A posture estimation method includes calculating a posture change amount of an object based on an output of an angular velocity sensor, predicting posture information of the object by using the posture change amount, limiting a bias error in a manner of limiting a bias error component of an angular velocity around a reference vector in error information, and correcting the predicted posture information of the object based on the error information, the reference vector, and an output of a reference observation sensor.

A system for monitoring medical conditions including pressure ulcers, pressure-induced ischemia and related medical conditions comprises at least one sensor adapted to detect one or more patient characteristic including at least position, orientation, temperature, acceleration, moisture, resistance, stress, heart rate, respiration rate, and blood oxygenation, a host for processing the data received from the sensors together with historical patient data to develop an assessment of patient condition and suggested course of treatment, including either suspending or adjusting turn schedule based on various types of patient movement. Compliance with Head-of-Bed protocols can also be performed based on actual patient position instead of being inferred from bed elevation angle. The sensor can include bi-axial or tri-axial accelerometers, as well as resistive, inductive, capacitive, magnetic and other sensing devices, depending on whether the sensor is located on the patient or the support surface, and for what purpose.

A system for monitoring medical conditions including pressure ulcers, pressure-induced ischemia and related medical conditions comprises at least one sensor adapted to detect one or more patient characteristic including at least position, orientation, temperature, acceleration, moisture, resistance, stress, heart rate, respiration rate, and blood oxygenation, a host for processing the data received from the sensors together with historical patient data to develop an assessment of patient condition and suggested course of treatment, including either suspending or adjusting turn schedule based on various types of patient movement. Compliance with Head-of-Bed protocols can also be performed based on actual patient position instead of being inferred from bed elevation angle. The sensor can include bi-axial or tri-axial accelerometers, as well as resistive, inductive, capacitive, magnetic and other sensing devices, depending on whether the sensor is located on the patient or the support surface, and for what purpose.

An inertial detection circuit includes a signal generator and a processing unit. The signal generator includes a drive voltage generator and a test voltage generator. The drive voltage generator applies to the fixed electrode a drive voltage with a first frequency. The test voltage generator applies to the fixed electrode a test voltage with a second frequency lower than the first frequency. The processing unit includes a detection processor and a diagnostic processor. The detection processor performs a detection processing of detecting a capacitance between the fixed electrode and the moving electrode based on a detection signal. The diagnostic processor performs a diagnostic processing of diagnosing abnormality of the detector based on a diagnostic signal.

An inertial detection circuit includes a signal generator and a processing unit. The signal generator includes a drive voltage generator and a test voltage generator. The drive voltage generator applies to the fixed electrode a drive voltage with a first frequency. The test voltage generator applies to the fixed electrode a test voltage with a second frequency lower than the first frequency. The processing unit includes a detection processor and a diagnostic processor. The detection processor performs a detection processing of detecting a capacitance between the fixed electrode and the moving electrode based on a detection signal. The diagnostic processor performs a diagnostic processing of diagnosing abnormality of the detector based on a diagnostic signal.

A ball-balancing robot is capable of accurately controlling its posture when a robot main body is rotated about the vertical axis in a yaw direction in a state in which the robot main body is positioned on a spherical object in a posture in which a gravity center of the robot main body matches a vertical axis passing a center of the spherical object, and in a state in which a base axis of the roll-direction angular velocity sensor is inclined with respect to the horizon in a pitch direction (at an inclination angle θ.sub.P), the robot main body is able to rotate while maintaining a predetermined posture by making correction to cancel a detection error in the angular velocity in the roll direction generated based on the inclination of the base axis of the roll-direction angular velocity sensor.

A ball-balancing robot is capable of accurately controlling its posture when a robot main body is rotated about the vertical axis in a yaw direction in a state in which the robot main body is positioned on a spherical object in a posture in which a gravity center of the robot main body matches a vertical axis passing a center of the spherical object, and in a state in which a base axis of the roll-direction angular velocity sensor is inclined with respect to the horizon in a pitch direction (at an inclination angle θ.sub.P), the robot main body is able to rotate while maintaining a predetermined posture by making correction to cancel a detection error in the angular velocity in the roll direction generated based on the inclination of the base axis of the roll-direction angular velocity sensor.

The method and system for determining position with improved calibration allows a device to initiate activity at the proper location, such as navigating a drill bit through a rock formation. A pair of position sensors in opposite orientations generates position data signals. A temperature sensor detects temperature and duration of the temperature. An adjusted plastic bias value is determined by a processor module based on the temperature data signal, the duration of the temperature, and the position data signals so as to account for bias and hysteresis errors and error correction based on the opposing orientations of the pair of position sensors. A position value is set according to the adjusted plastic bias value so that the position value is more accurate. The activity of the terminal device is initiated or maintained according to the position value calibrated by the adjusted plastic bias value.

The method and system for determining position with improved calibration allows a device to initiate activity at the proper location, such as navigating a drill bit through a rock formation. A pair of position sensors in opposite orientations generates position data signals. A temperature sensor detects temperature and duration of the temperature. An adjusted plastic bias value is determined by a processor module based on the temperature data signal, the duration of the temperature, and the position data signals so as to account for bias and hysteresis errors and error correction based on the opposing orientations of the pair of position sensors. A position value is set according to the adjusted plastic bias value so that the position value is more accurate. The activity of the terminal device is initiated or maintained according to the position value calibrated by the adjusted plastic bias value.

A device for testing an inertial sensor for a vehicle, which includes at least two attachment points, having at least one first oscillation body to which the inertial sensor is fastenable/is fastened, and having at least one first excitation module assigned to the first oscillation body for accelerating the first oscillation body in at least one direction. At least one second oscillation body is spaced apart from the first oscillation body, to which at least one second excitation module is assigned for accelerating the second oscillation body, and that the inertial sensor is fastenable/is fastened with a first attachment point to the first oscillation body and with a second attachment point to the second oscillation body.