Patent Office in December, 1987.
Published in:	NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation, Volume 35, Number 2
Pages:	177 - 184
Cite this article:	Morrison, Melvin M., "MORRISON'S QUBIK INERTIAL MEASUREMENT UNIT", NAVIGATION: Journal of The Institute of Navigation, Vol. 35, No. 2, Summer 1988, pp. 177-184.
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