Silicon Sensing adds AHRS capability to its high-performance MEMS IMU

AMU30 (pictured above) is the company’s first IMU to combine high performance motion sensing with full attitude and heading reference system (AHRS) capabilities.

Based upon the successful DMU30, the AMU30 is designed to respond to growing demand for a tactical grade, non-ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) IMU that also outputs pitch, roll and heading data. The AMU30 is a micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) product offering a real alternative to heavier, larger and more costly fibre optic gyro-based devices. It delivers impressive all-MEMS inertial performance, including exceptional bias stability and low noise characteristics, while having the benefit of an embedded Kalman Filter based AHRS algorithm.

AMU30 comprises a ten degree-of-freedom IMU with a three-axis magnetometer, pressure sensor and a sophisticated AHRS algorithm. A unique multi-MEMS architecture blends the inputs from dual independent MEMS sensing elements on each axis to deliver precise 3-axis outputs of angular rate and acceleration, plus roll, pitch and heading angles, altitude and pressure, and temperature, at 200Hz. Performance is optimised through calibration over the full operational temperature range.

Steve Capers, General Manager, Silicon Sensing Systems comments: “We believe this product has huge potential in a wide range of markets and across many environments, from hydrographic surveying and maritime guidance, through airborne surveillance and mapping, autonomous or remotely operated vehicle control and machine control, to inertial navigation and GPS drop-out aiding. AMU30 is a significant evolution of our DMU30 high performance IMU and we are now offering it to our customers for evaluation.”

Silicon Sensing Systems Ltd is a gyroscope and inertial systems engineering development company and a market leader in silicon, micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)-based navigation and stabilisation technology. Formed in 1999 and jointly owned by Collins Aerospace and Sumitomo Precision Products, this Anglo-Japanese joint venture (JV) has supplied approaching 30 million MEMS gyroscopes and accelerometers to thousands of customers. This year Silicon Sensing is celebrating its 20th anniversary with the signing of a new 10-year agreement which will take the business through to the end of 2029.