Inertial Measurement Unit incorporates quartz sensors.

Press Release Summary:



MEMS-based Digital Quartz Inertial Measurement Unit utilizes GyroChip® technology consisting of dual-ended quartz tuning fork rate sensor and vibrating quartz accelerometer. It provides delta theta and delta velocity output at 100 Hz in 6 axes, with linear acceleration and angular rate output at 600 Hz in RS-422 AMRAAM output format. Miniature unit is suited for guidance, navigation, and control for commercial, aerospace, and defense applications.



Original Press Release:


MEMS-based Digital Quartz Inertial Measurement Unit (DQI) Offers a Precision, Miniaturized Solution for Vehicle Guidance, Navigation and Control


CONCORD, Calif. - February 7, 2003- BEI Systron Donner Inertial Division (SDID), a division of BEI Technologies, Inc., has introduced the Digital Quartz Inertial Measurement Unit (DQI) incorporating high accuracy solid-state quartz micromachined inertial sensors. Featuring small size, low cost, and low power, the new series is especially suited for guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) for commercial, aerospace and defense applications. Specific applications include unmanned vehicles (UV's), aircraft, missiles, marine and land navigation, imaging and camera stabilization, vehicle dynamics testing and self-guided systems.

BEI SDID's Digital Quartz IMU (DQI) technology features its patented GyroChip® technology consisting of a dual-ended quartz tuning fork rate sensor and a vibrating quartz accelerometer that offers outstanding performance, and is adaptable to a wide variety of tactical vehicle and weapon appiications. The DQi provides compensated linear acceleration, angular velocity, deltaV and deltaӨ information and is a cost-effective measurement solution for applications not requiring GPS positional information.

The inertial sensor assembly is combined with miniaturized electronics providing temperature compensated digitized outputs using BEI's SDID's proprietary signal-processing technologies. Other features include advanced MEMS technology and miniaturization. BE1 is the first to offer existing high volume production capabilities of this MEMS based IMU technology,
providing superior quality and reliability from the mature manufacturing processes utilized in high volume automotive production.

The new six-degree of freedom design provides a high precision MEMS IMU in a very small envelope - only 43.2 cubic inches. The DQI requires only 17 watts of power and has capabilities for high range measurement at ±1,000°/sec (300°/sec calibrated), and ±70g (±50g calibrated). The unit weighs just 1.0 kilograms (2.2 pounds).

The DQI IMU Series provides delta theta and delta velocity output at 100 Hz in 6 axes, with linear acceleration and angular rate output at 600 Hz in an RS-422 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile) output format. rhe DQI was designed to withstand severe environments; such as, 150 g shock, 19 g RMS random vibration and a -54°C to +71°C temperature range.

For precision navigation capabilities, the DQI-NP (DQI with Navigational Processor) Series IMU is also in full production. This model adds a navigational processor, which provides additional information on position (latitude, longitude, altitude), heading, attitude and velocity. The DQI-NP incorporates Kalman filter software processing and interface circuitry that allows the user to integrate the IMU directly to an external GPS receiver. This allows easy upgrade to new GPS receivers as they become available. The DQI-NP provides RS-232 in addition to the AMRAAM RS-422 output channel, and weighs only 1.2 kilograms (2.65 pounds).

About BEI Systron Donner Inertial

BEI Systron Donner Inertial is an operating division of BEI Technologies, Inc. BEI Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: BEIQ) is an established manufacturer of electronic sensors and motion control products used for factory and office automation, medical and scientific equipment, military, aviation and space systems, and transportation equipment including automobiles, trucks and off-road equipment. The Company's product portfolio includes optical encoders, brushless DC motors, voice coil actuators, potentiometric position sensors, quartz MEMS rotation rate sensors, pressure transducers, and servo systems.

For further information, contact BEI Systron Donner Inertial Division, 2700 Systron Drive, Concord, Calif. 94518; Tel: (925) 671-6400; Fax: (925) 671-6647; E-mail: sales@systron.com;
www.systron.com All trademarks are properties of their respective companies.

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