IEEE/ION PLANS TUTORIALS

Tutorials will be offered in half-day sessions on the Monday prior to PLANS.

PLANS 2010 Tutorial Schedule

Click on course titles for detailed information and instructor biographies.

MONDAY MORNING, MAY 3, 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Introduction to Inertial Navigation and Sensor Modeling
Instructor: Dr. Kevin Dutton

Sensor Integration for Personal Navigation
Instructor: Dr. Dorota A. Grejner-Brzezinska

An Introduction to the GPS Signals & Receiver Processing
Instructor: Dr. Chris Hegarty

Aiding Techniques for Optically-aided Inertial Navigation Systems
Instructor: Dr. Michael Veth & Dr. Mikel Miller

 

MONDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 3, 1:30pm-5:00pm

GPS Error Characterization, Mitigation, and Analysis
Instructor: Dr. Chris Bartone

Contemporary and Emerging Inertial Sensor Technologies
Instructor: Mr. Ralph Hopkins

Aiding Techniques for Integration of Ladar with Inertial Navigation Systems
Instructor: Dr. Maarten Uijt de Haag & Dr. Andrey Soloviev

 

MONDAY, MAY 3, 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Introduction to Inertial Navigation and Sensor Modeling
Dr. Kevin Dutton

Course Description:

This course will introduce the students to the techniques and mathematics of strapdown inertial navigation and will present examples to clarify the concepts, where appropriate.  The mathematical concepts will be introduced first, concentrating on the mathematics of attitude and coordinate transformations.  Inertial sensors will be discussed and their error models.  The strapdown inertial navigation equations will be introduced, as well as the solution or integration of these equations.  The navigation equations will be linearized to represent the navigation error equations, and the navigation errors of the pure inertial solution will be discussed.  Additional topics to be touched upon will include alignment, vertical channel dynamics, Earth modeling, and inertial system aiding.

Course Outline:

  • Introduction to inertial navigation
  • Vector and matrix notation and mathematics
  • Coordinate frames and transformations
  • Attitude fundamentals and representations
  • Inertial Sensors
  • Accelerometers and gyros
  • Inertial sensor errors and error models
  • Sensor specifications
  • Navigation Equations
  • Strapdown inertial navigation equations
  • INS alignment
  • Integration/Solution of Navigation Equations
  • Earth geoid and gravity model
  • Vertical channel dynamics
  • Linearized error equations and error performance
  • Inertial system aiding

Instructor Biography

Dr. Kevin Dutton received his BS in Aeronautical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1988 and his MS degree in Astronautics from the George Washington University in 1993.  He began his career at NASA Langley Research Center in 1989, working on advanced spacecraft trajectory optimization.  He began his navigation work in 1993 with the Global Positioning System and obtained his PhD in Electrical Engineering from Ohio University in 2003, studying various aspects of the GPS and Inertial Navigation Systems, including attitude determination, relative navigation, and tightly coupled GPS/INS Kalman filter design.  In 2004, Dr. Dutton accepted a position with Honeywell in Clearwater, Florida as the lead designer of the Sea-Based JPALS GPS/INS and the Navy UCAS relative navigation Kalman filter.  He has also worked in the area of GPS/INS aided navigation Kalman filter design and analysis and inertial sensor testing, modeling, and analysis.

MONDAY, MAY 3, 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Sensor Integration for Personal Navigation
Dr. Dorota A. Grejner-Brzezinska

Course Description:

Personal Navigation Assistant (PNA) also known as Personal Navigation Device (PND) is a portable electronic tool that combines positioning and navigation capabilities, usually provided by the Global Positioning System (GPS) and possibly by other navigation sensors, to facilitate navigation indoors or in GPS-challenged environments. For location determination of pedestrians in buildings, Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), or transponders or beacons installed inside the buildings, are increasingly used. Other indoor positioning systems include so-called Active Badge Systems (IR-based) and RF-based tagging. These methods can provide few-meters accuracy for indoor tracking and positioning. Robustness of the ultra wideband (UWB) signal to multipath fading and its high penetration capability makes it another technique suitable for indoor positioning. An alternative method used in indoor navigation is based on optical tracking systems, also referred to as image-based systems.

