KVH Industries’ Alessandro Rossi discusses the company’s line of IMUs at Intergeo 2018, which took place Oct. 16-18 in Frankfurt, Germany. According to KVH, the 1775 IMU is designed to be used in the most challenging environments, such as military systems that require high performance.
Tag: KVH
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High-accuracy, intelligent performance with sensor fusion
Inertial navigation
The GEO-FOG 3D inertial navigation system (INS) uses sensor fusion to deliver reliable, high-accuracy navigation and control to a wide variety of unmanned, autonomous and manned aerial, ground, marine and subsurface marine applications and platforms. Other applications include navigation and control, positioning and imaging, georeferencing, land surveying, robotics, underground navigation, stabilization and orientation.Designed for demanding navigation and control applications, the GEO-FOG 3D has performance monitoring and instability protections to ensure stable and reliable data. Using an innovative artificial intelligence algorithm, its intelligent high-performance filter is capable of extracting significantly more information from the 1750 IMU core processor than a typical Kalman filter.
The GEO-FOG 3D is built upon the high-performance fiber-optic gyro (FOG)-based 1750 inertial measurement unit (IMU). It contains three DSP-1750 fiber optic gyros integrated with three very low noise micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometers as well as a pressure sensor, a three-axis magnetometer, and a triple-frequency GNSS receiver.
The triple frequency receiver provides 8 millimeters of positioning accuracy and supports all GNSS systems. It also offers data rates up to 1000 Hz; data can be output over a high-speed RS-422 interface or optional RS-232 interface. The rugged GEO-FOG 3D INS is protected from reverse polarity, overvoltage, surges, static and short circuits on all external surfaces.
Key Features
- Core processor: KVH 1750 IMU
- 6 degrees of freedom (DoF) IMU consisting of integrated FOGs and accelerometers
- Triple-frequency Trimble GNSS receiver
- Sensor fusion algorithm delivers accurate, reliable data for navigation, orientation, and control
- North-seeking gyrocompass
- Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS)
KVH, www.kvh.com/unmanned
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KVH looks to self-driving cars with inertial sensor plans
KVH Industries is developing a fiber optic gyro (FOG)-based, low-cost inertial sensor for self-driving cars.
The company also released a Developer’s Kit to assist design engineers with integrating FOG technology into driverless car control systems.
KVH’s high-precision FOG is key to a driverless car’s performance. In this photo, the red illumination represents light moving through the FOG’s optical circuit of coiled fiber; this circuit is the FOG’s sensing unit — it is mounted with power and processing electronics within a driverless car to provide precise data for the car’s navigation systems. FOGs and FOG-based inertial measurement units (IMUs) are key parts of the sensor mechanisms that are essential for highly accurate autonomous car performance, KVH said. For example, FOGs provide precise azimuth measurements that an autonomous car’s logic processing unit and control systems need to determine motion through a curve.
An IMU — which includes FOGs and accelerometers in one compact package — also provides highly accurate 6-degrees-of-freedom angular rate and acceleration data to precisely track the position and orientation of the car even when GPS is unavailable, helping the car stay on course.
As a manufacturer of high-performance sensors and integrated inertial systems for defense and commercial guidance and stabilization applications, KVH Industries has experience in autonomous vehicle prototype programs and unmanned applications.
“Extremely precise heading based on fiber-optic gyro technology is absolutely essential for autonomous vehicle performance,” said Martin Kits van Heyningen, KVH’s chief executive officer. “This is something we learned from having been involved with more than a dozen driverless car development programs over the years.”
“What we are seeing now is that each driverless vehicle concept in development around the world is being designed in a unique way,” said Kits van Heyningen. “With so many different possibilities, developers can accelerate their progress by working with a proven technology such as KVH’s FOGs and FOG-based IMUs and leveraging our experience to ensure their success.”
Developer’s Kit. The new Developer’s Kit includes the user interface software and all components needed to connect a KVH FOG or FOG-based IMU to a computer to configure, analyze and test a unit. “The kit is designed to help engineers get up and running in minutes, making it easier to run diagnostics and accelerate their system development,” said Roger Ward, KVH’s director of FOG product development.
