Autonomous racing car
AMZ chose the lightweight and small Ellipse-N INS for motion, equipment synchronization, and vehicle dynamic analysis.
“We needed a rugged high-end Inertial Navigation System which would make the task of sensor fusion easier, with a LiDAR for example.” | Miguel de la Iglesia Valls, team member
IMU and GPS, core parts of the autonomous car
For the first time ever, Formula Student Germany introduced a driverless category, where race cars had to be adapted to drive without any human intervention.
AMZ decided to take the challenge, and prepared “flüela”, their car used for competition from 2015, to be driverless. For the AMZ team, when designing a driverless vehicle, the IMU and the GPS are a core part of the sensor suite.
Ellipse-N, the INS/GNSS used by AMZ Racing
Lightweight and small, SBG Ellipse-N is the most accurate of its category, and the easier to interface with, according to the AMZ team.The team was also amazed by the quality of the output position data. The Ellipse-N fuses inertial data and position information for a continuous trajectory even in case of GNSS outage.
Used in very tough conditions
According to the AMZ team, it was a tough testing season with very hot days, extremely rainy days, a lot of vibrations, mounting, unmounting, plugging, unplugging. The sensor never failed. Every SBG inertial sensor is calibrated in dynamics and temperature (-40° to 80°C) for a constant behavior in every condition.
AMZ success
The team managed to be:
- first in skidpad (ability to turn at steady state as fast as possible)
- first in trackdrive (race in an unknown track marked with cones),
- second in acceleration (measures the ability of the car to accelerate fast).
The overall event includes static disciplines in which the team also obtained good results: first in engineering design and cost, second in autonomous design and third in business plan presentation.
Ellipse-N, the rugged miniature INS/GNSS
The SBG Ellipse-N offers a 0.1° Roll and Pitch, 0.5° GPS-based Heading and a meter-level GNSS position (GPS + GLONASS constellations in this case).
“We were amazed by the quality of the gyroscopes. No one in our team neither in our university could believe the little drift we were experiencing” states Mr. De la Iglesia Valls. The AMZ team was also amazed by the quality of the output position data.
Ellipse-N integrates a GNSS receiver and fuses inertial data and position information in real-time for a continuous trajectory even in case of GNSS outage.
Additional algorithms have also been developed for land applications to improve even further the inertial sensor performance and robustness. Robustness is one of those things that you only notice when it is not there.
According to the AMZ team, it was a tough testing season with very hot days, extremely rainy days, a lot of vibrations, mounting, unmounting, plugging, unplugging. The sensor never failed.
This reliability is also due to the extensive factory calibration. Every SBG inertial sensor is calibrated in dynamics and temperature; the Ellipse-N gyroscopes, accelerometers and magnetometers bias are corrected and calibrated from -40° to 80°C for a constant behavior in every condition.
Ellipse-N
Ellipse-N is a compact and high-performance RTK Inertial Navigation System (INS) with an integrated Dual band, Quad Constellations GNSS receiver. It provides roll, pitch, heading, and heave, as well as a centimetric GNSS position.
Ellipse-N sensor is best suited for dynamic environments, and harsh GNSS conditions, but can also operate in lower dynamic applications with a magnetic heading.
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Do you have questions?
Welcome to our FAQ section! Here, you’ll find answers to the most common questions about the applications we showcase. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, feel free to contact us directly!
What is the difference between AHRS and INS?
The main difference between an Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) and an Inertial Navigation System (INS) lies in their functionality and the scope of the data they provide.
AHRS provides orientation information—specifically, the attitude (pitch, roll) and heading (yaw) of a vehicle or device. It typically uses a combination of sensors, including gyroscopes, accelerometers, and magnetometers, to calculate and stabilize the orientation. The AHRS outputs the angular position in three axes (pitch, roll, and yaw), allowing a system to understand its orientation in space. It is often used in aviation, UAVs, robotics, and marine systems to provide accurate attitude and heading data, which is critical for vehicle control and stabilization.
A INS not only provides orientation data (like an AHRS) but also tracks a vehicle’s position, velocity, and acceleration over time. It uses inertial sensors to estimate movement in 3D space without relying on external references like GNSS. It combines the sensors found in AHRS (gyroscopes, accelerometers) but may also include more advanced algorithms for position and velocity tracking, often integrating with external data like GNSS for enhanced accuracy.
In summary, AHRS focuses on orientation (attitude and heading), while INS provides a full suite of navigational data, including position, velocity, and orientation.
What is the difference between IMU and INS?
The difference between an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and an Inertial Navigation System (INS) lies in their functionality and complexity.
An IMU (inertial measuring unit) provides raw data on the vehicle’s linear acceleration and angular velocity, measured by accelerometers and gyroscopes. It supplies information on roll, pitch, yaw, and motion, but does not compute position or navigation data. The IMU is specifically designed to relay essential data about movement and orientation for external processing to determine position or velocity.
On the other hand, an INS (inertial navigation system) combines IMU data with advanced algorithms to calculate a vehicle’s position, velocity, and orientation over time. It incorporates navigation algorithms like Kalman filtering for sensor fusion and integration. An INS supplies real-time navigation data, including position, velocity, and orientation, without relying on external positioning systems like GNSS.
This navigation system is typically utilized in applications that require comprehensive navigation solutions, particularly in GNSS-denied environments, such as military UAVs, ships, and submarines.
What is GNSS vs GPS?
GNSS stands for Global Navigation Satellite System and GPS for Global Positioning System. These terms are often used interchangeably, but they refer to different concepts within satellite-based navigation systems.
GNSS is a collective term for all satellite navigation systems, while GPS refers specifically to the U.S. system. It includes multiple systems that provide more comprehensive global coverage, while GPS is just one of those systems.
You get improved accuracy and reliability with GNSS, by integrating data from multiple systems, whereas GPS alone might have limitations depending on satellite availability and environmental conditions.