What Are The History And Types Of Gyroscopes?

The earliest known gyroscope-like device was invented in 1817 by John Bohnenberger of Germany. At first he called this device "machine", based on a sphere that can rotate. In 1832, Walter R. Johnson developed a similar device based on a rotating disk. French mathematician Pierre-Simpson Laplace suggested using this device as a teaching aid, so this device attracted the attention of French physicist Leon Foucault. In 1852, Foucault used it in an experiment involving the rotation of the earth. In 1860, the advent of electric cars allowed the gyroscope to rotate indefinitely; leading to the first prototype "gyro compass". The first functional gyro compass was patented by German inventor Hermann Anuschutz in 1907. During World War II, the gyroscope became the main component of aircraft and air defense warfare.

Since the 1970s, the development of modern gyroscopes has entered a completely new stage. In 1976, the basic idea of the modern fiber optic gyroscope was proposed, and after the 1980s, the modern fiber optic gyroscope has been developed very rapidly, and at the same time, the laser resonant gyroscope has also been greatly developed. Because the fiber optic gyroscope has the advantages of compact structure, high sensitivity, reliable operation and so on, the current fiber optic gyroscope has completely replaced the traditional mechanical type in many fields.The gyroscope has become a key component in modern navigation instruments. At the same time, the laser gyroscope has also made a breakthrough, which is measured by the optical path difference.The angular speed of rotation is similar to that of a fiber optic gyroscope, but the cost is higher.

The gyroscope we now use on smart phones is a MEMS(micro-electromechanical) gyroscope, its accuracy is not as mentioned before the fiber and laser gyroscope, need to refer to the data of other sensors to achieve the function, but its small size, low power consumption, easy to digitize and intelligent, especially low cost, easy to mass production. It is very suitable for mobile phones, automobile | control systems, medical equipment which need large-scale production equipment.The ER-MG2-300/400, for example, has a measuring range of up to 400°/ s, a deviation instability of 0.05°/hr, and is designed for high-performance IMU /AHRS/ gnss auxiliary INS. Designed for accurate attitude and bearing measurement, positioning, navigation and guidance in aerial/Marine/land mapping/surveying systems/UAVS/AUVs and navigation-grade MEMS weapon systems.

There are many different types of gyroscopes. The most common classification is based on output type, power supply voltage, power supply current, sensing range, operating temperature range and packaging type, etc.

Classification of gyroscopes

According to the principle, it can be divided into electromechanical gyroscopes (based on classical mechanics) and photoelectric gyroscopes (based on modern physical effects).
Electromechanical gyroscope (based on classical mechanics)

Rotor gyroscope: ball bearing support gyroscope, liquid floating gyroscope, air floating gyroscope, electrostatic gyroscope, etc

New vibrating gyroscope: tuning fork gyroscope, hemispherical resonant gyroscope, micro-electro-mechanical gyroscope (MEMS), etc

Photoelectric gyroscope (based on optical Sagnac effect measurement of carrier rotation motion)

Laser gyro, fiber optic gyro, atomic interference gyro, integrated optical gyro and so on

Electromechanical: high-speed rotating mechanical rotor, high-speed rotor is easy to produce mass imbalance, easy to be affected by acceleration; The starting time is long, and a certain preheating time is required;

MEMS gyroscope uses coriolis theorem to convert the angular velocity of a rotating object into a DC voltage signal proportional to the angular velocity.

The most common size of the power supply voltage is 2.7 to 3.6 v. The output type of the gyroscope can be analog signal, digital signal, linear or ratio output, usually the chip uses analog signal type output.

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