Driverless cars represent one of the fastest areas of autonomous-systems development. Transportation experts, automotive manufacturers and engineers alike predict that driverless cars will be commonplace soon.
An updated policy concerning automated vehicles will soon be published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. “The rapid development of emerging automation technologies means that partially and fully automated vehicles are nearing the point at which widespread deployment is feasible,” NHTSA said.
“We have successfully produced more than 90,000 fiber-optic gyros for an extensive range of unmanned applications, in part because of our ability to tailor size, performance, and cost to meet different design needs,” said Jeff Brunner, KVH’s vice president for FOG operations. “Controlling the entire FOG design and manufacturing process gives us that advantage, and makes it possible to produce a low-cost sensor when driverless cars enter full-scale production.”
KVH’s FOGs and FOG-based IMUs are in use in prototype programs not only for autonomous cars, but also for production programs for underwater unmanned vehicle navigation and rail/track geometry measurement systems, to name just a few.
The KVH 1750 IMU. In addition, KVH’s inertial products have been widely adopted for commercial applications such as land-based street mapping platforms, unmanned aerial systems, camera stabilization systems and remotely operated subsea systems.
As more and more programs and platforms use KVH’s inertial products, they are becoming the reference standards of the unmanned world. For example, KVH’s 1750 IMU was an integral part of 11 of the 23 humanoid robot finalists in last year’s DARPA Robotics finals, a competition designed to showcase robots capable of intervening for and even replacing humans in high-risk situations such as fires, earthquakes, and other natural disasters.
“Our IMUs and inertial sensors have already been used in a wide range of products and applications, and we know that it’s just the beginning,” said Kits van Heyningen. “We are thrilled to play a role in these exciting developments and emerging applications that are literally changing everyday life.”
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KVH delivers TACNAV systems for US Army’s new AMPV Fleet
The KVH TACNAV II. KVH Industries has begun shipping the first order of tactical navigation systems to BAE Systems for a prototype program designed to produce a new fleet of U.S. Army Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles (AMPVs).
KVH’s TACNAV systems are designed to provide the vehicles with such critical elements as continuous heading and pointing data output and extremely accurate navigation regardless of GPS availability.
Deliveries of the tactical navigation systems are part of a recent purchase order that covers the life of the program, which is expected to run through 2020. The initial order of 34 TACNAV II systems is supporting prototype vehicles, and there is potential for an option for additional systems to support the low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the vehicles.
According to BAE Systems, the $1.2 billion AMPV program is designed to replace the U.S. Army’s Vietnam-era M113s and provide a significant upgrade that increases the service’s survivability, force protection, and mobility while providing for future growth potential.
M113 Armored personnel carrier n Vietnam, 1966. (Photo: U.S. Army) “KVH is pleased to have been selected by BAE Systems for this important U.S. Army armored vehicle program,” says Dan Conway, executive vice president of KVH’s guidance and stabilization group. “KVH’s tactical navigation solution serves as a crucial resource for navigation and battle management, keeping soldiers safe and out of harm’s way wherever they travel.”
KVH TACNAV is a proven solution that has been serving soldiers for years in numerous armored vehicle programs, with more than 19,000 units fielded worldwide.
KVH’s TACNAV military vehicle navigation systems provide unjammable precision navigation, heading, and pointing data for vehicle drivers, crews, and commanders. KVH’s proprietary fiber optic gyro (FOG) technology is a differentiating factor in enabling the TACNAV systems to provide extremely accurate heading and pointing data, which is crucial for situational awareness.
The Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) is the U.S. Army’s program to replace the Vietnam-era M113 Family of Vehicles. (Photo: BAE Systems) The systems feature a compact design and flexible architecture ideal for today’s digital military. In addition, TACNAV is designed to integrate easily with Battle Management Systems (BMS), providing a vital component for effective battlefield management.
TACNAV systems are in use by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, as well as many allied customers including Canada, Sweden, Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Egypt, Botswana, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Romania, Poland, Turkey, Malaysia, Switzerland, South Korea, Singapore, Brazil and Italy.
