Abstract: An auxetic interposer includes: a frame enclosing an interior space; a pad arranged within the interior space; and a plurality of micro auxetic lattices extending between the frame and the pad.

Abstract: A resonator includes an anchor, an outer stiffener ring on an outer perimeter of the resonator, and a plurality of curved springs between the anchor and the outer stiffener ring.

Abstract: An angular rate sensor. The sensor includes a Coriolis vibratory gyroscope (CVG) resonator, configured to oscillate in a first normal mode and in a second normal mode; a frequency reference configured to generate a reference signal; and a first phase control circuit. The first phase control circuit is configured to: measure a first phase difference between: a first phase target, and the difference between: a phase of an oscillation of the first normal mode and a phase of the reference signal. The first phase control circuit is further configured to apply a first phase correction signal to the CVG resonator, to reduce the first phase difference. A second phase control circuit is similarly configured to apply a second phase correction signal to the CVG resonator, to reduce a corresponding, second phase difference.

Abstract: Some variations provide an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal vapor cell with a solid ionic conductor and intercalable-compound electrodes. The intercalable-compound electrodes are used as efficient sources and/or as sinks for alkali metal or alkaline earth metal atoms, thus enabling electrical control over metal atom content in the vapor cell. Some variations provide a vapor-cell system comprising: a vapor-cell region configured to allow a vapor-cell optical path into a vapor-cell vapor phase; a first electrode containing an intercalable compound capable of being intercalated by at least one element selected from Rb, Cs, Na, K, or Sr; a second electrode electrically isolated from the first electrode; and an ion-conducting layer between the first electrode and the second electrode. The ion-conducting layer is ionically conductive for at least one ionic species selected from Rb+, Cs+, Na+, K+, or Sr2+. The first intercalable compound is preferably a carbonaceous material, such as graphite.

Abstract: A geopositioning system. The geopositioning system includes an accelerometer including three sensing axes, a gyroscope including three sensing axes, and a magnetometer including three sensing axes, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to calculate a location of the geopositioning system as a latitude, longitude, and altitude with respect to the Earth.

Abstract: An angular sensor. The angular sensor includes a Coriolis vibratory gyroscope (CVG) resonator, configured to oscillate in a first pair of normal modes including a first normal mode and a second normal mode and a second pair of normal modes including a third normal mode and a fourth normal mode. The angular sensor further includes a coarse readout circuit configured to drive the first pair of modes, measure the motion of the first pair of modes, and derive from the measured motion of the first pair of modes a coarse measurement of an angular rate of the resonator. The angular sensor further includes and a fine readout circuit configured to derive a measurement of the difference between the true angular rate of the resonator and the coarse measurement.

Abstract: An angular sensor, comprising a Coriolis vibratory gyroscope (CVG) resonator, capable of oscillating along a first pair of normal n=1 modes comprising a first normal mode and a second normal mode; and a second pair of normal n=2 modes comprising a third normal mode and a fourth normal mode; the sensor further comprising one drive electrode and one sense electrode aligned along an anti-nodal axis of each mode; and a pair of bias tune electrodes aligned with an anti-nodal axis of each mode if no drive and sense electrode pair is aligned with said anti-nodal axis.

Abstract: A method of making a SiC resonator includes forming a layer of an oxide material on a relatively thick wafer of SiC; bonding the layer of oxide material on the relatively thick wafer of SiC to a handle wafer having at least an oxide exterior surface, the resulting bond being substantially free of voids; planarizing the relatively thick wafer of SiC to a desired thickness; forming top and bottom electrodes on the wafer of SiC wafer to define a SiC wafer resonator portion; and forming a trench around the top and bottom electrodes, the tench completely penetrating the planarized wafer of SiC around a majority of a distance surrounding said top and bottom electrodes, except for one or more tether regions of the planarized wafer of SiC which remain physically coupled a remaining portion the SiC wafer resonator portion which defines a frame formed of the planarized wafer of SiC surrounding the SiC wafer resonator portion.

Abstract: A resonator has a resonator body and a frame at least partially surrounding the resonator body, the resonator body being coupled to the frame by at least one tether. The resonator body, frame and at least one tether comprise silicon carbide. A plurality of interdigitated electrodes are disposed on the silicon carbide resonator body. The resonator body preferably comprises 6H silicon carbide and preferably has a crystalline c-axis oriented generally parallel to a thickness direction of the resonator body.

Abstract: A gyroscope includes a cylindrical shell having a first end and a second end, a pedestal, a plurality of spokes coupled from the pedestal to the second end of the cylindrical shell, and a plurality of tuning tabs extending from one or more of the plurality of spokes.

