How often do you wonder what the devices that help you cope with everyday life and serve as a window to the world are made of? social networks and funny videos on YouTube are your constant companions and faithful assistants? Yes, yes, we are talking about smartphones, tablets and other gadgets that have become firmly established in our lives. But if you think about it, most users are not even aware of their internal structure. We will correct this by telling you a little about the modules that make up our devices. And today we’ll talk about what a gyroscope is in a smartphone or laptop.
A look into the past
First, a little history. The principle of the gyroscope was first proposed in 1817 by the German astronomer and mathematician John Bonenberger, who called it a “rotary machine” and used it to visually demonstrate the principles by which the Earth rotates on its axis. Later, in 1852, the design was improved by the French scientist Jean Foucault, who demonstrated it for the first time under the name “gyroscope”. The gyroscope first found its practical use in the 1880s as part of a stabilizing torpedo guidance system.
So what is it? We will not try to describe the design of the first gyroscopes; now there are many varieties of them - from mechanical to laser. Let's just say that this is a sensor that determines the position of an object in space, and not only the position, but also the rate of its change. Now many will probably think that we are talking about an accelerometer. Actually no, these are different devices, although they are often used in pairs. The accelerometer, in fact, if we ignore boring scientific definitions, measures the angle of rotation of an object relative to the plane of the planet. A gyroscope is much more accurate, and using them in pairs gives a much more accurate determination of the position of an object in space.
How is it used and why is it needed in my gadgets?
The gyroscope is used in many different ways. Here, it is probably advisable to look back again - the fact is that gyroscopes began to be used in electronic devices quite a long time ago, long before the first smartphones and tablets. Initially, they were installed in business-class or rugged laptops industrial models. In general, where the safety of the device or is critically important. Thanks to its ability to determine the rate of change in the position of the gadget in space, the gyroscope had time, in the event of, for example, a laptop falling, to give a command to the electronics so that it would park the read heads sensitive to shocks hard drive. Thus, the functionality of the device and the data on it was maintained.
In mobile devices (smartphones, tablets) hard drives were used extremely rarely; preference was given to flash memory, which withstands such shocks better. Therefore, at first, the already mentioned accelerometer was used in mobile gadgets. In fact, why install a more expensive module where you can get the necessary functions for more? This approach was used due to the prevailing scenarios for the disposal of devices - the accelerometer was mainly responsible for rotating the screen when changing the orientation of the gadget in space. This continued until the well-known company from Cupertino (we're talking about Apple, of course) introduced its next smartphone. At the presentation of the iPhone 4, Steve Jobs placed special emphasis on the fact that the company's new smartphone features a gyroscope.
Now it is probably easier to list gadgets without this very useful sensor (and mostly these will be different budget models) than those in which it takes its place of honor.
The gyroscope has found its application in many scenarios for using mobile devices:
- Let's start with the most obvious - with the advent of the gyroscope, mobile gaming has received a completely new level of user experience. Agree, it’s much more pleasant to use a tablet as a steering wheel. But it is thanks to the gyroscope that the gadget responds so accurately to the slightest movements of your hands, giving you the feeling of complete control over the car. The same can be said about all kinds of flight simulators and other games where control is based not on the usual “tap” on the screen, but on using rotation or shaking of the device.
- Interaction with software. The gyroscope allows you to measure the position of your tablet or smartphone in space so accurately that, by installing special software, you can use it as building level or a plumb line, or measure the angle of inclination of objects. Many applications began to introduce control by rotating the gadget or shaking it; the pioneers here were Apple with the iPhone 4, in which shaking the device could be controlled. Another obvious example is a calculator. Everyone is accustomed to the fact that when you change the orientation of the device to landscape, it becomes engineering. Can you guess which module is responsible for this?
- IN navigation systems Gyroscopes have been used in aircraft and other vehicles for a long time. Nowadays, this is a common thing in a mobile assistant - when you turn a corner, the map on the display of your tablet also unfolds so that you always see the correct direction of the path in front of you.
You can come up with many more scenarios for using a gyroscope, these are just the most obvious ones, those that we use every day, without thinking about what exactly helps us perform all these useful actions.
