Rotation Rate Sensors and Their Applications

Rotation rate sensors are finding more and more applications in science and engineering, most prominently by serving for the control of vehicle or airplane motion. Functions in consumer electronics, such as smartphones and smartwatches are controlled with respect to their tilt. In modern seismology, the measurement of rotations about the vertical and horizontal axes is combined with classic displacement records, which has demonstrated many powerful applications. Even a small rocking motion of the foundations of tall buildings translates into substantial tip displacements. Furthermore, we are now in the position to obtain torsional motion from tall structures reliably. All these applications require various types of rotation rate sensors. From small MEMS gyros, over fiber-optic gyros and electrochemical devices to high resolution, large ring lasers. This Special Issue will collect papers on (inertial) rotation rate sensors and their applications, with particular attention paid to the novel areas of application in modern geophysics, civil and seismic engineering, as well as mechanical engineering and modern geodesy, including structural health monitoring.

Substantial progress in the technology of (inertial) rotation sensing has opened novel applications. The emerging field of rotational seismology is a good example of this development, applications in space geodesy and navigation are another. They rely on highly sensitive and stable sensors, which are very expensive. On the other hand, there are small and cheap sensors, which are neither stable nor sensitive but available in large numbers. We envisage contributions on sensor concepts and applications that outline achievements on all sides of this large application spectrum. We believe that collecting together papers on the design of rotation rate sensors with descriptions of their applications is well situated in the scope of the journal Sensors.

Prof. Zbigniew Zembaty
Dr. Felix Bernauer
Prof. Heiner Igel
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schreiber
Guest Editors

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