Abstract: Described is a system for incremental trajectory estimation of an implement. During operation, the system determines a time span of each stationary period of the implement based on accelerometer and gyroscopic data. Gyroscopic bias is then estimated based on the time span and gyroscopic data. An attitude of the implement is then estimated at each time step based on the estimated gyroscopic bias and gyroscopic data. Further, a traveling distance of the implement is estimated. Finally, a trajectory of the implement is estimated based on the estimated attitude and traveling distance. Given the trajectory estimate, an implement (e.g., drilling platform, vehicle, etc.) can be caused to alter its direction based on the trajectory estimate.

Abstract: Described is a system for estimating measured depth of a borehole. The system comprises a drilling fluid pulse telemetry system positioned in a borehole and processors connected with the drilling fluid pulse telemetry system. Time series measures are obtained from an environmental sensor package. Initial estimates of a time delay and path attenuation amplitude are determined. An error for the initial estimates is determined, and iterative minimization of the error is performed until source signal parameters converge, resulting in a least squares estimate of the source signal and the reflected signals. The least squares estimate is used to obtain time delay values, which are then used to continuously generate an estimate of a measured depth of the borehole.

Abstract: An instrument package for use during the drilling a wellbore. The instrument package includes a plurality of instruments such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers; a computer is configured to determine the current position of the plurality of instruments from a set of measurements produced by the plurality of instruments; and wherein the plurality of instruments are mechanically isolated from a drill head assembly by one or more multi-degree of freedom vibration isolators. The computer preferably has at least two modes different analytical modes of analyzing the set of measurements produced by the plurality of instruments, including a continuous mode and a survey mode, the continuous mode being operational during times that active drilling is occurring and the survey mode being operational during times that the active drilling is not occurring.

Abstract: A phononic travelling wave gyroscope. The gyroscope includes a phononic waveguide including at least one loop. The phase change incurred by phonons propagating around the loop is compared to a reference phase, and utilized to form an estimate of the rotational rate of the gyroscope.

Abstract: Described is a system for position estimation. A set of raw sensor outputs are acquired from a sensor of a platform. The set of raw sensor outputs are stored in non-transitory memory. A set of optimized sensor measurements is generated by deducing errors in the raw sensor outputs using an unconstrained optimization algorithm. The system determines a position of the platform based on the set of optimized sensor measurements.

Abstract: A gyroscope includes a vibratory structure, and a control mechanism including at least a first electrode, and at least a second electrode adjacent the first electrode, wherein the vibratory structure is separated from the control mechanism by a gap, wherein to drive a vibration in the vibratory structure, the control mechanism is configured to apply an alternating electrical voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, and wherein to sense motion in the vibratory structure, the control mechanism is configured to apply a direct current voltage bias between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: A resonant structure comprising at least two coaxial rings, wherein adjacent coaxial rings have adjacent peripheries and are attached together by a plurality of connection structures regularly arranged along said adjacent peripheries; and wherein a first ring has a first ring portion with a first radial thickness and a second ring, portion, in a vicinity of a first connection structure, with a second radial thickness smaller than said first radial thickness.

Abstract: An angular sensor, comprising a Coriolis vibratory gyroscope (CVG) resonator, capable of oscillating along a first pair of normal n=1 modes comprising a first normal mode and a second normal mode; and a second pair of normal n=2 modes comprising a third normal mode and a fourth normal mode; the sensor further comprising one drive electrode and one sense electrode aligned along an anti-nodal axis of each mode; and a pair of bias tune electrodes aligned with an anti-nodal axis of each mode if no drive and sense electrode pair is aligned with said anti-nodal axis.

Abstract: A resonator includes an anchor, an outer stiffener ring on an outer perimeter of the resonator, and a plurality of curved springs between the anchor and the outer stiffener ring.

Abstract: A magnetometer system has a magnetometer, an interface circuit and an electronic demodulator, the interface circuit being coupled to sense electrodes disposed on the magnetometer and the demodulator being coupled to the interface circuit. Preferably, the magnetometer has a loop electrode which follows an outline of the shape of an active portion of the magnetometer and wherein the electronic demodulator has an output for driving the loop electrode of the magnetometer. Preferably, the magnetometer includes a quartz plate with flexural and thickness shear vibratory modes and wherein the flexural vibratory mode is driven, in use, into vibration by the electronic demodulator and wherein the thickness shear vibratory mode is driven, in use, into vibration by the interface circuit.