What to do if the gyroscope does not work
Of course, sometimes it happens that the sensor does not work or works, but not very correctly. In this case, we advise you to calibrate the gyroscope - this can often be done using the built-in capabilities of the device; if not, then there are many utilities in the application stores designed to help you with this. It is possible that you yourself simply turned off the module - a common situation when you want to read while lying in bed, but the text stubbornly turns to landscape orientation. Agree, it’s inconvenient. That’s why many people turn off the module and, as often happens, then forget to turn it on again. But if the module is turned on, and calibration did not help, well, it’s time to visit a service center.
This useful module is installed in our favorite gadgets. It's always interesting to know how something you use every day works. Share this knowledge with your friends. Stay with us and see you again!
A short video introduction to the gyroscope:
Smartphones and other devices are equipped with many interesting functions and sensors. mobile devices. One of the leading modules is a gyro sensor or gyroscope. An outlandish novelty in the device, made on the basis of a microelectromechanical system, made a big leap in improving functionality and won great sympathy among users. The origin of the word “gyroscope” has a long history. It stands for the phrase “circle” and “I look.”
The founder of the ancient Greek saying was the French physicist Leon Foucault. In the 19th century, he was studying the daily rotation of the Earth, and this term was perfect for the new device. Gyro sensors are used by airlines, shipping, and astronautics. Apple Company, manufacturer of modern mobile phones, was the first to take this functionality as a basis and implement it in the iPhone 4. Despite the fact that the video below is on English, a technology demonstration from Steve Jobs is understandable without translation.
Now, in order to answer incoming calls or flip through the pages of an e-book, you just need to shake the phone. Thanks to the device, photos and other images are quickly viewed, and the music changes. A new application on the iPone smartphone called CoveFlow allows you to use a calculator. Functions such as division, multiplication, addition and subtraction are now easily performed. When you rotate the phone 90°, this function automatically switches to advanced functionality with many complex mathematical operations.
Along with light functions, the developers have integrated more complex software into the device. For example, in some operating systems, shaking the phone starts an update for Bluetooth or launches a specific program for measuring inclination angles and levels. The gyroscope perfectly takes into account the speed of movement and determines the location of a person in unfamiliar terrain.
From a technical point of view, a gyroscope is a rather complex device. When developing it, we took as a basis the principle of operation of an accelerometer, which is a flask with a spring and a weight inside. A weight is attached to one side of the spring, and the other side of the spring is fixed to a damper to dampen vibrations. When the measuring instrument is shaken (accelerated), the attached mass moves and tensions the spring.
Such fluctuations can be represented in the form of data. If you place three such accelerometers perpendicularly, you can get an idea of how an object is located in space. Since it is technically possible to place such a bulky meter impossible in a smartphone, the principle of operation was left the same, but the load was replaced with an inert mass, which is located in a very small chip. When accelerating, the position of the inertial mass changes and thus the position of the smartphone in space is calculated.
With the help of GPS navigation, a map appears on the display that records the same direction of objects for any rotation of the body. In other words, if you are facing a river, it will automatically appear on the map. When turning 180 degrees towards a body of water, similar changes instantly occur on the monitor. Using this function makes it easier to navigate the area. This is especially important for people involved in active recreation.
Thanks to accurate tracking of movement speed, smartphone control becomes more convenient and harmonious. Computer game lovers - gamers - often use gyroscopes on Android. A unique device in the device instantly turns pictures into reality. Racing games, simulators, shooting games, and Pokemon Go become especially plausible.
Just change the position of your smartphone and the speed of rotation, and driving a virtual car will seem real to you. The heroes on the display will accurately point the machine gun, aim the cannon, turn the steering wheel, lift the helicopter into the air, and kill the enemy. Pocket monsters will not jump on virtual grass, but will move around the real world in the visible area of the built-in camera.
Of course, this is not the entire list of positive characteristics inherent in Android smartphones and iPhone. The list of pleasant and convenient moments is endless. However, not all users appreciated the universal qualities. Some chose to abandon the gyroscope in the new smartphone, others simply turned it off. And there is an explanation for this.
Among the many advantages, there are subtle disadvantages.
- One of the disadvantages is the installation of individual applications that react with a slight delay to changes in positions in space. It seems like a mere trifle, but the presence of this sensor causes certain inconvenience to the smartphone user. The disadvantages are especially noticeable when reading an e-book while lying down. The reader changes his position, at the same time, a gyro sensor connected to the device changes the position of the page. We have to urgently reconfigure its orientation.
