Page 65: of Marine Technology Magazine (September 2014)

inductive technology product line. These improvements will be integrated into future robust, reliable, and compact product offerings consistent with Silicon Sensing current high quality product portfolio.

Along with the wide range of MEMS gyroscope products,

Silicon Sensing also offers a MEMS accelerometer, Gem- ini. Gemini is a high performance two-axis accelerometer in a single package that offers fi ve product variants across dynamic ranges from 0.85g to 96g in a small robust and compact planar or orthogonal mounted package. Precise linear acceleration sensing is achieved by a Silicon MEMS detector forming an orthogonal pair of sprung masses. Each mass provides the moving plate of a variable capacitance formed by an array of interlaced ‘fi ngers.’ Linear accelera- tion results in a change of capacitance which is measured by demodulation of the square wave excitation. This design and measurement technique yields exceptional performance results for bias and scale factor repeatability (1 year) across the product variants.

Silicon Sensing leverages its in-house gyroscope and ac- celerometer technology and products to produce an organic

MEMS combi-sensor chip, Orion, as well as complete pack- age six-degrees-of-freedom (6-DOF) Inertial Measurement

Units (IMUs).

Orion is a single axis gyro (VSG5 PZT MEMS resonating ring) and dual-axis low-g accelerometer (Gemini MEMS accelerometer element) MEMS combi-sensor. The unit fea- tures user-selectable dynamic range and bandwidth, with a digital SPI output. The Orion combi-sensor chip is available in fl at and orthogonal formats with a hermetically-sealed ce- ramic LCC surface mount package.

Silicon Sensing currently offers IMUs and is in the fi nal stages of development for a new dynamic measurement unit; DMU10, which will be available in the early fall of 2014. DMU10 is designed to be a low-cost, high precision, 6-DOF IMU which offers robust and user friendly formats with OEM and Module confi gurations, either of which can be supplied un-calibrated, calibrated at room temperature, or calibrated over the full operating temperature range. Sili- con Sensing has also designed in expansion capability to integrate additional sensors (e.g. magnetometers and pres- sure sensors). Evaluation units are currently exhibiting <8 °/hr gyro bias instability and <0.05 mg accelerometer bias repeatability across all three axes.

Silicon Sensing is also currently engaged in development of a MEMS High Performance IMU (HPIMU); DMU30, which is slated for customer evaluation units in spring 2015 and production in the summer of 2015. This unit will in- tegrate the new high performance VSG3QMAX (high ‘Q’) inductive resonating ring gyro technology together with the capacitive MEMS accelerometers. The entire assembly will be sealed in a metalized housing and ISA block. The

DMU30 is being designed with fl exibility and customiza- tion in mind to accommodate the end-user’s interface and performance requirements. www.marinetechnologynews.com

MTR #7 (50-65).indd 65 8/27/2014 12:09:40 PM