Industrial Robotic Systems
Large Autonomous Forklifts or Long-Path Navigation
Where Centimeter-Level Dead-Reckoning Stability is Critical.
Industrial Robotic Systems
Moving crates, boxes, and packages around a large distribution center at high-speed rates require more than physical demand on humans. This is where robotics come into play. Today’s robotics have the ability to lift tons of weight like it was literally nothing at all. They move that weight to a designated location where it is to be stored or further handled. This type of precision and accuracy requires an inertial sensor guidance system that will stand up to the requirements of a 24/7 factory, assembly plant, warehouse, or distribution center.
Fiber-optic gyroscopes (FOGs) and quartz micro-electromechanical systems (QMEMS) gyroscopes are both used for inertial guidance in unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) operating in warehouses and distribution centers. Their suitability varies significantly depending on precision requirements, cost sensitivity, and physical constraints of the application.
FOGs offer exceptionally high accuracy and very low drift, making them valuable where precise dead-reckoning is essential—especially in GPS-denied indoor environments. Their optical measurement principle ensures excellent long-term stability, which helps maintain accurate position estimates over long distances without frequent recalibration..
QMEMS gyroscopes use vibrating quartz structures that combine the stability of quartz with MEMS-scale fabrication. They offer good tactical-grade performance, which is sufficient for most warehouse navigation tasks when fused with wheel encoders, lidar, or vision systems. QMEMS sensors are far smaller than FOGs – often in board-level or chip-scale packages. They are dramatically cheaper and more rugged, with low power consumption suited for battery-powered autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and robotic forklifts. The trade-off is higher drift and lower bias stability compared to FOGs, meaning they cannot maintain extremely precise inertial navigation over long distances without external updates.
In warehouse applications, QMEMS gyroscopes are typically the best economic and functional match. Their size, cost, and durability fit modern AMR and AGV requirements, especially when combined with SLAM, QR-code localization, or lidar mapping. FOGs are most appropriate only in specialized high-accuracy use cases—such as large autonomous forklifts or long-path navigation where centimeter-level dead-reckoning stability is critical and cost is less of a constraint.
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