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KVH introduces FOG-based GNSS inertial nav for unmanned applications
KVH’s new GEO-FOG 3D inertial navigation system (INS) continuously provides extremely accurate measurements that keep applications operating in challenging conditions. (Image: KVH) KVH Industries has introduced the GEO-FOG 3D inertial navigation system (INS). The new product offers roll, pitch and heading accuracies of .05 degrees for demanding applications in unmanned, autonomous and manned aerial, ground, marine and subsurface platforms, such as subsea remotely operated vehicles or mining systems.
The GEO-FOG 3D is based on the company’s high-performance fiber optic gyro (FOG) technology combined with centimeter-level precision RTK GNSS receivers and advanced sensor fusion algorithms. The result is a solution that continuously provides fast, ultra-accurate position, velocity and attitude measurements that keep applications operating no matter how challenging the conditions, according to KVH Industries.
The core inertial sensor for the new system is KVH’s 1750 IMU, an inertial measurement unit incorporating three axes of KVH’s DSP-1750 FOG — a high-performance fiber optic gyro — with three axes of advanced accelerometer technology. The 1750 IMU is then fully integrated with a GNSS receiver and a three-axis magnetometer, a barometric pressure sensor and a triple frequency RTK GNSS receiver to deliver reliable, real-time, centimeter-level positioning and orientation measurements.
The system’s sensor fusion algorithms automatically switch from loosely to tightly coupled filtering for improved performance under poor GNSS signal conditions. The system also offers high-speed update rates and rapid north-seeking gyrocompass capabilities for high-accuracy heading in environments when magnetometers and GNSS-aided heading cannot be used.
The GEO-FOG 3D Dual inertial navigation system (INS) is designed for applications that require heading at system startup or in low dynamic conditions. (Image: KVH) KVH has also introduced a variant, the GEO-FOG 3D Dual, an INS and attitude and heading reference system (AHRS). This product features two GNSS antennas on a fixed RTK baseline that offers the same reliability and performance levels as the GEO-FOG 3D, with increased heading, pitch, and roll accuracy for static and dynamic applications where single antenna systems can be problematic. The GEO-FOG 3D Dual is a superior choice for applications that require heading at system startup or in low dynamic conditions.
“KVH’s GEO-FOG 3D and GEO-FOG 3D Dual provide exceptional accuracy and outstanding performance in a single, small package (less than 1.6 pounds), at price points never previously achieved in the industry,” said Jay Napoli, KVH’s FOG/OEM vice president. “And, because KVH controls the entire design and production process, from creating its own optical fiber to packaging its FOGs together with other sensors for advanced applications, these new products — and all of our open-loop FOGs, IMUs and INSs — offer outstanding accuracy and excellent durability at a lower cost than competing systems.”
Reliable, high-accuracy navigation and control are essential to unmanned, autonomous and manned platforms that must operate in conditions that include magnetic interference and the absence of reliable satellite navigation data. The integrated FOG, GNSS and sensor fusion technologies allow the GEO-FOG 3D and GEO-FOG 3D Dual to achieve performance levels that are beyond typical INS- or MEMS-based solutions.
Both the GEO-FOG 3D and GEO-FOG 3D Dual are designed to support current and future satellite navigation systems including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou. Both systems offer data rates up to 1000 Hz, and the ability to output data over a high-speed RS-422 interface or RS-232 interface, which ensures the systems can be easily and readily integrated in a wide range of platforms.
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KVH Inertial Solutions Showcased at ION GNSS+
KVH is a fiber optic gyro (FOG) manufacturer that controls every aspect of its fiber-optic technology — from drawing its own specialized polarization-maintaining fiber to building precision FOGs and FOG-based inertial systems.KVH will be showcasing its FOG-based inertial measurement units (IMUs) at this year’s ION GNSS+ conference, taking place Sept. 14-18 in Tampa, Fla.
