Qubik Inertial Measurement Unit

Melvin Mark Morrison

Abstract:	Inertial navigation has the advantage over other forms of guidance systems because external references are not required. After initial alignment of an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) , navigation is accomplished by sensing motions in three orthogonal linear and three orthogonal angular degrees of freedom. A new IMU technology entitled "QUBIK IMU" provides six output electronic signals, accounting for three orthogonal linear and three orthogonal angular motions, from a single sensor that is completely magnetically suspended with no mechanical attachments to it. 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 that face a corresponding set of capacitors and magnetic suspension elements respectively on the interior surfaces of a cubic outer assembly. The QUBIK IMU has six electronic servo control circuits that, process outputs from variable capacitor elements and then apply magnetic forces on certain locations on the sensor. The levels and locations of the magnetic forces on the sensor are then processed by an on board computer Kalman filter math model to update vehicle position. The QUBIK IMU is ideally suited for strapdown inertial guidance systems because it can be designed to withstand hundreds of thousands of g's without breaking (SDI smart bullet requirements) , thus. . eliminating the need for vibration isolators. The QUBIK IMU technology, including six electronic servo loops, can be packaged within a one inch cube weigh less than 50 grams, have micro-g accuracy in three orthogonal linear directions and 0.01 degrees per hour accuracy in three orthogonal angular rotational degrees of freedom. A working model of the QUBIK IMU has been built, tested and analyzed to verify the envelope capabilities of the QUBIK IMU technology.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 1988 National Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation January 26 - 29, 1988 Santa Barbara, CA
Pages:	80 - 83
Cite this article:	Morrison, Melvin Mark, "Qubik Inertial Measurement Unit," Proceedings of the 1988 National Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation, Santa Barbara, CA, January 1988, pp. 80-83.
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