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Ring laser gyroscopes for ground motion sensing

Project description

Low-drift, high-sensitivity rotation sensor heads to market

Many environmental applications, including seismology and monitoring of ground motion, require rotation sensors with high sensitivity. Available sensors suffer from intrinsic bias drift, decreasing sensitivity. A previous ERC project that focused on optical precision measurements led to a solution to the drift/sensitivity problem of rotation sensors: an entirely fibre-coupled and digitally controlled 3D array of passive ring laser gyroscopes. The previous project established feasibility, conducted a market analysis, and led to the filing of six patents. Building on their previous development, the ERC-funded GyroRevolutionPlus aims to prepare for market entry. This will include optimising the technology, preparing a market strategy, establishing a supply chain, and laying the groundwork to establish a spin-out company.

Objective

Sensors for rotation are ubiquitous in our daily life, ranging from consumer electronics to navigation systems. Applications that require highest sensitivity for very small rotation rates rely on active ring laser gyroscopes (RLGs) or fiber-optic gyroscopes (FOGs). These devices, however, suffer from intrinsic bias drift and do not reach the sensitivity requirements of applications such as seismology and monitoring of ground motion.

Out of the parent ERC project on optical precision measurements grew the innovative concept of a three-dimensional array of so-called passive RLGs which would be entirely fiber-coupled and digitally controlled. This concept circumnavigates the shortcomings of previous designs and has the potential to reach the low drift rates at high sensitivity required in the field of environmental sensing. Such a scalable device would have a revolutionary impact on natural disaster early warning systems, in particular earthquakes and landslides, and structural health monitoring, each with a market size in excess of 2 bn USD.

In preliminary work, we demonstrated the feasibility of our approach and tested individual technology packages outside the lab. A market analysis has been issued, and the IPR situation has been clarified. With no patents close to our innovation, we filed patent applications for a total of six individual inventions and methods of our approach.

Within this project, we will prepare the ground for a successful market entry. Objectives of GyroRevolutionPlus include the removal of remaining uncertainties related to FPGA selection and performance, operation of the RLG outside the lab (TRL 5-6), drafting a go-to-market strategy, and selecting business partners for a reliable supply chain. We will assemble a powerful team to drive the founding of a spin-out company. Promising technology developments and a favorable IPR situation in combination with large market volumes create an exquisite starting point for the transition.

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HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) ERC-2024-POC

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Host institution

RHEINISCHE FRIEDRICH-WILHELMS-UNIVERSITAT BONN
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 150 000,00
Address
REGINA PACIS WEG 3
53113 BONN
Germany

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Region
Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Bonn, Kreisfreie Stadt
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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Beneficiaries (1)

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