TechBlog

The all new A30 MEMS High Performance Single Axis Accelerometer offers excellent bias with a small light weight form factor and low power. Designed for commercial stabilization and aircraft applications, the unit utilizes standard +5V DC power and has a voltage output.

• Low Cost & High Performance MEMS Single Axis Accelerometer
• Excellent Bias ? 1mg
• Bias Repeatability ? 2.5mg
• Axis Alignment <15mrad
• Low Power < 5 mA Typical
• Light Weight < 10 grams
• Low Voltage +5V (single sided power)
• Bandwidth 40Hz / 100Hz
• Voltage Output
• Reference Voltage
• Internal Temperature Sensor
• Self Test
• Shock Resistant 500g
• Long Life

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Fly-by-Wireless

Every ounce of weight brought to the lunar surface costs 40 to 60 times that in fuel needed at liftoff from the Earth. Part of that weight penalty is due to wires, but the cost of wires is much more than weight. Wired connectivity drives up the price of design from the beginning: it drives the cost of the many systems and structures; it drives inspection, troubleshooting, maintenance, and upgrade costs; as well as the cost of making system changes. Future vehicles that can reduce the effects and limitations of wires will not be without risk or a lot of work, but the effort has begun.

Continue reading ‘Fly-by-Wireless: A Less-Wire and Wireless Revolution for Aerospace Vehicle Architectures’ »

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has authorized Raytheon Company to demonstrate target recognition technology designed to increase protection for ground forces without compounding risk to an aircraft stalking enemies who threaten those forces.

First in a laboratory and then aloft, the company expects to show how its Air-to-Ground Radar Imaging II program would permit aircraft at a safe distance to detect, track and target hostile forces in motion on the ground.

The laboratory demonstration is expected in autumn 2008, followed by a flight next spring aboard a Raytheon test aircraft.

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Nanomotion introduces the new EDGE motor, one of the smallest ceramic servo motors
in the industrial market. The EGDE motor provides 30 grams of thrust with a maximum
operating velocity of 150mm/sec. Capable of driving linear or rotary motion, the EDGE
is well suited for applications in Aerospace & Military, Medical Devices, and Industrial
Automation.

The Edge motor weighs .6 grams and operates at 8 Vrms. It is supported by
Nanomotion’s dual axis ASIC which can function as a drive and control. The Edge
motor is ideal for shutter/aperture control, small medical pumps, grippers, and other
devices.

The all new LandMark20 MEMS IMU is a silicon low noise digital Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) that provides internally temperature compensated RS485 output of delta velocity and delta theta.
Features:

• Low Noise Silicon MEMS Digital IMU
• Low Gyro Noise 0.028º/sec/?Hz
• Fully Temperature Compensated Bias and Scale Factor
• Compensated G-Sensitivity and Misalignment
• In Run Gyro Bias 6° to 60°/hour typical
• Low Power < 1/2 watt typical
• Light Weight 113 grams
• Small Size < 67.5cm3/4.1in3
• Low Voltage +3.0 to 4.2V (single sided power)
• Bandwidth 100 Hz (user selectable)
• RS485 Output 200 Hz (user selectable)
• Bandwidth Filtering Capability
• Vibration Isolation
• Precision Alignment
• 3 Internal Temp. Sensors
• Self Test
• Shock Resistant
• Long Life
• Export Classification: Commerce ECCN7A994 Pending

The LandMark20 IMU is ideal for applications requiring improved performance MEMS gyros, but also needing ultra low power consumption, small size, light weight and no inherent wear out modes for long life. The signature feature of the LandMark20 IMU is the improved gyro performance. The low noise gyros enable precision measurement and improved in-run and bias over temperature. The IMU’s performance is optimized with fully temperature compensated bias and scale factor and compensated misalighnment and g-sensitivity. The rate outputs are free from bias steps and linear outputs are without acceleration hysteresis. The unit is highly durable and can withstand environmental vibration and shock typically associated with commerical aircraft requirements.

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MEMS accelerometer wave approaching, says ABI April 15, 2008 — The Nintendo Wii’s motion-sensing remote control and the Apple iPhone’s self-orienting display represent the advance wave of what will be a rising tide of new and innovative uses for tiny MEMS accelerometers, according to ABI Research.

“In the very creative consumer electronics market,” says ABI analyst Doug McEuen, “the sky’s the limit. The growth rate of this market will be determined by the imaginations of designers as they think up innovative and unexpected ways to incorporate accelerometers into new devices. The arrival of another wildly popular consumer product that sells large numbers worldwide could give this market a significant boost.”

“Other major game console manufacturers are following Nintendo’s lead in seeking accelerometer applications for their next-generation products,” he says. “But games are only one use for these specialized devices. They are already widely used in automotive airbag systems (where the high sales volume has helped drive down prices.) They can measure vibration in industrial machinery; they are used in exercise step-counters, and we will see them in growing numbers of other phones and PDAs.”
A relative handful of manufacturers share this high-potential market. A “big three” — Analog Devices, Freescale, and ST Microelectronics — are joined by just a few others, including OKI Semiconductor and Hitachi Metals America.

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Electromechanical Rod Actuators DNCE

The DNCE electromechanical rod actuator is a screw driven linear actuator with a nonrotating round piston rod. Based on ISO 6430, DNCE is able to be easily integrated into existing applications using DNC pneumatic cylinders. DNCE electromechanical actuators provide high precision and flexibility making them an ideal motion control solution when positioning accuracy is critical. It can be supplied as either a stand-alone mechanical axis to be mounted to a Festo or third party motor or as part of a complete Festo solution integrated with an MTR-DCI intelligent motor and controller.Motor and mounting attachments ordered separately.
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A team led by Boeing has been selected by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to demonstrate initial technologies for a new spacecraft system architecture concept.A $12,891,049 cost-plus-fixed-fee, 12-month Phase 1 contract was awarded to Boeing Advanced Systems to research, design, develop and test DARPA’s Future, Fast, Flexible, Fractionated, Free-Flying Spacecraft United by Information Exchange (System F6) space technology and demonstration program.

The DARPA System F6 is based on a concept whereby a group of spacecraft operate together wirelessly as a single unit to enable flexible data sharing and distributed processing that will allow cooperative communications among the spacecraft. This concept of multiple spacecraft operating together to perform a mission similar to that of a single larger spacecraft is known as “fractionation.”

“We believe the fractionation spacecraft concept proposed by our team can be a game-changer that could provide the high degree of flexibility needed for responsive space missions,” said Bob Friend, director for Boeing Operationally Responsive Space.

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WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFPN) — Engineers here are testing a new kind of transparent armor — stronger and lighter than traditional materials — that could stop armor-piercing weapons from penetrating vehicle windows.

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s materials and manufacturing directorate is testing aluminum oxynitride — ALONtm — as a replacement for the traditional multi-layered glass transparencies now used in existing ground and air armored vehicles.

The test is being done in conjunction with the Army Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Md., and University of Dayton Research Institute, Ohio.

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