TABLE OF CONTENTS The range of applications which make use of inertial sensor technology is extremely broad, and is expanding rapidly, as illustrated by the examples given in this chapter. In designing systems for these varied roles, it is essential to consider the full context of the application, taking careful account of issues such as dynamic measurement range and the full range of environmental factors that may have a major impact on the design.
In many of these new or novel applications the catalyst for their development has been the availability of low-cost miniature inertial sensors that offer high reliability and require little or no maintenance. In general, these devices are rugged so that they can be used in relatively hostile environments although, quite often, the measurement accuracy is mediocre. However, the quality of the sensor performance has proved to be well matched to the fundamental requirement, that is, only an indication of angular rate was required to fulfil the task.
The development of integrated navigation techniques, particularly with IN sensors and satellite-based navigation systems, has led to devices that provide accurate navigational aids at a low price. This approach has seen the integrated navigation systems and devices displace high-performance IN systems from some traditional applications, a trend that is likely to continue.
