What is a gyroscope in a phone and what is it for? Gyroscopes on radio-controlled models
Mobile phones are becoming more complex every year. To count the number of all sensors built into modern smartphones, the fingers of both hands may not be enough. Gyroscope in a phone - what kind of sensor is it, how does it work, what is its application, is it possible to turn off this device? These questions will be discussed for those who want to have a good understanding of their smartphone.
What is a gyroscope
Yula, aka the top, is a famous toy. During rapid rotation, it remains stable at one point of support. This simple device is the simplest example of a gyroscope - a device that responds to changes in the orientation angles of the body on which it is installed in three planes. The term was first used by the French physicist and mathematician Jean Foucault.
Gyroscopes are classified by the number of degrees of freedom and by the principle of operation (mechanical and optical). Vibration gyro sensors, a subtype of mechanical ones, are widely used in mobile devices. The use of GPS navigation has overshadowed the original function of gyroscopes - to help with orientation, but this technology is still indispensable in modern phone models.
Difference from accelerometer
Modern mobile gadgets often have both of these devices installed. The key difference between a gyroscope and an accelerometer and other sensors lies in the very principle of operation of these devices. The first determines its own angle of inclination relative to the ground, and the second is capable of measuring linear acceleration. The advantage of an accelerometer is that knowing the acceleration allows you to accurately calculate the distance the device has been moved.
In practice, both devices can both replace and complement each other. In fact, both of them only record their position relative to the earth’s surface. Like a gyroscope, an accelerometer can transmit acceleration information to the smartphone on which it is installed. Both sensors are often used; they interact well. The table shows the key features of the devices.
Operating principle
In simple words, a gyroscope is a top that rotates rapidly around a vertical axis, mounted on a frame that can rotate around a horizontal axis, and mounted on another frame that rotates around a third axis. No matter how we turn the top, it always has the opportunity to still be in a vertical position. The sensors record the signal of how the top is oriented relative to the frames, and the processor receives information and reads with high accuracy how the frames in this case should be positioned relative to gravity.
What is a gyroscope in a smartphone?
Modern mobile devices are mostly equipped with gyroscopes. They are also called gyro sensors. This element of the smartphone works on an ongoing basis, autonomously, and does not require calibration. This device does not need to be turned on, but some phones have a shutdown feature to save energy. It is made in the form of a microelectromechanical circuit located under the smartphone body.
What is it for?
The introduction of gyro sensor technology into mobile devices has significantly expanded their functionality and added a new way to control devices. For example, simply shaking the phone will answer an incoming call. Changing the screen orientation by tilting the smartphone is also implemented thanks to gyro sensors; This device provides camera stabilization. In the Calculator app, simply rotating the screen 90 degrees opens up additional program features.
The gyro sensor has greatly simplified the use of maps built into smartphones. If a person turns his device “facing” towards, say, a specific street, then this will be displayed on the map with high accuracy. A good smartphone with a gyroscope provides a couple of interesting features for mobile gaming. Driving a virtual car becomes incredibly realistic when you use your smartphone's turns to drive the car. In virtual reality technologies, head turns are tracked using gyro sensors.
How does a gyroscopic sensor work?
In a gyro sensor there are two masses moving in opposite directions. When angular velocity appears, the mass is acted upon by a Coriolis force directed perpendicular to their motion. There is a displacement of the masses by an amount proportional to the applied speed. The distance between the moving and stationary electrodes changes, which leads to a change in the capacitance of the capacitor and the voltage on its plates, and this is an electrical signal. Such electronic signals are recognized by the gyro sensor.
How to find out if your smartphone has a gyroscope
An easy way is to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the device on the manufacturer’s official website. If there is a gyro sensor, this will definitely be indicated. Some manufacturers are silent about whether the phone has a gyroscope, not wanting to waste space on it. They can be understood - everyone is now trying to make the phone lighter and thinner. In such cases, third-party applications will help.
YouTube has a whole section of videos that can be rotated 360 degrees. If you can control such video by turning your smartphone, then the gyroscope is working. You can also install the AnTuTu Benchmark application, which performs a full diagnostic of your device. There you will find a line about the presence or absence of a gyroscope.
Which phones have a gyroscope?
The first smartphone to have a gyro sensor was the iPhone 4. Buyers reacted positively to this innovation and since then, phones with a gyroscope have begun to fill the market. All subsequent versions of Apple smartphones were equipped with gyro sensors. In this regard, it is a little more difficult for owners of Android devices, fortunately, you can ask a consultant about the presence of a sensor before purchasing, or check it yourself. The gyroscope on your phone is an important bonus.
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Nowadays, all smartphones are equipped with at least one sensor, and most often several. The most common sensors are proximity, lighting and motion sensors. Most smartphones are equipped with an accelerometer that responds to device movement in two or maximum three planes. To fully interact with a virtual reality headset, you need a gyroscope that detects movements in any direction.
The gyroscope in a smartphone is a microelectromechanical converter of angular velocities into an electrical signal. In other words, this sensor calculates the change in the angle of inclination relative to the axis when the device is rotated.
