SBG Systems Introduces Ekinox Series, a New Family of MEMS-based Tactical Grade Inertial Systems

At 0.05° attitude accuracy, Ekinox Inertial Systems brings cost-effective and robust MEMS to the Tactical Grade level.

Rueil-Malmaison, France, January 10th 2013 – SBG Systems presents Ekinox Series, a brand new product range of tactical grade inertial systems which brings robust and cost-effective MEMS to the Fiber Optic Gyro (FOG) level. This series consists of two ITAR Free models; the Ekinox AHRS which provides 0.05° 3D Attitude and 5 cm Heave, and the Ekinox INS which delivers additional 2 cm position. Marine, Ground, Aerospace, Ekinox Series precisely fits every demanding application.

Ekinox Series Brings Robust and Cost-effective MEMS to FOG Level
R&D specialists usually compromise between high accuracy and price. Ekinox Series brings robust, maintenance free, and cost-effective MEMS to the FOG accuracy and opens up to a new world of opportunities for professionals. Thanks to a drastic selection of high end MEMS sensors, an advanced calibration procedure, and powerful algorithm design; Ekinox Series achieves 0.05° in a compact and affordable package. Compromise is no longer required between high performance and cost.

Designed for Harsh Environments and High Demanding Applications
The Ekinox series has been designed for harsh environments and high demanding applications. Its IP68 enclosure is constructed of aluminum and every system has been intensively calibrated and tested. More than offering a high attitude accuracy, Ekinox hardware outputs data at 200 Hz, with a 3 milliseconds latency, and very low noise on Euler Angles (< 0.03°). All data can be recorded into the 4 GB internal data logger, displayed in real-time throughout an intuitive embedded interface, and analyzed in the sbgCenter software.

Ekinox AHRS & Ekinox INS, Two High Performance Models
The Ekinox family includes two high accuracy ITAR Free models, Ekinox AHRS and Ekinox INS.
Ekinox AHRS is an Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS). It delivers a 0.05° Attitude over 360° and 5cm Heave, Surge and Sway. Ekinox INS, the second model, is an Inertial Navigation System (INS). Providing the same performance, it additionally delivers a 2 cm position thanks to its embedded high end GNSS receiver. To further enhance performance in every field of use, up to four external aiding equipments can be simultaneously connected to Ekinox INS, including RTK GNSS, Odometer, DVL, EM Log, etc.

Ekinox series precisely fits every demanding application
To achieve the best performance in every demanding project, specific error-correction models have been implemented. Throughout the embedded web interface, the user simply selects the application (ex: automotive), the connected aiding equipment (ex: Novatel GPS), and environment constraints (ex: Urban Canyon); its Ekinox is now ready to unveil its full potential.

MARINE
Surface & Underwater Vehicles, Bathymetry

Ekinox accepts aiding data from various marine external equipments including DVL, Dual Antenna GPS, USBL, and EM Log. By offering real-time surge, sway, and auto adjusting heave on 4 monitoring points, NMEA protocol and Ethernet communication, Ekinox is ideal for demanding Marine applications such as vessel motion monitoring, ROV & AUV control, or Buoy positioning. As a cost-effective alternative to FOG technology, Ekinox is also highly efficient in geo-referencing data from Sonar, LIDAR, and Camera.

GROUND
Automotive, Unmanned Vehicles and Mobile Mapping

Whether you want to control an Unmanned Ground Vehicle, analyze car motion, or geo-reference point clouds and images, Ekinox comes with every feature needed. Combined with an odometer and a dual antenna RTK GPS, Ekinox INS outputs a 2 cm car position at 200 Hz. Cost-effective, Ekinox is also very powerful for orientation, positioning and stabilization of on board equipment such as SATCOM antenna, targeting system, gyro stabilized camera, etc.

AEROSPACE
Light Aircraft, UAV, on board Camera and LIDAR

Ekinox is perfectly suited to aerospace applications such as light aircraft navigation, mid-size and large UAV control, and on board Camera and Lidar data geo-referencing. It can also be used as a high accuracy vertical gyro. With its embedded GPS receiver, its robust IP68 enclosure and its extended dynamic temperature calibration, Ekinox INS is designed for harsh environments and delivers unmatched precision in high vibrating conditions (MIL-STD-810G).

Ekinox Series Availability
ITAR Free Ekinox AHRS & Ekinox INS will be available in April 2013. Ordering information is currently available from SBG Systems representatives and authorized SBG Systems dealers.
For more information about the new Ekinox Series, please visit: http://www.sbg-systems.com

SBG Systems – Redefine Motion Limits…
SBG Systems is a leading French supplier of MEMS-based inertial motion sensing solutions. The company provides a wide range of inertial solutions from miniature to high accuracy. Combined with cutting-edge calibration techniques and advanced embedded algorithms, SBG Systems products are ideal solutions for industrial & research projects such as unmanned vehicle control, antenna tracking, camera stabilization, and surveying applications.