Using an Accelerometer Configuration to Improve the Performance of a MEMS IMU: Feasibility Study with a Pedestrian Navigation Application

This paper proposes a new approach to improve the performance of a MEMS IMU namely the use of an aiding Gyroscope-Free IMU (GFIMU); a configuration of accelerometers capable of determining the motion of a rigid body. While a GFIMU is theoretically capable of replacing a traditional strapdown IMU, there are several practical issues that make the approach less that ideal. The combination of GFIMU with a gyroscope that is used in this paper is referred to as a GFIMU+. A prototype GFIMU+ was constructed by rigidly attaching five MEMS IMUS to a compact, purposedesigned plastic block. Measurements from all five triaxial accelerometers are combined with those of a single triaxial gyroscope in a novel Extended Kalman Filter (EKF). The states of the EKF comprise the angular velocity and the biases of the triaxial gyION GNSS 2009, Session F4, Savannah, GA, 22-25 September 2009

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