- Smartphone manufacturers in their presentations in most cases are silent about the presence of an important sensor. When purchasing a new model, the presence of a gyroscope can be found in the technical characteristics of the gadget in the list of sensors. There are other ways, for example, installing the YouTube client, which allows you to quickly install the functionality. Using the AnTuTu Benchmark app, Sensor Sense also determines the built-in gyro sensor or lack thereof.
The modern element of a smartphone works on an ongoing basis. This is an independent sensor that does not require calibration. It does not need to be turned on or off. Automation will do this work for you. If the device is missing, you will not be able to play virtual reality. You'll just have to buy new phone with built-in functions.
Nowadays, all smartphones are equipped with at least one sensor, and most often several. The most common sensors are proximity, lighting and motion sensors. Most smartphones are equipped with an accelerometer that responds to device movement in two or maximum three planes. For full interaction with the headset virtual reality you need a gyroscope that detects movements in any direction.
The gyroscope in a smartphone is a microelectromechanical converter of angular velocities into an electrical signal. In other words, this sensor calculates the change in the angle of inclination relative to the axis when the device is rotated.
A gyroscope belongs to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), which combine mechanical and electronic parts. Such chips are on the order of a couple of millimeters or less in size.
A conventional gyroscope consists of an inertial object that rapidly rotates around its axis. Thus, it maintains its direction, and the displacement of the controlled object is measured by changing the position of the suspensions. Such a top obviously won’t fit into smartphones; MEMS is used instead.
Converting mechanical motion into electrical signal
The simplest single-axis gyroscope has two moving masses moving in opposite directions (shown in blue in the picture). As soon as an external angular velocity is applied, the mass is subject to a Coriolis force, which is directed perpendicular to their motion (marked in orange).
Under the influence of the Coriolis force, the masses shift by an amount proportional to the applied speed. Changing the position of the masses changes the distance between the moving electrodes (rotors) and stationary electrodes (stators), which leads to a change in the capacitance of the capacitor and, accordingly, the voltage on its plates, and this is an electrical signal. It is these multiple signals that are recognized by the MEMS gyroscope, determining the direction and speed of movement.
Calculating smartphone orientation
The microcontroller receives voltage information and converts it into angular velocity in at the moment. The magnitude of the angular velocity can be determined with a given accuracy, for example, up to 0.001 degrees per second. To determine how many degrees around the axis the device was rotated, it is necessary to multiply the instantaneous speed by the time between two sensor readings. If we use a three-axis gyroscope, we will receive data on rotations relative to all three axes, that is, in this way we can determine the orientation of the smartphone in space.
It is worth noting here that to obtain the angle values, it is necessary to integrate the original equations, which include angular velocities. With each integration the error increases. If you calculate the position only using a gyroscope, then over time the calculated values will become incorrect.
Therefore, in smartphones, to accurately determine orientation in space, accelerometer data is also needed. This sensor measures linear acceleration but does not respond to cornering. Both sensors are capable of fully describing all types of motion. The main advantage of a gyroscope over an accelerometer is that it responds to movement in any direction.
Why do you need a gyroscope in a smartphone?
This sensor has received increased attention over the past couple of years, when games and virtual reality applications began to actively develop. For user interaction with virtual reality, the program needs to accurately determine the person’s position in space. Now even in the most budget smartphones An accelerometer is installed, but its readings are accompanied by noise, and the sensor does not respond to turns and movements in the horizontal plane. Therefore, for complete immersion in virtual reality, a smartphone must have a gyroscope and an accelerometer.
How to find out if your smartphone has a gyroscope
Typically, the characteristics of a smartphone indicate what sensors it has. If you doubt the veracity of the information, they will help special programs. For example, Sensor Box for Android shows information about all built-in sensors. The gyroscope is designated as Gyroscope. There are other methods that we described in this article.
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There are a huge number of inventions that are characterized by a long and very rich history of use in various instruments and devices. It is common to hear the name of something but not even have an idea of what it is for. This is exactly how the question arises, what is a gyroscope? It's worth looking into it.
Basic definition
A gyroscope is a navigation device in which the main element is a rapidly rotating rotor, fixed in such a way that its axis of rotation rotates. Two gimbal frames provide three degrees of freedom. In the absence of any external influences on the device, the axis of the rotor's own rotation maintains a constant direction in space. If it is influenced by the moment of an external force that tends to rotate the axis of its own rotation, then it begins its movement not around the direction of the moment, but around an axis perpendicular to it.