This short course will provide a review of the navigation sensors and techniques suitable for personal and pedestrian navigation, including selected Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods; note that personal navigation is understood here as navigation of military and emergency personnel, while pedestrian navigation refers to location/navigation/tracking of all other mobile users.
Following the technology overview, example design, implementation and performance assessment of a personal navigation system prototype, which integrates GPS, inertial measurement unit (IMU), digital barometer, magnetometer compass, and human locomotion model to support navigation and tracking of military and rescue ground personnel will be presented. Dead reckoning (DR) navigation is supported by a human locomotion model handled by AI techniques that form an adaptive knowledge-based system (KBS). The KBS is trained during the GPS signal reception, and is used to support navigation under GPS-denied conditions. System design, as well as a summary of the performance analysis in the mixed indoor-outdoor environments, with the special emphasis on DR performance, will be discussed.

Biography

Dr. Dorota A. Grejner-Brzezinska (PhD 1995, The Ohio State University) is a professor in Geodetic Science, and leader of the Satellite Positioning and Inertial Navigation (SPIN) Laboratory at The Ohio State University. Her research interests cover GPS/GNSS algorithms, in particular, high precision positioning and navigation, such as DGPS and RTK, GPS/inertial and other sensor integration for navigation in challenged environments, sensors and algorithms for indoor and personal navigation, signal processing in integrated navigation systems using Kalman filter and non-linear filtering, and precision orbit determination for GNSS/LEO. She is vice-president of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) Commission 4, Positioning and Applications, and chair of the Sub-Commission 4.1, Multi-sensor Systems, and is an IAG Fellow; she has been serving on the Institute of Navigation (ION) Council for the past seven years. She has published over 160 peer reviewed journal and proceedings papers, numerous technical reports and five book chapters on GPS and navigation, and led over 20 research projects sponsored by DOD, NASA, NGS, NGA, NSF, Federal DOT, Ohio DOT, with a total budget of over eleven million USD. She is the recipient of the 2005 ION Thomas Thurlow Award, the 2005 United States Geospatial Information Foundation (USGIF) Academic Research Award, and ESRI Award for Best Scientific Paper in Geographic Information Systems published in 2004. Her work on personal navigation, sponsored by NGA, was featured as “NGA success story” at the NGA NURI Symposium in Washington CD, in September 2008.

MONDAY, MAY 3, 8:30am - 12:00 p.m.

An Introduction to the GPS Signals & Receiver Processing
Dr. Chris Hegarty

Course Description:

This course provides an overview of digital modulation techniques used for satellite navigation systems. The present and future signals of the Global Positioning System (GPS), including C/A-code, P(Y)-code, L2 civil (L2C), L5, M-code, and L1 civil (L1C) are described. The course also provides a conceptual overview of GPS receiver signal processing, including a description of the basic techniques employed to acquire, track, and demodulate the navigation data from received GPS signals.  Attendees are assumed to have a familiarity with the basic concepts of GPS operation.

Course Outline:

  • Modulations for satellite navigation
  • Direct sequence spread spectrum
  • Autocorrelation, cross-correlation, polarization, and other signal characteristics
  • Binary offset carrier and other modulation types
  • GPS signals
  • Modernization plans
  • C/A, P(Y), L2C, L5, M-code, and L1C
  • Signal generation, power levels, navigation data
  • Receiver processing
  • Functional overview
  • Synchronization concepts – acquisition, code tracking, carrier tracking
  • Data demodulation

Biography:

Dr. Christopher J. Hegarty has been involved with aviation applications of GPS at MITRE’s Center for Advanced Aviation System Development since 1992. He is the chair of RTCA’s Program Management Committee, co-chair of RTCA Special Committee 159, and associate editor of NAVIGATION: The Journal of the Institute of Navigation.  He was a co-recipient of the 1998 ION Early Achievement Award and the recipient of the 2005 ION Johannes Kepler Award. He served as ION President in 2008.

