PNI Introduces the TCM6 Tilt-Compensated Digital Compass with Multiple Calibration Methods and Intelligent Calibration Scoring.
SANTA ROSA, California — June 1, 2009 — When it comes to accuracy in headings, the difference between “bull’s-eye” and “nice try” can mean millions of dollars in lost time and materials. PNI Sensor Corporation helps eliminate that risk with its new TCM6 tilt-compensated digital compass.
Expanding on its highly desired TCM product line, PNI’s TCM6 provides unparalleled 3-axis orientation performance for a wide range of calibration conditions, including underwater or underground uses. The TCM6 combines PNI’s patented magneto-inductive sensors, a 3-axis accelerometer, and PNI algorithms in a temperature and noise-stabilized design that’s inherently free of offset drift.
Calibration Perfected
Unique to the TCM6 is inclusion of 4 distinct calibration modes to compensate for hard and soft iron distortions, as listed below. Additionally, the TCM6 incorporates a new intelligent calibration score that not only informs the user of the relative merit of their field calibration but also how they can improve the score.
Full Range Calibration: provides the highest accuracy over the greatest range. For applications where the compass can be tilted ±45° during the calibration process.
Limited Tilt Range Calibration: for applications where the compass can be tilted>±5º, but is restricted to <±45º. Accuracy is <2º rms over twice the calibration tilt range. For example, if the calibration is done with tilt restricted to ±10º, then the accuracy would be <2º when the tilt is ≤20º.
2D Calibration: for applications where tilting the compass during calibration is not possible at all, or only possible to <±5° of tilt. Accuracy is <2º rms at <5° of tilt.
Hard Iron-only Calibration: corrects for changes in hard-iron magnetic distortion. Re-establishes performance with as few as 4 calibration points.
For further information about PNI’s TCM6 or other sensor solutions, check our website at www.pnicorp.com or email customerservice@pnicorp.com.
About PNI Sensor Corporation
PNI Sensor Corporation revolutionized compass technology market in the early 1990s, releasing the first electronic vehicle compass, the first fully electronic compass sensor module and the first handheld electronic compass. The company’s proprietary magneto-inductive sensor technology drives over 90% of the compasses on the market today and is the prevailing compass technology used in Toyota, Ford and BMW vehicles. PNI orientation sensor modules are also prominently found in high-end oceanographic equipment and by leading robotics manufacturers (iRobot, QinetiQ North America/Foster-Miller) in their remote-operated and autonomous robots and robotic vehicles.