Many of today’s demanding applications require high-performance inertial sensors that provide consistent and reliable accuracy — and strike the right balance between performance, size/weight, power consumption, and price, KVH explained. The company offers three IMUs:
- 1775 IMU – Premium performance for critical applications
- 1750 IMU – Advanced performance and versatility
- 1725 IMU – Superior performance at MEMS prices
KVH will be at booth 516 in the ION GNSS+ Exhibit Hall.
Below is a video tour of KVH’s high-performance fiber-optic gyro manufacturing facility, which shows how precision, quality and accuracy are built into each KVH sensor.
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Augmented-Reality Golf Coverage Uses KVH IMU
Golf fans who watched televised coverage of the U.S. Open golf tournament June 18-21 got a new outlook on what the professional golfer is facing, thanks to a camera and augmented-reality tracking system that includes a 1750 inertial measurement unit (IMU) from KVH Industries.
Called RangeFinder, the system was developed by Sportvision, Inc., creators of football’s Virtual Yellow 1st and Ten Line, in conjunction with FOX Sports, and it debuted during the broadcast of the 115th U.S. Open from Chambers Bay, in University Place, Wash.
The KVH 1750 IMU, At the heart of Sportvision’s RangeFinder system is a broadcast-quality camera with a KVH 1750 IMU mounted in a box at the top of the camera; the IMU works in conjunction with a GPS mounted at the base of the camera. By combining data from the IMU and the GPS, the RangeFinder system enables the measurement of the precise location and attitude of the camera; with that information, Sportvision technicians create augmented-reality graphics that indicate how far away a green, sand trap, obstacle or any other feature is located.
“We selected KVH’s 1750 IMU due to its performance attributes, its size and weight, as well as its cost-effectiveness,” said Mike Jakob, Sportvision president and chief financial officer. “We know this IMU well for what it brings to some of our other products, and we appreciate the reliability and high quality.”
KVH’s 1750 IMU incorporates three axes of KVH’s DSP-1750, a tiny fiber optic gyro, with three axes of accelerometer technology to create an advanced six-degrees-of-freedom sensor. Designed to integrate easily into demanding stabilization, pointing and navigation applications, the 1750 IMU enhances performance at a lower cost than competing systems, KVH said.
“Our IMUs and other inertial sensors have been used in several of Sportvision’s innovative products, including the LiveLine system for America’s Cup yacht racing coverage, and we are thrilled to play a role in this new system for golf coverage,” said Martin Kits van Heyningen, KVH chief executive officer.
The RangeFinder system is designed to enhance the television viewer’s enjoyment of golf competitions by providing more insight into the setting. “The camera is mounted on a mobile tower that can go vertical 20 feet in the air, and that gives the viewer a really unique perspective of the course,” said Ken Milnes, project manager for Sportvision. “With the camera fully instrumented, we can put augmented-reality graphics on the TV screen. We virtually insert a rectangular placard that the TV viewer sees, with a pointer arrow and the yardage to the hole or obstacle.”
During the U.S. Open, the RangeFinder mobile camera towered were positioned on the fairway for a golfer’s second or third shot on a particular hole; the intent was to provide graphics on the approach shots to the green, rather than on a drive from the tee. Sportvision and FOX Sports worked together for more than a year to develop the new system.
“For the TV viewer, RangeFinder gives them an angle behind the golfer that they have never seen before,” said Zac Fields, vice president for graphics and technology at FOX Sports Media Group. “One of the advantages of any sports telecast is being able to utilize technologies so the viewer can see things that the athlete cannot. RangeFinder is a great example of being able to provide that kind of insight. We tested this technology at a smaller tournament last month and the initial feedback was extremely positive.”
KVH’s 1750 IMU marries the E•Core ThinFiber technology of KVH’s DSP-1750 FOG with very low noise, solid-state MEMS accelerometers to create a commercial-off-the-shelf IMU. The 1750 IMU offers exceptional precision in a very small form factor, designed for applications where space is limited such as unmanned and autonomous systems.
The 1750 IMU is one of a series of three IMUs that KVH has developed to address a wide range of demanding applications, including autonomous vehicles; unmanned aerial surveillance, surveying, and mapping; autonomous research and exploration; humanoid robots; and oil and gas pipeline inspection equipment.
