GYROSCOPE: BASIC DEFINITION AND TYPES

A gyroscope is a device used for measuring or maintaining

orientation and angular velocity. It is a spinning wheel or disc in
which the axis of rotation (spin axis) is free to assume any
orientation by itself.

There are three basic types of gyroscope:

•Rotary (classical) gyroscopes.
•Vibrating Structure Gyroscope.
•Optical Gyroscopes.
 ROTARY GYROSCOPES
• These gyroscopes typically consist of a spinning disk or mass
on an axle, which is mounted on a series of gimbals. Each
gimbal offers the spinning disk an additional degree of rotational
freedom. The gimbals allow the rotor to spin without applying
any net external torque on the gyroscope.
Vibrating structure gyroscope
• The physical principle is that a vibrating object tends to
continue vibrating in the same plane even if its support rotates.
The Coriolis effect causes the object to exert a force on its
support, and by measuring this force the rate of rotation can be
determined.
Optical gyroscopes ( fibre- optic gyroscope)
• A fibre-optic gyroscope (FOG) senses changes in orientation using the
Sagnac effect, thus performing the function of a mechanical
gyroscope. However its principle of operation is instead based on the
interference of light which has passed through a coil of optical fibre,
which can be as long as 5 kilometres (3 mi).