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Smallest, Most Accurate Gyroscope Ever

Rebecca Kutzer-Rice | Date: 10-15-10 | Comments

Using microscopic lasers, a team of Israeli scientists has created a nano-sized optical gyroscope that could replace MEMS technology in smartphones, GPS devices and even medical equipment.

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Smallest, Most Accurate Gyroscope Ever
At the end of last year, we here at Smarter Technology declared that 2010 would be the year of the gyroscope. Our prediction started to come true when the iPhone 4 debuted with a MEMS gyroscope, which greatly improved its gaming capabilities. Now a breakthrough at Tel Aviv University could further the usefulness and ability of gyroscopes. Researchers have developed nano-sized optical gyroscopes small enough to fit on the size of a pin�without sacrificing accuracy.

The gyroscope, which was invented in the 1800s, is receiving a modern update, complete with nano-sized semiconductor lasers (source: Tel Aviv University).

Gyroscopes, also called rotation sensors, are used in most airplanes and ships as navigational tools. Engineers are also starting to add gyroscopes to cell phones and other devices, in which they detect the direction of rotation and adjust the screen accordingly. But in such small devices, the accuracy of gyroscopes�which measure rotation rates on three axes�is reduced.

"Conventional gyroscopes look like a box, and weigh two or three pounds," Professor Koby Scheuer of Tel Aviv University's School of Physical Engineering explained in a statement. "This is fine for an airplane, but if you're trying to fit a gyroscope onto a smaller piece of technology, such as a cell phone, the accuracy will be severely limited."

Working closely with Israel's Department of Defense, Scheuer's team has significantly improved the accuracy of miniature gyroscopes. The research was recently described in the journal Optics Express.

Next: Nano-Sized Lasers >>

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