MONDAY, MAY 3, 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Aiding Techniques for Optically-aided Inertial Navigation Systems
Dr. Michael Veth & Dr. Mikel Miller

Course Description:

This tutorial provides an introduction to alternative navigation techniques for navigation in GPS denied environments such as urban indoor and outdoor scenarios. The tutorial’s primary focus is on the use of passive Electro-optical (EO) sensors such as vision cameras to aid an Inertial Navigation System (INS) and provide navigation performance similar to GPS. The discussion includes the basic principles of EO sensor integration with an INS; the feature-based techniques and optical-flow-based; feature extraction and tracking algorithms; and, the basics of integrated EO/INS mechanizations. A feature-based passive aiding method is addressed in details. In this case, the integration is performed using a tightly coupled Kalman filter. EO data are applied to estimate inertial drift terms in order to mitigate the drift in inertial navigation outputs. Inertial data are applied for robust feature matching. Experimental data collected in actual indoor and outdoor urban environments are applied to demonstrate performance of EO/INS integrated approach.

Prerequisites: Familiarity with basic Kalman filter and INS principles

Course Outline:

  • Introduction to alternative navigation
  • Introduction to Passive EO sensors: image-based navigation using features
  • Feature-based techniques and optical-flow-based techniques
  • Feature extraction
  • Feature tracking
  • Review of Kalman filter principles
  • Basic principles of integration with an INS
  • Use of passive electro-optical sensors to aid the inertial
  • EO/INS integrated mechanization
  • Performance Demonstration

Biography

Dr. Mike Veth (LtCol, USAF) is an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology. His current research focus is on the fusion of optical and inertial systems. He received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology, and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University. In addition, LtCol Veth is a graduate of the Air Force Test Pilot School.

Dr. Mikel Miller has over 24 years of military-related experience in position, navigation, and time (PNT) research, development, test, and education.  He obtained his Ph.D. (1998) and M.S. (1987) degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), and his B.S.EEE (1982) from North Dakota State University. He has authored or co-authored over 40 navigation-related publications, and served as the guest editor for a special edition of NAVIGATION: The Journal of the Institute of Navigation (ION), focused on natured-inspired navigation.  He is the USA representative for a NATO Research and Technology Organization (RTO) focused on urban, indoor, and subterranean navigation where he co-chaired a 2007 Symposium, and is currently lecturing for an international lecture series on alternative navigation technology, and is co-authoring a special booklet entitled “Basic Guide to Advanced Navigation, 2nd Edition.”   He is a member of the IEEE, AIAA, an Associate Fellow Royal Institute of Navigation, and a Fellow of the ION. Within the ION, Dr. Miller is the current President and was awarded the 2007 Burke Award for best paper in NAVIGATION.  He is also an adjunct professor of Electrical Engineering with Miami University, Ohio and AFIT, Dayton, Ohio.

MONDAY, MAY 3, 1:30pm-5:00pm

GPS Error Characterization, Mitigation, and Analysis
Dr. Chris Bartone

Course Description:

This course begins with an overview of GNSS, GPS and a “stand-alone” GPS user solution and error budget.  Errors for GPS users will be discussed along with error mitigation techniques.  Error isolation and error analysis techniques will be presented.  The course also provides details on more advanced error mitigation techniques, including differential GPS, and different ways to implement, as well as, other error consideration for precise point position (PPP) and high accuracy users.  The course concludes with a discussion about future trends in GNSS.  While this course will emphasized GPS, methods and techniques can be applied to other GNSS users.

Course Outline:

  • Overview of GNSS and GPS
  • Overview of “stand-alone” GPS user solution and error budget
  • Introduction of a GPS signal model and error terms
  • Satellite orbit and clock errors
  • Atmosphere errors: Ionosphere errors (characterization, mitigation, analysis); Troposphere errors (characterization, mitigation, analysis); Multipath error (characterization, mitigation, analysis)
  • Code phase multipath
  • Carrier phase multipath
  • Error mitigation by smoothing
  • Error considerations for the PPP user
  • Differential GPS (DGPS) and different ways to implement it
  • Correction-based DGPS
  • Relative-based DGPS
  • A GPS error budget (DGPS)
  • Error considerations for the high accuracy user
  • Future Trends

Biography:

Dr. Chris Bartone, P.E., is an associate professor at Ohio University.  He received his Ph.D. in EE from Ohio University in 1998; he holds an MSEE from the Naval Postgraduate School (1987) and a BSEE from Penn State (1983).  Chris has 26 years of experience working with communications, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) systems. Chris worked for the Naval Air Warfare Center-Aircraft Division performing research and development on CNS systems.  At Ohio University, Dr. Bartone developed a number of graduate-level classes on GPS, radar, and wave propagation; his research concentrates on all aspects of navigation.   He received the RTCA William E. Jackson Award in 1998 for his outstanding contributions to aviation. He is a member of the ION, IEEE, and the ILA.  He has served the ION Council as air representative, eastern region vice president, and ION outreach chair.  Currently he is editor of the ION Virtual Navigation Museum.  He has helped organize many ION and IEEE conferences. Dr. Bartone is a licensed professional engineer and President of GNSS Solutions® Ltd.

