Diagram: Layout Of Micro-sized Timing And Inertial Measurement Unit (T-IMU)

This object is not part of the Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection. It was able to spend time at the museum on loan from UC Irvine MicroSystems Laboratory as part of Tools: Extending Our Reach.

This microscale navigation system can measure position with high precision, even when GPS is unavailable. Developed to provide fully integrated positioning and navigation for aircraft and missiles, the T-IMU includes microscopic components, making it possible to embed new tools within portable devices. The T-IMU’s pyramidal shape was designed to provide structural integrity and to hold sensors to detect motion in different directions. Each face of the T-IMU holds a rotation-sensing gyroscope or linear motion-sensing accelerometer. An additional sensor keeps track of time. Time measurements provide references for the inertial sensors much like GPS, which utilizes precise atomic clocks on orbiting satellites and measures the arrival times of signals moving at the speed of light. The accuracy of the T-IMU’s time reference over short periods is on par with atomic clocks, but its stability decreases over longer periods, meaning it cannot completely replace GPS or atomic frequency standards.

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Tools: Extending Our Reach.