KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI), announced today that it has
integrated its photonic chip technology into its high-precision
fiber optic gyro (FOG) products and began delivering working
prototypes of a new Photonic Gyro IMU to select leading automotive
customers in late December. Developed by KVH engineers working in
Tinley Park, Illinois, and Middletown, Rhode Island, the photonic
chip technology is designed to enable the centimeter-level
localization accuracy that autonomous vehicle developers have
indicated is a requirement.
“This is groundbreaking technology that we expect will transform
our fiber optic gyros and inertial systems, and I couldn’t be
prouder of the tremendous effort by our incredible team of
engineers,” says Martin Kits van Heyningen, KVH’s chief executive
officer. “Our FOGs and FOG-based IMUs provide a higher level of
precision than less expensive MEMS-based gyros and are already in
use on more than 20 autonomous vehicle platforms today. With the
development of this Photonic Gyro IMU, KVH can provide an inertial
sensor with high precision but at a price expected to be
competitive with MEMS systems when produced at high volumes.”
During development, the Photonic Gyro IMU prototype exhibited
navigation performance superior to KVH’s existing FOG-based IMUs in
angle random walk (ARW) and bias instability, two of the most
important performance parameters that contribute to the safety of
any autonomous vehicle.
The ARW, or noise, of the Photonic Gyro IMU prototype has been
calculated at <0.0097°/√hr, a very low value that supports
extremely accurate navigation. In addition, the bias instability,
or drift, of KVH’s Photonic Gyro IMU prototype is extremely low,
measuring 0.02°/hour. Low drift is a key parameter for maintaining
position and delivering precise turning measurement, which
contributes to safety.
With the development of the photonic chip technology, KVH
expects to be able to mass-produce high-performance inertial
systems at lower cost; manufacturing processes are expected to be
less labor-intensive than were previously possible in the fiber
optic gyro industry. KVH manufactures its FOGs and FOG-based
inertial products in its Tinley Park, Illinois, facility, and
controls the design and manufacturing process.
To date, FOGs and FOG-based inertial navigation systems have
formed key parts of integrated sensor systems shown to be essential
for highly accurate autonomous car performance. For precise
navigation and position, an autonomous vehicle uses a combination
of sensors, primarily the Global Positioning System (GPS) and
inertial navigation systems. Inertial navigation systems provide
crucial dead reckoning capability when the vehicle is required to
operate within a GPS-denied scenario, such as that created by
buildings, parking garages, and other obstacles common in a city
environment. Given that traffic lanes typically measure three
meters, autonomous vehicle engineers are focusing on
centimeter-level precision to ensure the car is operating safely
within its lane.
“Sensor fusion is essential for autonomous vehicle operation,
and the accuracy provided by our FOGs and FOG-based IMUs has been
acknowledged in the industry as setting a high bar for inertial
navigation in driverless cars,” says Kits van Heyningen. “Now, with
the high precision we are seeing with our photonic chip technology,
we think photonic gyros may become a core part of the success of
autonomous vehicles. We are thrilled at the possibilities.”
Based on a photonic integrated circuit, KVH’s patent-pending
photonic chip technology has relevance for KVH’s entire line of
FOGs and FOG-based inertial systems, which are already considered
high-performance inertial sensors.
KVH is a leading innovator for assured navigation and autonomous
accuracy using high-performance sensors and integrated inertial
systems. KVH’s widely-fielded TACNAV® systems are currently in use
by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps as well as many allied militaries
around the world. KVH’s FOGs and FOG-based IMUs are in use today in
a wide variety of applications ranging from optical, antenna, and
sensor stabilization systems to mobile mapping solutions and
autonomous platforms and cars.
Note to Editors: For more information about KVH’s photonic chip
technology, please visit the KVH website, kvh.com/photonicgyro.
High-resolution images of KVH products are available at the KVH
Press Room Image Library, kvh.com/Press-Room/Image-Library.
About KVH Industries, Inc.KVH Industries, Inc.
is a global leader in mobile connectivity and inertial navigation
systems, innovating to enable a mobile world. A market leader in
maritime VSAT, KVH designs, manufactures, and provides connectivity
and content products and services globally. KVH is also a premier
manufacturer of high-performance sensors and integrated inertial
systems for defense and commercial applications. Founded in 1982,
the company is based in Middletown, RI, with research, development,
and manufacturing operations in Middletown, RI, and Tinley Park,
IL, and more than a dozen offices around the globe.
This press release contains forward-looking
statements that involve risks and uncertainties. For example,
forward-looking statements include statements regarding the
performance, functionality, characteristics, quality and
manufacturing costs of KVH products and technology, our product
development goals, market trends, and competitive positioning. The
actual results could differ materially from the statements made in
this press release. Factors that might cause these differences
include, but are not limited to: inability to complete the
commercialization stage of development of the new
photonic-chip-based gyro; potential failure to achieve expected
manufacturing goals, including production volumes and reductions in
labor costs; unexpected increases in costs of materials; reductions
in the prices customers are willing to pay; manufacturing
challenges that increase costs; potential unanticipated technical
impediments and poor or delayed research and development results;
unforeseen changes in competing technologies and products,
including undisclosed breakthroughs by competitors; lack of
reliable vendors; potential changes in market trends, and other
developments affecting the buying patterns of end-users of inertial
products, including management’s assessment of the probability and
effect of future events. These and other factors are
discussed in more detail in KVH’s most recent Form 10-Q filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 31, 2018. Copies
are available through its Investor Relations department and
website, ir.kvh.com. KVH does not assume any obligation to update
its forward-looking statements to reflect new information and
developments.
KVH Industries, Inc. has used, registered, or applied to
register its trademarks in the U.S.A. and other countries around
the world, including but not limited to the following marks: KVH
and TACNAV. All other trademarks are the property of their
respective companies.
For further information, please contact:Jill
ConnorsMedia Relations & Industry Analyst ManagerKVH
Industries, Inc.Tel: +1 401 851 3824jconnors@kvh.com
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