Russian Engineers Develop Prototype of High-Strength Navigation Sensor

Engineers at Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University LETI have developed a prototype of an energy-independent, high-strength sensor designed for navigation systems, the university’s press service said.

According to the developers, microelectromechanical system sensors, known as MEMS sensors, are widely used in modern electronics. They consume little energy, are inexpensive, compact, lightweight, and provide sufficiently accurate measurements of navigation parameters. Such sensors are well suited for navigation in gadgets, various types of manned and unmanned vehicles, and many automation systems. However, these devices also have drawbacks, primarily their fragility and insufficient reliability for equipment operating under heavy physical loads.

High Strength, Harsh Conditions, and Relative Affordability

The navigation sensor developed at LETI converts an electrical signal into mechanical vibrations and then back again. How does it work? An electric current flows to a piezoelectric plate, causing its surface to vibrate and become highly sensitive to external changes such as temperature, pressure, acceleration, and other parameters. The vibration characteristics of the piezoelectric material change, and when the acoustic waves are converted back into electricity, the parameters of the electric current differ from the original signal. The sensor records these differences. As a result, the orientation of any moving object equipped with the device can be determined with high precision.

The sensor can operate in difficult conditions because its design contains no moving parts. In addition, piezoelectric materials are relatively inexpensive and highly durable.

Maria Sorvina, a graduate researcher at the university’s Department of Laser Measurement and Navigation Systems, added that scientists plan to make the device fully autonomous by installing a miniature antenna on the sensor.