Small, Precise, Affordable Gyroscope Navigates Without GPS

Researchers have developed a small, highly accurate gyroscope that is 10,000 times more accurate but only 10 times more expensive than gyroscopes used in typical cellphones. Most smartphones contain gyroscopes to detect the orientation of the screen and help figure out which way the user is facing but their accuracy is poor. They are the reason why cellphones often incorrectly indicate which direction a user is facing during navigation. In another example, a driverless car could get lost quickly with a loss of Global Positioning System (GPS) signal. And better backup navigation equipment could help soldiers find their way in areas where GPS signals have been jammed or speed up warehouse robots.