LAS VEGAS, NV–(Marketwire – Aug 6, 2012) – At the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International North America (AUVSI 2012), PNI Sensor Corporation is showcasing field-proven applications for its TRAX Attitude & Heading Reference System (AHRS), the first extremely accurate and yet surprisingly affordable sensor system for unmanned, land and water-based vehicles and robot applications. New TRAX AHRS modules deliver accurate heading readings, even while moving and when encountering magnetic interference. TRAX modules know where they are, and know where they’re going.
“Robotics customers demand increased precision, smaller size and greater autonomy,” commented Becky Oh, CEO, PNI Sensor Corporation. “And, our TRAX module meets those requirements perfectly.” Built using PNI’s years of expertise in producing tilt-compensated compass modules for demanding military and scientific applications, our TRAX AHRS delivers extremely accurate heading outputs while moving and when encountering magnetic distortion in the environment. TRAX owes its superb performance to its highly sensitive sensors and complex Kalman-filtering algorithms, that together finally overcome the kind of magnetic anomalies that send standard AHRS spinning out of control. TRAX’s surprisingly affordable pricing makes it possible to include it in a whole new world of lower-priced robotic applications.
What’s Different?
The TRAX combines extremely high performance magnetometers with filtering expertise based on PNI’s years of design and production experience with magnetic field sensors and motion tracking systems. This enables TRAX to recognize when a transient magnetic distortion is present, compensate for this distortion, and continue to provide accurate heading outputs. Unlike standard AHRS’s that can be thrown off kilter for exasperatingly long periods of time and by up to 35º, TRAX has a heading accuracy of +/-2º, even while moving and/or encountering magnetic materials. TRAX delivers dynamic heading accuracy, even in magnetically-compromised environments, enabling robots and unmanned vehicles to perform complex tasks in the face of moving objects, inside buildings, and across landscapes of metal detritus and unknown matter.
TRAX Customer Applications
TRAX modules are suited for use in a variety of applications including underwater vehicles, ground robots, handheld surveying and targeting systems and in any environment where uncertain terrain or magnetic materials are found. For example, TRAX enables ROVs to maintain an accurate heading even near pipelines, hulls and oil rigs that can cause significant heading errors in standard AHRS modules. TRAX is also being used in Homeland security projects, several commercial applications, and University projects.
Price & Availability
TRAX modules began shipping in May, are priced more than 30% below comparable AHRSs, and are currently in use and in evaluation by organizations for robotics, ROV and targeting applications. TRAX was previewed at last year’s AUVSI event. For pricing information, please emailsales@pnicorp.com.
PNI Sensor at AVUSI
PNI is a member of Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems (AUVSI) and is exhibiting at AUVSI 2012 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, this week at Booth #3561. To arrange a demo or an appointment with a PNI expert please contact sales@pnicorp.com, or stop by the booth on Tuesday, August 7, 2012, between 3-5:30 pm for a public demo.
About AUVSI
The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems (AUVSI) is the world’s largest nonprofit organization devoted exclusively to advancing the unmanned systems and robotics community. AUVSI’s nearly 7,000 members worldwide come from government organizations, industry and academia. To learn more, visit the AUVSI website.
About PNI Sensor
PNI Sensor Corporation is America’s leader in the exacting science of producing pinpoint heading and orientation modules for consumer, military, scientific and oceanography communities. Building on decades of patented sensor research, PNI offers reliable magnetic sensor systems, including advanced compass modules and attitude and heading reference systems (AHRS) with proven intelligence that virtually eliminates magnetic distortion issues encountered with standard magnetic sensors. To learn more, please visit www.pnicorp.com.