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KVH Receives $1.5M Order for TACNAV Systems
Credit: U.S. Armed Services. KVH Industries Inc. has received a $1.5 million contract for the delivery of tactical navigation systems for use by an international military customer in an armored vehicle application. A variant of KVH’s TACNAV TLS and TACNAV Light, the system is designed to help military vehicle crews maintain 100% situational awareness. The hardware shipments for this order are expected to be made in 2015. Program management and engineering services will be provided as part of this order.
“KVH’s TACNAV navigation solution is an important tool for U.S. and allied warfighters, providing precision navigation as well as coordination of vehicles in critical situations,” said Dan Conway, executive vice president of KVH’s guidance and stabilization group. “The system serves as a crucial resource for navigation and battle management, keeping soldiers safe and out of harm’s way wherever they travel. This new order reaffirms the value of KVH’s TACNAV products for international militaries, and adds to our backlog for the year.”
The TACNAV TLS by KVH Industries. All of KVH’s TACNAV military vehicle navigation systems provide unjammable precision navigation, heading, and pointing data for vehicle drivers, crews and commanders, KVH Industries said. TACNAV can also serve as a heading and position source for situational awareness.
The TACNAV system ordered combines characteristics of TACNAV TLS and TACNAV Light, and features a compact design, continuous heading and pointing data output, and a flexible architecture that allows it to function as either a standalone navigation module or as the heart of an expanded, multifunctional TACNAV system. The system is designed to integrate with battle management systems and is a vital component for effective battlefield management, KVH Industries said.
TACNAV systems are in use by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, as well as many allied customers including Canada, Sweden, Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Egypt, Botswana, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Romania, Poland, Turkey, Malaysia, Switzerland, South Korea, Singapore, Brazil and Italy.
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KVH Receives $4.3M Order for Military Navigation Systems
The KVH TACNAV II. Photo: KVH KVH Industries, Inc., has received a $4.3 million order for its TACNAV tactical navigation systems from a new customer who is a major defense contractor providing armored vehicles for an international military client. With a short delivery requirement, shipments for this order are expected to be substantially completed in the fourth quarter of 2014.
“KVH is extremely pleased to be selected by another major defense contractor to provide the tactical navigation solution for their new armored vehicles. Providing precise navigation as well as coordination of vehicles in critical situations is an important tool that helps keep soldiers oriented wherever they operate,” said Dan Conway, executive vice president of KVH’s Guidance and Stabilization group.
KVH’s TACNAV military vehicle navigation systems provide unjammable precision navigation, heading, and pointing data for vehicle drivers, crews, and commanders. TACNAV can also serve as a heading and position source for situational awareness.
In October, KVH received a $19 million contract for the delivery of a new fiber optic gyro-based tactical navigation system for use by an international military customer in an armored vehicle application.
TACNAV systems are in use by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, as well as many allied customers including Canada, Sweden, Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Egypt, Botswana, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Romania, Poland, Turkey, Malaysia, Switzerland, South Korea, Singapore, Brazil, and Italy.
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KVH Receives $19 Million Order for FOG-Based Navigation Systems
The TACNAV 3D, by KVH Industries. Photo: KVH Industries KVH Industries, Inc., has received a $19 million contract for the delivery of a new fiber optic gyro (FOG)-based tactical navigation system for use by an international military customer in an armored vehicle application. A variant of KVH’s TACNAV FOG product and KVH’s new TACNAV 3D, the system provides continuous high-accuracy position and orientation even when GPS is lost or jammed.
Work on the contract began in July under a letter contract, and hardware shipments for this order are expected to be made in 2015 and 2016. Program management, engineering services, and out-year support services will be provided as part of this order.
“KVH’s TACNAV navigation solution is an important tool for U.S. and allied warfighters, providing precision navigation as well as coordination of vehicles in critical situations,” said Dan Conway, executive vice president of KVH’s Guidance and Stabilization group. “The system serves as a crucial resource for navigation and battle management, and even as a backup in GPS-denied environments, keeping soldiers safe and out of harm’s way wherever they travel. This new order reaffirms the value of KVH’s TACNAV products for international militaries, and adds to our backlog for the coming years.”