Device Features
If we talk about what a gyroscope is, then it is worth noting that in a well-balanced and fairly quickly rotating device, mounted on highly advanced bearings with low friction, there is practically no moment of external forces, so the device is able to maintain its orientation in space almost unchanged. Therefore, it is able to indicate the angle of rotation of the base on which it is fixed. This is exactly what was first clearly demonstrated by the French physicist J. Foucault. If you limit the rotation of the axis with a special spring, then when installing the device on which it performs the turn, the gyroscope will deform the spring until the moment of the external force is balanced. In this case, the tension or compression force of the spring will be proportional to the angular velocity of the aircraft. An aircraft turn signal and many other gyroscopic devices operate on this principle. Since the bearings create very little friction, it does not require much energy to keep the gyroscope rotor spinning. Typically, to set it in motion, as well as to maintain this movement, a low-power electric motor or a jet of compressed air is sufficient.
Gyroscope: application
Most often, this device is used as a sensitive element for indicating gyroscopic devices, and also as a rotation angle or angular velocity sensor for devices operating under automatic control. In some cases, a gyroscope can serve as a generator of energy or torque.
Currently, the operating principle of the gyroscope allows it to be actively used in aviation, shipping and astronautics. Almost every seagoing vessel has a gyrocompass for automatic or manual control ship, and some also use gyrostabilizers. The fire control system of naval artillery is usually equipped with many additional gyroscopes, which are designed to provide a stable reference frame or to measure angular velocities.
If you understand what a gyroscope is, then you should understand that without it it is simply unthinkable automatic control torpedoes. Helicopters and airplanes are also necessarily equipped with these devices in order to provide reliable information about the activities of navigation and stabilization systems. Such devices include an attitude indicator, a gyroscopic turn and roll indicator, and a gyrovertical. If we consider a helicopter with a gyroscope, then this device can serve both as a pointing device and as an autopilot sensor. Many aircraft are equipped with gyro-stabilized and other equipment - cameras with gyroscopes, gyrosectants, navigation sights. In military aviation, gyroscopes are actively used as components in bombing and aerial shooting sights.
Application in modern gadgets
So, if we consider what a gyroscope is, it should be noted that this device is actively used not only in the previously mentioned areas. Modern smartphones and tablets are equipped with a lot of additional functions and modules, some of which turn out to be very useful, while others can interfere with the comfortable use of the device, annoying users. One of them is the gyroscope in the phone, which becomes clear when you use your device. On the one hand, it turns out to be very useful, although on the other hand, most users prefer to simply turn it off.
What is this?
First you need to decide what kind of device it is and what functionality it has. So, a gyroscope in a phone is an element necessary to determine how the device is oriented in space. In some cases, this sensor can be used to protect individual elements of the device from falling in the future. In fact, this sensor is designed to detect a change in position, and if there is an accelerometer, also acceleration during a fall. The information is then transmitted to the gadget's computing unit. If there is a certain software the device makes a decision about how it should react further to the changes that have occurred to it.
What else is it needed for?
So, if everything becomes clear with the question of what a gyroscope is, then all that remains is to find out why it is used in phones. Protecting the insides is not the only task here. In combination with a variety of software, it falls on a whole series various functions. For example, a smartphone can be used for games in which control is carried out by tilting, shaking or turning the device. Such controls make games truly exciting, which is why they are in high demand.
It can be noted that Apple products are equipped with gyroscopes, and they play a very significant role, since the operation of many applications is tied to them. A mode called CoverFlow was specially developed for it. There are a very large number of applications that work in this mode, but you can focus on a few that most clearly demonstrate it. For example, if you use a calculator on an iPhone, then in portrait position the user will only have access to simple actions, namely addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. But when you rotate the device 90 degrees, everything changes. At the same time, the calculator switches to the advanced mode, that is, the engineering mode, in which many more functions will be available.
If you understand how a gyroscope works, then it should be noted that its functions can also be used to determine your own location on the ground.
You can view a map of the area on such a device using GPS navigation, and in this case the map will always turn in the direction where your gaze is directed. Therefore, if you are facing, for example, a river, this will be displayed on the map, and if you turn, the position of the map will change. Thanks to this, terrain navigation is greatly simplified and can be quite useful for people who are passionate about active recreation.
