They all depend on frequency phase shift, it is the
principle, not the medium that determines the function.
With the light weight and low cost of a zero friction laser
gyro system, it should be possible to build a triple
redundant inertial navigation system, with GPS updating, for
very little money. It would also provide for flight control
and auto pilot and be economically viable because it could
be used for automotive, marine [including even bass boats]
as well as aviation. When you build millions of units, the
cost becomes affordable. As long as aviation builds systems
by the dozen, the cost will be way too high for general
acceptance.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.




"AES" wrote in message
...
| In article v4Mbg.22377$ZW3.15074@dukeread04,
| "Jim Macklin"
wrote:
|
| Google for "ring laser gyro" and pick from the returns,
| 146,000 pages available.
|
|
|
| Yes, except keep clear that "ring laser gyros" and "fiber
optic gyros",
| though they both use lasers and optics, and are truly
wonderful examples
| of modern science and technology, are fundamentally
different beasts.
|
| Ring laser gyros are the older technology, with Sperry and
Honeywell as
| major players in the field at least at one time. I believe
they are
| heavily used in military and airliner navigation systems,
though I'm not
| fully up to date on this
|
| Fiber gyros (a k a fiber optic gyros or fiber laser gyros)
are the newer
| technology, with Litton and Northrup Grumman among the
major players,
| and are perhaps poised to take over from the ring laser
gyro.
|
| Amazing to see what MEMS can do also.