KVH Revolutionary ThinFiber Technology Results in World's Smallest Precision FOG

• KVH's super-compact fiber optic gyro using new 170 micron E.Core ThinFiber offers groundbreaking performance gains with a 5x improvement in input rates and ARW, 8x improvement in bias stability compared to existing fiber optic gyros

Middletown, RI - KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI) introduced its new DSP-1750 fiber optic gyro (FOG), the world's smallest high-performance FOG and the first to use KVH's new 170 micron E.Core(r) ThinFiber technology, today at the 2011 Joint Navigation Conference in Colorado Springs, CO. This super-compact commercial FOG offers revolutionary performance levels for a unit its size, including input rates five times faster than KVH's original DSP-1500 FOG and angle random walk (ARW) five times better than the KVH DSP-3000 series. In addition, its bias stability is eight times better than the DSP-3000 series, a level of performance previously only available in larger, more expensive closed-loop fiber optic gyros and ring laser gyros.

"The DSP-1750 is the result of significant breakthroughs in fiber optic gyro technology," explains Jay Napoli, KVH's vice president of FOG/OEM sales. "To create a gyro that was both smaller and more accurate, we invented a thinner optical fiber, made advancements in our patented Digital Signal Processing capabilities, and developed new manufacturing techniques. We've set a new higher standard in gyro size and performance by leveraging our ability to control the entire product design - from manufacturing the new E.Core ThinFiber to designing new ways to wind the fiber and build gyro components into a sensor package the diameter of a wristwatch. The DSP-1750 will also be the building block of a new line of compact inertial measurement and navigation systems."


KVH's new FOG offers maximum versatility for system integrators thanks to its single- and dual-axis configurations and optional magnetic shielding. Featuring a flexible design in which the optical sensor is separate from the control electronics, the DSP-1750 is composed of an optical sensor 1.7" in diameter connected to power and processing electronics via a robust interlocking tether for easy integration into a broad range of applications.

"Its innovative two-piece design makes the DSP-1750 easy to integrate into platforms where space and payload weight are at a premium while improving accuracy at the same time," says Napoli. "As a result, the DSP-1750 is an ideal, affordable solution for a broad range of mobile applications, including precision stabilization, pointing, and navigation applications in which low noise and high performance across the entire range of operating temperatures are critical. Among these are gimbals, optical/antenna stabilization, long-range optical and sensor systems, payloads for UAVs, and weapon and commercial equipment stabilization."

Source : KVH Industries Inc.