All of KVH’s TACNAV military vehicle navigation systems provide unjammable precision navigation, heading, and pointing data for vehicle drivers, crews, and commanders. TACNAV can also serve as a heading and position source for situational awareness. The TACNAV system ordered is a FOG-based navigation and pointing solution, which is designed to ensure precise navigation data regardless of GPS availability as well as automatic “drive and calibrate” capability. It features a compact design, continuous heading and pointing data output, and a flexible architecture that allows it to function as either a standalone navigation module or as the heart of an expanded, multifunctional TACNAV system. The system is designed to integrate with Battle Management Systems (BMS) and is a vital component for effective battlefield management.
TACNAV systems are currently in use by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, as well as many allied customers including Canada, Sweden, Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Egypt, Botswana, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Romania, Poland, Turkey, Malaysia, Switzerland, South Korea, Singapore, Brazil, and Italy.
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KVH Introduces Fiber-Optic Gyro IMUs for Demanding Applications
Photo: KVH Industries, Inc. KVH Industries, Inc., has introduced the 1725 Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and the 1775 IMU, advanced sensors designed to be integrated into the most demanding stabilization, pointing, and navigation applications. These two new products complement KVH’s successful 1750 IMU and create a complete range of choices for advanced six-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) sensors with enhanced performance. All three products utilize the E•Core ThinFiber technology of KVH’s DSP-1750 fiber-optic gyro (FOG).
“With these three products, system designers and integrators now have a high-performance solution for every application — ranging from manned and unmanned commercial and defense platforms, optical equipment stabilization systems, and pipeline inspection equipment, to autonomous vehicle control and navigation,” said Jay Napoli, KVH’s vice president of FOG/OEM sales. “This line satisfies the performance, size, and price parameters for IMUs in a way that no competitor can match due to KVH’s control over the design and manufacturing process, from creating the fiber to integrating all of the IMU components into the final design. Maintaining complete control of this process, combined with our proprietary technologies, allows KVH to offer a winning combination of innovative solutions, superior quality, and affordable options for nearly every stabilization or guidance application.”
The 1725 IMU features a flexible user interface, with user programmable data output rates from 1 to 1000 Hz. It delivers excellent FOG performance and stability at a price comparable to competitive MEMS-based IMUs. The 1725 IMU is designed for all platforms and navigation or stabilization systems where low cost, high-performance, and high bandwidth are critical for success.
The 1775 IMU is a premium sensor designed to deliver the highest level of performance to meet the demands of platforms requiring superior performance in the most challenging environments. Providing ease of integration for designers of high-level inertial navigation, guidance, or stabilization systems, the 1775 IMU offers a flexible interface with user-programmable data output rates from 1 to 5000 Hz. It includes three axes of magnetometers for automatic gyro bias compensation even in the presence of strong magnetic fields. The 1775 IMU is designed for sophisticated systems and applications where very high bandwidth, low latency, and extreme stability are critical.
Like KVH’s 1750 IMU, introduced in 2012, the 1725 IMU and the 1775 IMU incorporate three axes of KVH’s DSP-1750 FOG, a tiny high-performance FOG integrated with three axes of advanced accelerometer technology. All three IMUs provide excellent shock, vibration, and thermal performance, as well as a compact form factor, KVH said.
KVH controls the entire production process, from creating its own specially designed polarization-maintaining optical fiber to packaging its gyros together in advanced systems for inertial measurement, inertial navigation, and attitude heading reference. As a result, KVH’s open-loop fiber optic gyros offer outstanding accuracy and excellent durability at a lower cost than competing systems, the company said.
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ION GNSS+ 2014: KVH Industries, Inc.
Jay Napoli, vice president of FOG/OEM sales for KVH Industries, Inc., chats with GPS World about fiber-optic gyros (FOGs) while at the ION GNSS+ Conference September 9-12 at the Tampa Bay Convention Center in Tampa, Florida.