A gyroscope belongs to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), which combine mechanical and electronic parts. Such chips are on the order of a couple of millimeters or less in size.
A conventional gyroscope consists of an inertial object that rapidly rotates around its axis. Thus, it maintains its direction, and the displacement of the controlled object is measured by changing the position of the suspensions. Such a top obviously won’t fit into smartphones; MEMS is used instead.
Converting mechanical motion into electrical signal
The simplest single-axis gyroscope has two moving masses moving in opposite directions (shown in blue in the picture). As soon as an external angular velocity is applied, the mass is subject to a Coriolis force, which is directed perpendicular to their motion (marked in orange).
Under the influence of the Coriolis force, the masses shift by an amount proportional to the applied speed. Changing the position of the masses changes the distance between the moving electrodes (rotors) and stationary electrodes (stators), which leads to a change in the capacitance of the capacitor and, accordingly, the voltage on its plates, and this is an electrical signal. It is these multiple signals that are recognized by the MEMS gyroscope, determining the direction and speed of movement.
Calculating smartphone orientation
The microcontroller receives the voltage information and converts it into angular velocity at the moment. The magnitude of the angular velocity can be determined with a given accuracy, for example, up to 0.001 degrees per second. To determine how many degrees around the axis the device was rotated, it is necessary to multiply the instantaneous speed by the time between two sensor readings. If we use a three-axis gyroscope, we will receive data on rotations relative to all three axes, that is, in this way we can determine the orientation of the smartphone in space.
It is worth noting here that to obtain the angle values, it is necessary to integrate the original equations, which include angular velocities. With each integration the error increases. If you calculate the position only using a gyroscope, then over time the calculated values will become incorrect.
Therefore, in smartphones, to accurately determine orientation in space, accelerometer data is also needed. This sensor measures linear acceleration but does not respond to cornering. Both sensors are capable of fully describing all types of motion. The main advantage of a gyroscope over an accelerometer is that it responds to movement in any direction.
Why do you need a gyroscope in a smartphone?
This sensor has received increased attention over the past couple of years, when games and virtual reality applications began to actively develop. For user interaction with virtual reality, the program needs to accurately determine the person’s position in space. Nowadays, even the most budget smartphones have an accelerometer, but its readings are accompanied by noise, and the sensor does not respond to turns and movements in the horizontal plane. Therefore, for complete immersion in virtual reality, a smartphone must have a gyroscope and an accelerometer.
How to find out if your smartphone has a gyroscope
Typically, the characteristics of a smartphone indicate what sensors it has. If you doubt the veracity of the information, then special programs will help. For example, Sensor Box for Android shows information about all built-in sensors. The gyroscope is designated as Gyroscope. There are other ways that we
Hello everyone, dear users of the best mobile portal Trashbox. Today’s sixth article from the “How it works” section is dedicated to the gyroscope. If you don’t know what this is, this article is for you. Let's find out what a gyroscope is and how it works. The most interesting under the cut.
A gyroscope (translated as “rotation” or “look”) is a device that has the ability to measure changes in the orientation angles of the body associated with it relative to the inertial coordinate system. Currently, two types of gyroscopes are known: mechanical and optical. According to their operating mode, gyroscopes are divided into: angular velocity sensors and direction indicators. However, one device can operate simultaneously in different modes depending on the type of control.
As for mechanical gyroscopes, the most famous of them is the rotary gyroscope - this is a solid body that rotates rapidly and whose axis is capable of changing orientation in space. The speed of rotation of the gyroscope in this case significantly exceeds the speed of rotation of its rotation axis. The main property of this gyroscope is the ability to maintain a constant direction of the rotation axis in space in the absence of any influence on it by external forces. The main part of a rotary gyroscope is a rapidly rotating rotor, which has several degrees of freedom (axes of possible rotation).
Operating principle
The principle of operation of a gyroscope is based on weights that vibrate on a plane with a speed frequency multiplied by movement. When the gyroscope turns, the so-called Coriolis acceleration occurs. If you skipped physics at school or don’t know, then all bodies have a single property - when they rotate, they maintain their orientation relative to the direction of gravity. Essentially, a gyroscope is a top that rotates around a vertical axis, mounted in a frame that can rotate around a horizontal axis, and in turn fixed in another frame that can rotate around a third axis. Thus, we can come to the conclusion: no matter how we turn the top, it always has the opportunity to still be in a vertical position. The sensors record how the top is oriented relative to the frames, and the processor reads how the frames in this case should be positioned relative to gravity.
Gyroscopes are used in technology. They are used as components both in navigation systems (artificial horizon, gyrocompass, etc.) and in spacecraft orientation and stabilization systems. As for the stabilization system itself, there are three types: a power stabilization system (used on two-degree gyroscopes), an indicator-power stabilization system (also on two-degree gyroscopes) and an indicator stabilization system (on three-degree gyroscopes).
