MEMS accelerometers in accurate mount positioning systems

László Mészáros; András Pál; Attila Jaskó

doi:10.1117/12.2064617

18 July 2014 MEMS accelerometers in accurate mount positioning systems

László Mészáros, András Pál, Attila Jaskó

Proceedings Volume 9151, Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation; 915162 (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2064617
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2014, Montréal, Quebec, Canada

Abstract

In order to attain precise, accurate and stateless positioning of telescope mounts we apply microelectromechanical accelerometer systems (also known as MEMS accelerometers). In common practice, feedback from the mount position is provided by electronic, optical or magneto-mechanical systems or via real-time astrometric solution based on the acquired images. Hence, MEMS-based systems are completely independent from these mechanisms. Our goal is to investigate the advantages and challenges of applying such devices and to reach the sub-arcminute range { that is well smaller than the field-of-view of conventional imaging telescope systems. We present how this sub-arcminute accuracy can be achieved with very cheap MEMS sensors. Basically, these sensors yield raw output within an accuracy of a few degrees. We show what kind of calibration procedures could exploit spherical and cylindrical constraints between accelerometer output channels in order to achieve the previously mentioned accuracy level. We also demonstrate how can our implementation be inserted in a telescope control system. Although this attainable precision is less than both the resolution of telescope mount drive mechanics and the accuracy of astrometric solutions, the independent nature of attitude determination could significantly increase the reliability of autonomous or remotely operated astronomical observations.

Citation Download Citation

László Mészáros, András Pál, and Attila Jaskó "MEMS accelerometers in accurate mount positioning systems", Proc. SPIE 9151, Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation, 915162 (18 July 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2064617

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KEYWORDS

Calibration

Sensors

Telescopes

Microelectromechanical systems

Optical spheres

Spherical lenses

Computer programming

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