Defining the Problem

For years Inertial Labs has produced high accuracy Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) at the world’s best price-performance ratio. An INS estimates the position, attitude, and velocity using the gyroscopes and accelerometers contained inside an inertial measurement unit (IMU). Position accuracy can be greatly improved when the INS is aided by Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). However, GNSS is not always available. Customer requirements demand for better performance of an INS during a GNSS outage. Outages can be caused by tunnels, urban canyons, roads under bridges, etc. 

What is a Remote Weapons Station?

A Remote Weapons Station (RWS) is a remotely operated weapons platform that utilizes light and medium caliber artillery shells. Typically, an RWS contains sensing components (angular rates, accelerations, etc.), motor drives, a turret, and a computer. Today, companies like Electro Optic Systems Pty Ltd are patenting next generation Electro Optic RWS that are gyro-stabilized, combat ready, and built for precision targeting(1).

Since the two most important characteristics for an RWS are aiming speed and accuracy, advanced methods of stabilization are required to ensure that targets are correctly dealt with. The most important component in this task is the gyroscope.

Aiding with Optics

The main limitation for many microelectromechanical (MEMS) based inertial measurement units (IMUs) is the realization that drift will always be a factor when left uncompensated for. In today's market many solutions have been developed using GNSS data, magnetics, or optical sensors.

Optical data, when fused with an IMU, is useful for both dynamic and static applications depending on the level of computer vision implemented into the system. By using the IMU as a reference for orientation, optical data can be used to mitigate drift of the gyroscopes.

Inertial Labs has been continuously developing next generation systems that can use a combination of day and night operation cameras to stabilize heading.

Value Added AHRS

Since its first release, the Inertial Labs Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) has continued to develop and improve in its performance as well as its integration abilities. The newest addition, the AHRS-II-P, is a compact, lightweight, and affordable solution both as a standalone reference unit or a solution where applications involving the integration of an external compass or GNSS receiver may be needed to improve an existing system. Although the AHRS-II-P comes standard with an embedded fluxgate magnetometer to determine accurate Heading, input is supported for an external magnetic compass to increase static and dynamic accuracy. The AHRS-II-P offers advantages over its competitors present on the market by recording and transmitting very accurate Heading, Pitch and Roll; a very appealing choice for applications involving motion control such as UAV’s, aircrafts, ships, or robotic devices.

The Price of Safety

As of today, the leading cause of fatalities and injury in the construction industry is due to a falling related incident. Data that was gathered by the United States Department of Labor and published by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) found that in 2017, falling incidents alone contributed to 39.2% of the total construction tragedies(1). But how do these incidents happen?

Much of the conventionally used construction equipment is designed to safely extend a worker as far as possible in order to allow them to operate in difficult to reach places that current automated processes are not capable of doing. These working platforms are called Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWPs). Although effective by design for accomplishing work, these machines, when used improperly, can become dangerous. Below are a few examples of commonly used equipment where risk of injury is much higher.