Now let’s take a closer look at these three main types. Force Stabilization System: One gyroscope is required for stabilization around each axis. The stabilization itself is carried out directly by the gyroscope, as well as by the unloading engine. At the beginning, the gyroscopic moment acts, and then the unloading motor is connected. Indicator-force stabilization system: stabilization also requires one gyroscope. Stabilization is carried out only by unloading motors, but at the beginning a small gyroscopic moment appears. And the last one is an indicator stabilization system: one gyroscope is needed to stabilize around two axes. Stabilization is carried out only by unloading motors.
Using a gyroscope in mobile devices
Let's touch on the topic of using a gyroscope in mobile devices and game consoles. Currently, most smartphones use a so-called MEMS accelerometer. Being an acceleration sensor, in a resting state it sees only one vector - the vector of the universal force of gravity, which is always directed towards the center of the Earth. By decomposing the vector into the sensitive axes of the sensor, the angular position of the device in space is calculated without any difficulty. Also, vector decomposition can show that the sensor is unable to determine the device’s turn based on the heading angle, that is, turning left or right when the smartphone is placed on its edge - the projection of the vector onto the heading is always zero. The first game controller that can determine its position in space was released by Nintendo - the Wii Remote for the Wii game console, and it uses only a three-dimensional accelerometer.
In addition, the gyroscope began to be used in game controllers. For example, Sixaxis for the third generation SONY PlayStation and Wii MotionPlus for the Nintendo Wii. Both game controllers use two complementary spatial sensors: a gyroscope and an accelerometer. Also, the newest controllers, in addition to the accelerometer, use an additional spatial sensor - a gyroscope. If we consider the work of a gyroscope in other things, then there are toys based on a gyroscope. The most commonplace examples are a yo-yo and a spinning top, or popularly called a spinning top. Tops differ from gyroscopes in that they do not have a single fixed point.
There are also applications for the gyroscope in other areas - there is a whole list of them. The gyroscope is used in navigation devices in airplanes and spacecraft, in weapons (the bullet spins when fired, this gives it much greater stability and increases shooting accuracy), the wheels of a bicycle or similar device work like gyroscopes - this prevents the rider from falling. Thus, any rotating object can be called a gyroscope - it counteracts the deviation of the axis of rotation.
Mobile personal computers, one of which is, are equipped with a huge number of functions. Advanced users use resources to the maximum, but most tablet owners do not even suspect what opportunities are offered by certain components of the device. Let's take, for example, a gyroscope in a tablet - not everyone knows what it is, why it is needed, how to use it.
Tablet gyroscope functions
The principle of operation of a gyroscope is that this part accurately determines the position of the device in space and measures rotation angles. This happens due to the gyroscopic sensor installed in the tablet. Today, gyroscopes are so compact that they are equipped with telephones. A gyroscope is often confused with an accelerometer, but these are different components. The main function of the accelerometer is to rotate the display, as it measures the angle of inclination of the electronic device relative to the surface of the planet. The gyroscope, in turn, not only determines the position in space, but also allows you to track movements. When the accelerometer and gyroscope in the tablet are used simultaneously, the best accuracy is achieved.
Examples of using a gyroscope in a tablet
One of the functions of the gyroscope is protective. Since the gyroscope works by reacting to changes in position, it can signal in time that the device has fallen. For example, this function in laptops and some tablets allows you to instantly fix the hard drive and reduce the likelihood of it being damaged when it hits a surface. Also, when asked why a gyroscope is in a tablet, any gamer will answer with enthusiasm. Controlling a virtual steering wheel of a racing car or an airplane's steering wheel has become absolutely realistic with the invention of this sensor.
The presence of a gyroscope made it possible to control the device in a new way - for example, a certain algorithm of sudden movements with a tablet will help increase or decrease the sound volume; in phones with a gyroscope, you can answer a call using movement, etc. In addition, the gyroscope can “cooperate” with the software. A popular example is a calculator, which, when rotated from a standard vertical position to a horizontal one, turns from a regular one into an engineering one, equipped with additional functions such as trigonometric or logarithmic ones.
You can also give an example of the everyday use of a gyroscope - it can provide a tablet with building-grade functions. It is convenient to use a tablet with a gyroscope as a navigator. The map, thanks to the sensor, is displayed in such a way that it shows exactly the area that opens before your eyes. When rotated around its axis, the map changes the image in accordance with the new overview.
Are there any disadvantages to a gyroscope?
The gyroscope sensor reacts to changes in position in space, but it does not have telepathic abilities. It is not always the case that turning a device requires exactly the same reaction that will follow as a result of the gyroscope assessing the situation. An elementary example is reading while lying down; the gyroscope will rotate the text on the display to a vertical position, while the person reading needs it in a horizontal position. Of course, this situation will be annoying, so when buying a tablet, it is important to make sure that the device has the ability to disable the function.
Malfunction of the gyroscope
If the gyroscope on your tablet does not work or does not work correctly, this is not a reason to resign yourself and refuse to use it. Of course, if the problem is hardware, you will have to take the tablet to a service center and invest money in repairs, but the problem may just be in the sensor settings. Usually, in the instructions for the device you can find a detailed description of how to set up a gyroscope on a tablet of a specific model. In most cases, standard sensor calibration is sufficient; if the result is not achieved, you can download additional applications.
