Product News

Epson Develops the Ideal IMU for Attitude and Vibration Control

M-G370PDS0 improves short-term noise, expands the model lineup, and enables a broader selection of products


Munich, 17 November 2021 - Seiko Epson Corporation ("Epson," TSE: 6724) has developed and is now shipping samples of the M-G370PDS0, a new inertial measurement unit (IMU)1 equipped with a high-performance six-axis sensor. Volume production of the new product is scheduled for the spring of 2022.

Epson's IMUs, first launched in 2011, have been used in an array of customer applications, earning an excellent reputation for outstanding performance and quality. In recent years, IMU use has expanded into fields such as surveying and aerial and underwater video photography by unmanned systems, creating a growing need for more accurate position and attitude control. Accordingly, demand is rising for IMUs that offer greater precision, which is crucial in attitude control, and especially noise performance. The M-G370PDS0 has an angle random walk2 (short-term variation in output) of 0.03 ° / √h, which is half that of its predecessor, and can more accurately detect very slight changes in the attitude of equipment and systems, since they do not get lost in sensor noise. The small size, light weight, and low power consumption of this IMU will help customers make their own products smaller and lighter.
The new IMU maintains compatibility with earlier products (the M-G370/365/364/354), making performance upgrades easy.

Product features

  • Equipped with a low-noise, high-performance sensor that maintains the high stability of Epson's previous IMUs
  • Angle random walk of 0.03 °/√h
  • Noise density: 2.5 (°/h)/√Hz
  • Outstanding dynamic performance (scale factor non-linearity) for high-precision measurement, from static states to high-speed motion
  • Maintains compatibility with earlier IMUs (the M-G370/365/364/354), sharply reducing customer development costs and evaluation time
  • Low current consumption: 16 mA

Product applications

  • Unmanned vehicles (industrial drones, terrestrial vehicles, sea probes, etc.)
  • Vibration damping for cameras, antennas, etc.
  • Vibration, angle, trajectory measurement of industrial equipment, etc.
  • Navigation systems (GNSS3, INS4, high-precision locators), etc.
Related links

Please see the link below for product details.
Website URL: https://global.epson.com/products_and_drivers/sensing_system/

Product specifications

    Previous Products New Product
Model No.   M-G370PDF1 M-G370PDS0
Rate range Gyroscopic sensor5 ±450 °/s ±200 °/s
Accelerometer ±10 G ±10 G
Accuracy and stability Gyro bias instability6 0.8 °/h 0.8 °/h
Angle random walk 0.06 °/√h 0.03 °/√h
Gyro noise density 4.7 (°/h)/√Hz, rms 2.5 (°/h)/√Hz, rms
Initial bias Gyroscopic sensor 360 °/h, σ 360 °/h, σ
Accelerometer 2 mG, σ 2 mG, σ
Interfaces   SPI & UART
Output resolution   16-bit / 32-bit
Data output rate   2000 Sps
Operating temperature range   -40℃ to +85℃
Current consumption   16 mA (3.3 V)
Size   24 x 24 x 10 mm

Glossary

Allan variance
An indicator of sensor performance, the Allan variance indicates the stability of the static output. The horizontal axis shows the averaging time of data, and the vertical axis shows the distribution of the average value when separated by the average time. It is known that the slopes of the characteristics appearing in the Allan variance are -1, -1/2, 0, 1/2, and 1st power slopes, the Allan variance correlates with the noise density, and the noise density is the frequency. Allan variance is an indicator expressed in time. The smaller the value, the higher the stability and the better the performance.
 
1 Inertial measurement unit (IMU)
An IMU is a device that is used for sensing inertial motion. It is comprised of triaxial angular rate sensors and triaxial accelerometers.
2 Angle random walk
The part of the Allan variance with a slope of -1/2 is called the angle random walk. Since there is a correlation with white noise, increasing the average time decreases the value at -1/2 of the average time.
3 A global navigation satellite system (GNSS)
A satellite system that is used to pinpoint a geographic location anywhere in the world
4 Inertial navigation system (INS)
5 Gyroscopic sensor (angular rate sensor)
Measures the rotation angle (angular rate) of an object versus a reference axis per unit of time.
6 Bias instability
The part of the Allan variance that represents the horizontal (zero power) characteristic is called bias instability. It correlates with 1/f noise and is one of the important indicators of sensor potential.
 
M-G370S Gyro Allan Variance (Typ.)
 

About Epson Europe Electronics GmbH
Epson Europe Electronics GmbH is a marketing, engineering and sales company and the European headquarter for electronic devices of the Seiko Epson Corporation, Japan. Since 1989 located in Munich/Germany with 50 employees, Epson Europe Electronics GmbH has several European sales representatives and a European-wide network of distributors. Epson Europe Electronics GmbH provides value added services for timing devices, semiconductors, sensors and sensing systems targeted to various markets like industrial, automotive, medical, and communication. Epson products are recognized for energy saving, low power, small form factors and rapid time to market. More information about Epson Europe Electronics GmbH is available on the internet under www.epson-electronics.de

About Epson
Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to co-creating sustainability and enriching communities by leveraging its efficient, compact, and precision technologies and digital technologies to connect people, things, and information. The company is focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle. Epson will become carbon negative and eliminate use of exhaustible underground resources such as oil and metal by 2050.
Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of around JPY 1 trillion.
global.epson.com/

M-G370PDS0 (Connector Face)
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M-G370PDS0 (Marking Face)
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