The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Matthew S Bottkol

Juha-Pekka J Laine

Gregory P Blasche

Thomas F Marinis

Paul A Bohn

Evan M Lally

Michael F McManus

Matthew T Reaves

Richard D Elliott

Peter G Sherman

Sandra M Klute

Jeffery W Warren

James Donna

Marc W McConley

Michael Ricard

Charles H Lange

Emily H Templeton

Michael Y Feng

Shan Mohiuddin

Bruce Dow

John E Pritchett

Systems and methods for determining the shape and/or position of an object are described. A fiber optic shape sensor (FOSS) may be used in combination with one or more inertial measurement units (IMUs) to mutually cross-correct for errors in the sensors' measurements of position and/or orientation. The IMU(s) may be attached to the FOSS's optical fiber, such that each IMU measures the orientation of a corresponding portion of the optical fiber. The position and shape of the optical fiber can then be determined based on the measurements obtained from the IMU(s) and the measurements obtained from the FOSS. For example, the FOSS measurements and the IMU measurements can be provided to a state estimation unit (e.g., a Kalman filter), which can estimate the position and/or shape of the optical fiber based on those measurements. In some embodiments, the estimates of position are used for navigation of tethered mobile devices.

Navigation systems and methods using fiber optic shape sensors and localized position sensors

A micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) inertial measurement system facilitates accurate location and/or attitude measurements via passive thermal management of MEMS inertial sensors. Accuracy of the system is also improved by subjecting the inertial sensors to programmed single-axis gimbal motion, and by performing coarse and fine adjustments to the attitude estimates obtained by the system based on the programmed motion and on the passive thermal management of the sensors.

Inertial measurement systems, and methods of use and manufacture thereof

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Matthew S Bottkol