Demonstration of Trajectory Estimation using A Mobile MEMS Rate Integrating Gyroscope Module

This paper presents the first experimental demonstration of trajectory estimation using a mobile MEMS rate integrating gyroscope (RIG) module. The RIG module provides direct information of rotation angle to estimate the position, which eliminates the integration error of offset and noise occurred in the conventional rate-gyroscope based systems. The RIG module employed in tracking tests has an angular gain of 0.992 and an angular error of 0.8 deg rms at 100 deg/s. In the tracking experiment of a model train running in a fixed 2-D rail orbit for distance of 560 cm at velocity of 7 cm/s, the maximum position error is 3 cm (0.5%). As for tracking an indoor pedestrian walking for a distance of 88 m at 0.8 m/s, the maximum position error is 1.6 m (1.8%). The experimental results prove the feasibility of using RIG in trajectory estimation applications.