From: mailrus!gatech!hydra2b.cs.utk.edu!evers@uunet.UU.NET (Eric Evers)
Subject: rambling on motion
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 90 17:40:14 GMT
Organization: Univ. of Tenn. Computer Science, Knoxville

motion/position sensing problem.

Une could use intergrated silicon chip acceloratomaters.  I saw some of these 
in popular science a couple of years ago.  It was the cover story on
micro-machines.  Basically there is a small mass(block) of silicon etched
out from the rest of the wafer.  It is connected to the rest of the 
wafer/chip by a small beam.  When you accelerate the mass in a direction
perpindicular to the beam, the mass deflects the beam.  This bent beam
has its resistance to current altered, which you can measure with a 
wheatstone bridge probably.  You need three of these (mabey six) for
each dimention of motion.  You intergrate the accelerations to get
velocity, and intergrate the velocities in three space to get position.

Every now and then an vertual-naught would have to stand at attention
to recalibrate.  

Also think about fiber optic gyroscopes for reading angular position.  
Possibally we can use opical gyros to calibrate for the silicon
acceloratometers. 
        The great thing about fiber
optical devices it that they can be quite light weight.  This is great
If I'm slogging a suit around for 4-8 hours.

Also  bending motions can be read by bend angle
attenution of light through an optical fiber. 

                                        Eric Evers
                                        Single mode optical fibers are 
                                        one-dimentional to a photon.
                                        Are you to your friends?