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Technology update
Less expensive alternative for fiber-optic gyros
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Funded by the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization's (BMDO) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, IntelliSense Corporation of Wilmington, MA, has developed a highly sensitive optical processing technology with environmental sensing and inertial measurement applications. Its prototype, called a resonant optical processing element (ROPE), uses a pair of circular wave guides fabricated in doped glass to detect or measure external effects such as the presence of trace substances in fluids or changes in inertial motion. According to a report in BMDO Update, the optical technique offers a sensitivity level that is two to three orders of magnitude greater than today's micromechanical techniques for signal processing. The ROPE, diode laser, and other optoelectronic components are attached to a silicon substrate with epoxy to create a small chip.
The technology is currently under investigation for gyroscope applications because of its low cost and rugged design. Under a DARPA contract, IntelliSense is developing ROPE-based gyros that will be as sensitive as current fiberoptic gyros. ROPE-based gyros would offer a significant cost benefit because each costs about $250—far less than the $5000-10,000 for their fiber-based counterparts. They can be combined with silicon accelerometers and GPS receivers, forming systems that guide advanced munitions and ballistic missiles to their targets with pinpoint accuracy. These new gyros could also lower the cost of primary attitude systems for commercial aircraft and improve the response rate of automotive braking and traction control systems.
Information was provided by BMDO Update.
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