NASA 1996 SBIR Phase I

PROJECT TITLE : : Monolithic Fully Integated Optic Inertial Navigation System

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)

The GPS is an affordable and accurate means of guiding military and civilian aircraft. However, at times the GPS signal becomes blocked or degraded due to loss of satellite lock or poor viewing angle. It is necessary to back it up with inertial navigation. However, there is no inertial navigation system which is accurate enough and inexpensive enough to interface with GPS. A completely monolithic fully integrated micromachined INS is proposed which has potentially navigational grade performance to provide all the inertial measurements, by virtue of the materials used, the fabrication processes adopted, and the transduction technique. This INS will be interfaced with GPS. The two systems will be uncoupled initially. The Kalman filter will include 17 states. In Phase II the coupling will be tightened to include feedback states to the GPS first and then to the INS to model its error states. It will have the capability of aligning the INS in flight and of compensating for its drift in real time.

An integrated optic monolithic inertial measurement unit that has navigational grade performance and low cost and provides all the axes can interface with GPS to guide aircraft. It has also applications in in car and truck navigation. It has also geophysical and seismological applications for inertial navigation during well drilling and for well imaging. It can also be used for automotive safety research.

Dr. John Farah
Optisensors, Inc.
M.I.T. P.O.Box 397301
Cambridge, MA 02139

M.I.T. P.O.Box 397301
Cambridge, MA 02139