There are a huge number of inventions that are characterized by a long and very rich history of use in various instruments and devices. You can often hear the name of something, but not even have an idea of what it is intended for. This is precisely the question that arises, what is a gyroscope? It’s worth sorting it out.
Basic definition
A gyroscope is a navigation device in which a rapidly rotating rotor is mounted as the main element, so that its rotation axis rotates. Two frames of the gimbal provide three degrees of freedom. In the absence of any external influences on the device, the axis of its own rotation of the rotor maintains a constant direction in space. If it is influenced by a moment of an external force that tends to rotate the axis of its own rotation, then it starts its movement not around the direction of the moment, but around an axis that is perpendicular to it.
Device features
If we talk about what a gyroscope is, then it is worth noting that in a qualitatively balanced and fast enough rotating device mounted on high-quality bearings with low friction, there is practically no moment of external forces, so the device is able to maintain its orientation in space almost unchanged. Therefore, he is able to indicate the angle of rotation of the base on which it was fixed. That is how the rotation of the Earth by the French physicist J. Foucault was clearly demonstrated for the first time. If you limit the rotation of the axis to a special spring, then when installing the device on an aircraft that performs a turn, the gyroscope will deform the spring until the moment of external force is balanced. In this case, the tension or compression force of the spring will be proportional to the angular velocity of the aircraft. The aviation turn indicator and many other gyroscopic devices work by this principle. Since very little friction is created in the bearings in order to maintain the rotation of the gyroscope rotor, large amounts of energy are not required. Usually, to bring it into motion, as well as to maintain this movement, a small electric motor or a stream of compressed air is enough.
Gyroscope: application
Most often, this device is used as a sensitive element for indicating gyroscopic devices, and also as a sensor of the angle of rotation or angular velocity for devices operating under automatic control. In some cases, the gyroscope can serve as a generator of energy or moment of force.
At the moment, the principle of operation of the gyroscope allows its active use in aviation, shipping and astronautics. Almost every sea-going vessel has a gyrocompass for automatic or manual control of the vessel, and some also use gyrostabilizers. The ship artillery fire control system is usually equipped with many additional gyroscopes that are designed to provide a stable reference system or to measure angular velocities.
If you understand what a gyroscope is, then you should understand that without it, automatic control of torpedoes is simply unthinkable. Helicopters and aircraft are also necessarily equipped with these devices in order to provide reliable information about the operation of navigation and stabilization systems. Such instruments include a horizon, a gyroscopic direction and roll indicator, and a vertical gyro. If we consider a helicopter with a gyroscope, then this device can serve both as a pointing device and as an autopilot sensor. Many aircraft are equipped with gyro-stabilized magnetic compasses and other equipment - cameras with gyroscopes, gyroscopes, navigation sighting devices. In military aviation, gyroscopes are actively used as components in the sights of bombing and aerial shooting.
Application in modern gadgets
So, if we consider what a gyroscope is, then it should be noted that this device is actively used not only in the previously mentioned areas. Modern smartphones and tablets are equipped with a host of additional functions and modules, while some are very useful, while others can interfere with the comfortable use of the device, annoying users. One of them is the gyroscope in the phone, which makes it clear when you use your device. On the one hand, it turns out to be very useful, although on the other hand, most users prefer to simply turn it off.
Gyroscope in the phone: what is it?
First you need to determine what kind of device it is and what functionality it is characterized by. So, the gyroscope in the phone - what is it? This element is necessary to determine how the device is oriented in space. In some cases, this sensor can be used to protect individual elements of the device from falling in the future. In fact, this sensor is designed to determine the change in position, and in the presence of an accelerometer - and acceleration when falling. Then the information is transmitted to the computing unit of the gadget. If certain software is available, the device makes a decision on how it should respond further to changes that have occurred to it.
What else is it for?
So, if everything becomes clear with the question of what a gyroscope is, then it remains to find out why it is used in phones. Protecting the insides here is not the only task. In combination with a variety of software it lays down a number of different functions. For example, a smartphone can be used for games in which control is carried out by tilting, shaking, or turning the device. Such management allows you to make games truly fun, so they are in high demand.
Interesting features
It may be noted that Apple products are equipped with gyroscopes, and they play a very significant role, since the work of many applications is tied to them. Under it, a regime specially called CoverFlow was specially developed. There are a very large number of applications working in this mode, but you can focus on a few that most clearly demonstrate it. For example, if you use a calculator on the iPhone, then in the portrait position the user will be available only simple actions, namely: addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. But when you turn the device 90 degrees, everything will change. The calculator at the same time switches to the advanced mode, that is, engineering, in which much more functions will be available.
If you understand how the gyroscope works, then it should be noted that its functions can also be used to determine your own location on the ground.
You can view a map of the area using GPS-navigation on such a device, in which case the map will always turn in the direction where your gaze is directed. Therefore, if you are facing, for example, a river, then this will be displayed on the map, and if you turn around, the position of the map will also change. Thanks to this, orientation on the ground is greatly simplified and can be quite useful for people who are passionate about outdoor activities.
Problems with the gyro in the phone
We can say about the disadvantages inherent in gyroscopes. Very often they are turned off due to the fact that programs respond to a change in position in space with some delay. For example, if you decide to read while lying on the couch from the screen of a smartphone or tablet, then the gyroscope and the program associated with it will change the page orientation each time you turn or change the pose. This causes a lot of inconvenience, since very rarely the device is able to correctly interpret the position in space, and the situation is aggravated due to the belated reaction of the program.
Modern varieties
The first gyroscopes were mechanical. This type of device is used now, but with some improvements to make them more useful. At the moment, there is a laser gyroscope, which is devoid of the flaws inherent in mechanical. And just such a device is used in modern technology.