We increasingly expect the location aware-devices we rely on every day – from smartphones to car navigation systems – to deliver a high level of positioning performance wherever we find ourselves: in tunnels, in high-rising cities, or deep in the hearts of our office blocks and shopping malls.
But such environments are inherently problematic for GNSS-based positioning systems, whose accuracy and availability rely on maintaining a relatively clear path between the GNSS receiver and the transmitting satellites overhead.
GNSS + MEMS for Increased Positioning Accuracy
One fast-emerging solution is to take advantage of the MEMS inertial sensors – including gyroscope, barometer, magnetometer and accelerometer – that are built into many commercial devices as a matter of course. When combined with GNSS signals, the outputs from these sensors can provide greatly enhanced positioning accuracy and availability in environments where GNSS itself is limited or denied.
While these hybrid systems are opening the way for many new positioning-based applications, they also present new challenges to those involved in device R&D – critically, in accurately performance testing the algorithms needed to process the fusion of GNSS receiver and inertial sensor data.
But such environments are inherently problematic for GNSS-based positioning systems, whose accuracy and availability rely on maintaining a relatively clear path between the GNSS receiver and the transmitting satellites overhead.
GNSS + MEMS for Increased Positioning Accuracy
One fast-emerging solution is to take advantage of the MEMS inertial sensors – including gyroscope, barometer, magnetometer and accelerometer – that are built into many commercial devices as a matter of course. When combined with GNSS signals, the outputs from these sensors can provide greatly enhanced positioning accuracy and availability in environments where GNSS itself is limited or denied.
While these hybrid systems are opening the way for many new positioning-based applications, they also present new challenges to those involved in device R&D – critically, in accurately performance testing the algorithms needed to process the fusion of GNSS receiver and inertial sensor data.
Problems of Testing Sensor Fusion Algorithms
Testing the performance of sensor fusion algorithms in the field is slow, expensive and of limited value. The construction of a physical moving platform to carry the device under test (and thus create the desired MEMS inertial sensor outputs) is costly, and between each test run much time must be spent on manually adjusting and resetting the test equipment.
More importantly, since a live GNSS environment is always changing, it’s impossible to ever repeat a test under exactly the same conditions – making truly accurate benchmarking and optimisation of sensor fusion algorithms impossible.
Spirent’s New Simulation Solution
GNSS simulation has long since been widely recognised as the professional approach to performance testing GNSS receivers, delivering repeatable, exhaustive testing by recreating a representative GNSS signal environment in the controlled conditions of the R&D lab.
Spirent has extensive experience of test systems for blended GPS-inertial technology. In 2007 Spirent launched SimINERTIAL to test inertial navigation systems involving high grade GPS/inertial units suitable for military applications. Now we’ve drawn on our unmatched expertise to produce SimSENSOR, a simulation tool specifically for conducting fast, accurate, repeatable and extensive sensor fusion testing during the R&D of commercial devices.
Testing the performance of sensor fusion algorithms in the field is slow, expensive and of limited value. The construction of a physical moving platform to carry the device under test (and thus create the desired MEMS inertial sensor outputs) is costly, and between each test run much time must be spent on manually adjusting and resetting the test equipment.
More importantly, since a live GNSS environment is always changing, it’s impossible to ever repeat a test under exactly the same conditions – making truly accurate benchmarking and optimisation of sensor fusion algorithms impossible.
Spirent’s New Simulation Solution
GNSS simulation has long since been widely recognised as the professional approach to performance testing GNSS receivers, delivering repeatable, exhaustive testing by recreating a representative GNSS signal environment in the controlled conditions of the R&D lab.
Spirent has extensive experience of test systems for blended GPS-inertial technology. In 2007 Spirent launched SimINERTIAL to test inertial navigation systems involving high grade GPS/inertial units suitable for military applications. Now we’ve drawn on our unmatched expertise to produce SimSENSOR, a simulation tool specifically for conducting fast, accurate, repeatable and extensive sensor fusion testing during the R&D of commercial devices.
Spirent GSS6700
Taking Control – Sensor Fusion Testing in the Lab
Extending the capabilities of the Spirent GSS6700 and GSS8000 Multi-GNSS simulators, SimSENSOR simulates the outputs of MEMS inertial sensors on a common trajectory with the simulated GNSS signals.
SimSENSOR gives R&D teams the power to model of a broad range of test scenarios, and to ascertain the limits of a sensor fusion algorithm without ever needing to leave the lab. In addition, it offers the facility to simulate and control – or completely exclude – the background MEMs sensor noise and bias/drift errors that can adversely affect positioning performance.
Built for simple installation on the same PC as our GNSS simulation software, SimSENSOR also includes a library of common human gesture models – such as taking a device our of a pocket ,mapped on to the simulated linear trajectories, bringing an unmatched level of realism to each simulated test environment.
Next Steps
To learn more about sensor fusion testing, contact your local Spirent representative today. We’ve also created a Resource Centre especially for teams engaged in the R&D of hybrid MEMS inertial/GNSS systems. Visit it now to learn more about accurate, repeatable and fast sensor fusion testing, and to download your free Hybrid Positioning eBook.
Extending the capabilities of the Spirent GSS6700 and GSS8000 Multi-GNSS simulators, SimSENSOR simulates the outputs of MEMS inertial sensors on a common trajectory with the simulated GNSS signals.
SimSENSOR gives R&D teams the power to model of a broad range of test scenarios, and to ascertain the limits of a sensor fusion algorithm without ever needing to leave the lab. In addition, it offers the facility to simulate and control – or completely exclude – the background MEMs sensor noise and bias/drift errors that can adversely affect positioning performance.
Built for simple installation on the same PC as our GNSS simulation software, SimSENSOR also includes a library of common human gesture models – such as taking a device our of a pocket ,mapped on to the simulated linear trajectories, bringing an unmatched level of realism to each simulated test environment.
Next Steps
To learn more about sensor fusion testing, contact your local Spirent representative today. We’ve also created a Resource Centre especially for teams engaged in the R&D of hybrid MEMS inertial/GNSS systems. Visit it now to learn more about accurate, repeatable and fast sensor fusion testing, and to download your free Hybrid Positioning eBook.
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