Problems with the gyroscope on the phone
One can also talk about the disadvantages inherent in gyroscopes. Very often they are disabled due to the fact that programs react to changes in position in space with some delay. For example, if you decide to read while lying on the couch on the screen of a smartphone or tablet, then the gyroscope and the program associated with it will change the orientation of the page every time you turn or change your position. This causes a lot of inconvenience, since very rarely the device is able to correctly interpret the position in space, and the situation is aggravated by the delayed response of the program.
Modern varieties
The first gyroscopes were mechanical. This type of device is still used today, but with some improvements to make it more useful. At the moment, there is a laser gyroscope, which is devoid of the disadvantages inherent in mechanical ones. And this is exactly the device used in modern technology.
For some time now it has become clear that the gyroscope is a very important sensor. And it’s very sad that smartphone manufacturers modestly keep silent about its absence at their presentations. Fortunately, you can find out about the presence or absence of a gyroscope both before purchasing the device and after. How to do this is described in today's article.
But first, let's understand what exactly a gyroscope is. We will also try to find out whether it is considered such an important detail. And only after that we will tell you how to check for its presence.
A full-fledged gyroscope is similar in shape to a spinning top or a top. It has a stand, rotor disc, hairpin and several hoops. Its design is made in such a way that the disk is always in one position, for which we should thank gravity.
It is impossible to install a classic gyroscope in a smartphone, since it is too large. Therefore, a special sensor based on a microelectromechanical system is used instead. Its width varies from 5 to 10 mm, and its height does not exceed 5 mm. However, even such dimensions seem too large to some smartphone manufacturers, and therefore they often refuse to install a gyroscope.
Where is a gyroscope used?
This sensor is an improved version of the accelerometer. With his help operating system not only knows in time about the movement and rotation of the device, but can also accurately track all these actions. If the accelerometer is a kind of building level, then the gyroscope increases the accuracy of the readings of this sensor significantly.
If you want to purchase one for Android in the future, then your device must have a gyroscope. This sensor will track the turns of your head, directing your virtual gaze exactly in the direction in which your real eyes are directed. Also, the gyroscope on Android helps in viewing the starry sky. If you use the appropriate application, it will understand which direction the camera is facing, showing the names of the currently visible constellations.
This sensor is also used in games with . The most a shining example Pokemon Go serves this purpose. If your smartphone does not have a gyroscope, then pocket monsters will jump on virtual grass. If the sensor is present, then the animals will move around the real world, the visible area of which falls into the view of the built-in camera.
How to find out if your smartphone or tablet has a gyroscope
There are several ways to find out if your device has a gyroscope. The most commonplace thing is to go to the manufacturer’s official website to get acquainted with technical characteristics gadget. Specifically, the gyroscope needs to be looked for in the list of sensors. But we’re not looking for easy ways, are we? Therefore, he will move on to other methods.
If you have a YouTube client installed on your smartphone or tablet, open it and enter the query “ 360 video" Start displaying any of the returned results. If you can move the view of the virtual camera using the rotation of your smartphone, then the gyroscope is present and functioning successfully. If you can only turn your gaze with your finger, then there is no sensor in the device.
Another way is to use the application AnTuTu Benchmark. You need to download it, install it and run it. In the " Info» you will discover all the technical specifications of your device. You will also see the name of the built-in gyroscope. Or you will find that he " Not supported"(that is, it simply does not exist).
Instead of AnTuTu, you can install a more specialized utility. It's about Sensor Sense. It displays readings from all sensors built into the smartphone. If the gyroscope is not in the list, then it is not built into the gadget. This can also be said if the data from this sensor does not change when the device is rotated in your hands.
How to enable gyroscope on Android?
This element of the smartphone works on an ongoing basis. It cannot be enabled or disabled. If at this moment you are thinking about the screen rotation function, then the accelerometer is responsible for it. And this feature can actually be disabled. To do this, do the following:
Step 1. Go to the system settings section.
Step 2. Go to the subsection " Screen».
Step 3. Here you can easily find the item responsible for the actions of the device when it is rotated. Change its value to the desired one.
On smartphones with current version Android You can control the auto-rotate screen option through the notification panel. Depending on the device model, this parameter may be called differently.
On the body of some old gadgets (mostly tablet computers) you can find a separate switch. It blocks screen rotation, regardless of the settings.
Is it possible to customize the gyroscope?
As mentioned above, the gyroscope is a completely independent sensor, the operation of which cannot be interfered with in any way. If the accelerometer can be calibrated, then no similar actions can be performed with the gyroscope. If it is completely absent, then you will have to buy a new phone for augmented or virtual reality.
