| Abstract |
The applied research study, as described herein, relates to an investigation into the feasibility of a technique for sensing, simultaneously in two axes, angular velocity and linear acceleration in a transducer with one moving part. Techniques for instrumenting inertial interactions in a rotating frame were employed, utilizing piezoelectric electrostrictive devices for instrumentation, and fluid bodies for the inertial reaction member and proof mass. The technique was reduced to practice, resulting in a subminiature, fully integrated, compact, functional prototype wherein both types of outputs were provided in each of two orthogonal sensing axes. An integrated prototype was evaluated for all major performance parameters and operational characteristics. The results have revealed a transducer technique capable of angular velocity sensing thresholds of 1 degree/hr. and linear acceleration sensing thresholds of .0001, with dynamic ranges in each of the two quantities in excess of one million to one. Also demonstrated, within the study, was the potential for high reliability redundant sensing techniques and further size and power consumption reduction while maintaining the extreme sensing thresholds. (Author) |
