KVH wins $1.5 million contract for hand-held fiber optic gyro training simulator

Citation

(2001), "KVH wins $1.5 million contract for hand-held fiber optic gyro training simulator", Sensor Review, Vol. 21 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/sr.2001.08721bab.001

KVH wins $1.5 million contract for hand-held fiber optic gyro training simulator

KVH wins $1.5 million contract for hand-held fiber optic gyro training simulator

Keywords: Navigation, Fibre optics

KVH Industries has announced a $1.5 million contract award for the production of E•Core™ fiber optic gyros for use in the Javelin Basic Skills Trainer (BST) produced by Orlando-based ECC International Corporation. The BST will be used by the US Army to train soldiers to operate the new Javelin anti-tank missile system and is designed to take advantage of the best commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology.

"This contract is another great example of the numerous OEM applications for our fiber optic gyro technology," commented Martin Kits van Heyningen, KVH president and CEO. "In almost any application requiring precise measurement of movement, our fiber optic gyros are more accurate and reliable and have lower lifetime costs than competing against mechanical or other optic technologies. Our fiber optic gyros are now being used in satellite antenna stabilization systems, automotive testing, robotic floor sweepers and material handlers, heavy equipment, and to stabilize cameras and other optical devices."

The Javelin BST incorporates COTS hardware to provide cost-effective operator training. The operator holds the trainer while viewing pre-programmed training scenarios through a color LCD display embedded in the simulator's viewfinder. KVH's FOGs are used to measure the hand-held trainer's movement precisely and to allow the system's computer to synchronize that movement with the virtual reality scenario being shown on the simulator's display. The BST has switches and controls that perform as they would on the actual weapon, providing a realistic experience for the operator. Like many of the military's modern weapons systems that use expensive missiles, training with simulators is the only practical and cost-effective way for military personnel to gain the necessary experience.

Plate 1 The KVH Fibre Optic Gyro (FOG)

KVH fiber optic gyros are highly reliable because of their solid state design. There are no moving parts to wear out or require maintenance, and no cross-axis sensitivity to vibration, acceleration, or shock. FOGs are true single-axis rate sensors, measuring the angular rotation about an axis perpendicular to a coil of optical fiber. The open-loop configuration consists of a broadband, solid state optical source and KVH's proprietary E•Core optical fiber components. KVH FOGs are extremely accurate and able to detect changes in angular rate to better than 1/100th of a degree (see Plate 1).