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We propose calibration methods for microelectromechanical system (MEMS) 3D accelerometers and gyroscopes that are efficient in terms of time and computational complexity. The calibration process for both sensors is simple, does not require additional expensive equipment, and can be performed in the field before or between motion measurements. The methods rely on a small number of defined calibration measurements that are used to obtain the values of 12 calibration parameters. This process enables the static compensation of sensor inaccuracies. The values detected by the 3D sensor are interpreted using a generalized 3D sensor model. The model assumes that the values detected by the sensor are equal to the projections of the measured value on the sensor sensitivity axes. Although this finding is trivial for 3D accelerometers, its validity for 3D gyroscopes is not immediately apparent; thus, this paper elaborates on this latter topic. For an example sensor device, calibration parameters were established using calibration measurements of approximately 1.5 min in duration for the 3D accelerometer and 2.5 min in duration for the 3D gyroscope. Correction of each detected 3D value using the established calibration parameters in further measurements requires only nine addition and nine multiplication operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an adaptive, autocovariance-based event detection algorithm is proposed, which can be used with micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometer sensors to build inexpensive and power efficient event detectors. The algorithm works well with low signal-to-noise ratio input signals, and its computational complexity is very low, allowing its utilization on inexpensive low-end embedded sensor devices. The proposed algorithm decreases its energy consumption by lowering its duty cycle, as much as the event to be detected allows it. The performance of the algorithm is tested and compared to the conventional filter-based approach. The comparison was performed in an application where illegal entering of vehicles into restricted areas was detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a novel design methodology using non-linear models for complex closed loop electro-mechanical sigma-delta modulators (EMS?M) that is based on genetic algorithms and statistical variation analysis. The proposed methodology is capable of quickly and efficiently designing high performance, high order, closed loop, near-optimal systems that are robust to sensor fabrication tolerances and electronic component variation. The use of full non-linear system models allows significant higher order non-ideal effects to be taken into account, improving accuracy and confidence in the results. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach, two design examples are presented including a 5th order low-pass EMS?M for a MEMS accelerometer, and a 6th order band-pass EMS?M for the sense mode of a MEMS gyroscope. Each example was designed using the system in less than one day, with very little manual intervention. The strength of the approach is verified by SNR performances of 109.2 dB and 92.4 dB for the low-pass and band-pass system respectively, coupled with excellent immunities to fabrication tolerances and parameter mismatch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bulk micromachined inertial measurement unit (MIMU) is presented in this paper. Three single-axis accelerometers and three single-axis gyroscopes were simultaneously fabricated on a silicon wafer using a bulk micromachining process; the wafer is smaller than one square centimeter. In particular, a global area optimization method based on the relationship between the sensitivity and layout area was proposed to determine the layout configuration of the six sensors. The scale factors of the X/Y-axis accelerometer and Z-axis accelerometer are about 213.3 mV/g and 226.9 mV/g, respectively. The scale factors of the X/Y-axis gyroscope and Z-axis gyroscope are about 2.2 mV/°/s and 10.8 mV/°/s, respectively. The bias stability of the X/Y-axis gyroscope and the Z-axis gyroscope are about 2135 deg/h and 80 deg/h, respectively. Finally, the resolutions of X/Yaxis accelerometers, Z-axis accelerometers, X/Y-axis gyroscopes, and Z-axis gyroscopes are 0.0012 g/ √Hz , 0.0011 g/ √Hz , 0.314 ° /s/ √Hz , and 0.008 ° /s/ √Hz , respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]