Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!csc.ti.com!tilde.csc.ti.com!mksol!strohm
From: strohm@mksol.dseg.ti.com (john r strohm)
Subject: Re: Strain Guages part 2     
Message-ID: <1993May19.143342.28939@mksol.dseg.ti.com>
Organization: Texas Instruments, Inc
References: <gate.w60q4B1w165w@toz.buffalo.ny.us>
Date: Wed, 19 May 1993 14:33:42 GMT
Lines: 21

In article <gate.w60q4B1w165w@toz.buffalo.ny.us> cyberman@toz.buffalo.ny.us (Cyberman) writes:
>Ok I have a VERY complicated problem I'm working on.
>
>I was considering the use of strain guages to measure the
>rotational velocities induced on a flying object.  Now someone
>metioned piezo gyros. (how do these work? )
>
>I am considering using strain gauges to measure the centripetal
>force but this only get's me the magnitude of the velocity.  The
>application requires the whole thing MUST be relatively small and
>light.  Any suggestions?

It sounds like you are in the market for some rate gyros.  They put out a
signal that (after suitable conditioning and processing) is proportional
to the rotational rate about the gyro axis.

Cheap rate gyros suitable for R/C model aircraft (and especially helicopters)
are available for about $100.  These have terrible drift rates, or so I am
told.  Expensive rate gyros cost an order of magnitude more.  Each.

What can you tolerate in drift rates and weight/volume envelope?
