Quartz Dual Axis Rate Sensor (QDARS)

Randall Jaffe, Steven Simshauser and Asad M. Madni

Abstract:	GyroChip® Quartz MEMS sensors have been used in a wide variety of applications from high volume automotive stability control and rollover prevention systems, to tactical grade Inertial Navigation Systems integrated with Global Positioning Systems (INS/GPS). This paper focuses on a recent addition to this range of sensors by introducing an inertial rate sensor capable of sensing angular rate about two orthogonal axes. This device, referred to as the Quartz Dual Axis Rate Sensor (QDARS) is designed for small size and light weight, addressing the needs of sensitive applications such as optical and radar based seekers. The sensor incorporates two sensing elements mounted orthogonal to each other, thus providing two axes of measurement. This is ideal for pointing applications that require simultaneous measurement of two gimbals. The sensor’s small size, simple interface and low power consumption are designed to facilitate easy integration into a host’s application. Data from environmental and performance testing, including vibration and shock from real world military environments is presented. Problems and solutions encountered in accurately measuring the sensor’s performance during these tests are also discussed. The QDARS utilizes GyroChip® sensing elements produced for automotive applications with over 25 million shipped to date. The paper concludes with a performance update of other Quartz MEMS sensors in development, which will help the reader, better understand the capabilities of this technology.
Published in:	Proceedings of IEEE/ION PLANS 2006 April 25 - 27, 2006 Loews Coronado Resort Hotel San Diego, CA
Pages:	26 - 35
Cite this article:	Jaffe, Randall, Simshauser, Steven, Madni, Asad M., "Quartz Dual Axis Rate Sensor (QDARS)," Proceedings of IEEE/ION PLANS 2006, San Diego, CA, April 2006, pp. 26-35. https://doi.org/10.1109/PLANS.2006.1650584
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