Monday, May 03, 2010
IFOS announces award of Phase I SBIR contract for Next Generation Inertial Rate Sensors

Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) that can provide high-resolution and high accuracy are needed to support future avionics systems. IFOS, bringing years of pioneering experience in Fiber-Optic Gyroscopes (FOGs), proposes developing an advanced, ultra-low weight FOG that can meet stringent conditions for IMUs, including withstanding radiation as well as the high shock and vibration, yet can also deliver excellent accuracies with low drift rates and low angular random walk capabilities even after prolonged storage. IFOS will exploit innovative techniques including newly available radiation hard (RH) smaller fibers and optoelectronic components and packaging concepts that would allow substantial reductions in FOG weight and volume. Phase I will focus on design and subscale testing of proof-of-concept RH, lightweight FOG components and elements. In Phase II, IFOS will design and develop reduced size and weight RH FOG prototypes and will work incorporate the FOG within functional IMUs and develop testing and characterization protocols for performance demonstrations when subjected to radiation levels at thermal ranges of interest.

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