MONDAY, MAY 3, 1:30pm-5:00pm

Contemporary and Emerging Inertial Sensor Technologies
Mr. Ralph Hopkins

Course Description:

This course will present an overview of current state-of-the art inertial instrument technology and how emerging applications of nanotechnology, solid-state optics and cold atom technologies are influencing gyroscope and accelerometer design. The course will initially focus on the recent developments in MEMS-based inertial instruments and how MEMS technology is revolutionizing the inertial guidance navigation and control (GN&C) industry. Current industry trends will be discussed along with examples of MEMS inertial technology in the commercial, military and space sectors, including advanced systems which integrate inertial MEMS with GPS.

New developments in inertial instrument design will follow with discussion of how nanotechnology, new solid state optical component developments and cold atom interfereometry are being exploited in the next generation of precision gyro and accelerometer designs.
Suitable for experienced inertial instrument practitioners, it will also be of interest to novice developers as it will cover an overview of basic inertial sensing principles, and detailed discussion of gyroscope and accelerometer designs. This course will appeal to R&D, systems and manufacturing engineers, managers and executives, and will conclude with a discussion on the future direction of advance inertial technologies.

Course Outline:

  • Overview of Inertial Sensing
  • Inertial MEMS Development
  • MEMS Accelerometers and Gyroscopes
  • System Application Examples
  • Advanced Solid State Optical Instruments
  • Emerging Inertial Applications of Nano and Cold Atom Technology
  • Future Direction of Inertial Technology

Biography:

Ralph Hopkins is a principal member of the technical staff and group leader in the Guidance Hardware Division at Draper Laboratory where he is responsible for the design and development of inertial instruments and sensors. Ralph has served as technical director of advanced inertial instrument development programs including strategic, navigation and tactical grade MEMS gyroscopes and accelerometers, and other high performance electro-mechanical inertial sensors. He holds four patents, has authored several papers and is an invited speaker for short course tutorials on inertial instruments and inertial technology. He recently presented in Europe and the United Kingdom at the NATO Research and Technology Organization sponsored lecture series “Low Cost Navigation Sensors and Integration Technologies”.  Ralph holds s a BS and ME in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, an ME in Engineering Mechanics from Columbia University, and an MS in Engineering Management from The Gordon Institute of Tufts University. He is a former member of the AIAA Guidance Navigation and Control technical committee.

MONDAY, MAY 3, 1:30pm-5:00pm

Aiding Techniques for Integration of Ladar with Inertial Navigation Systems
Dr. Maarten Uijt de Haag & Dr. Andrey Soloviev

Course Description:

This tutorial discusses the integration of laser radar (ladar) with inertial navigation system (INS) for navigation in GPS denied environments including urban indoor and outdoor scenarios. The discussion includes the basic principles of ladar integration with inertial data; the use of correlation techniques or feature-based techniques; and, the use of a priori information such as terrain and feature databases. The integrated ladar/INS mechanization is described in detail for both the correlation-based and feature-based/inertial integrated approach.  In this case, the integration is performed using a tightly coupled Kalman filter that combines sensor data in the range domain.  Ladar data are applied to estimate inertial drift terms in order to mitigate the drift in inertial navigation outputs. Inertial data are applied for robust feature matching. Experimental data collected in actual indoor and outdoor urban environments are applied to demonstrate performance of ladar/INS integrated approach. Integration of ladar, vision and inertial measurements is included as a bonus material.

Prerequisites: Familiarity with basic Kalman filter and INS principles

Course Outline:

  • Introduction to Ladar-based navigation
  • Correlation-based navigation techniques
  • Feature-based navigation techniques
  • INS/Ladar integrated mechanization
  • Two-dimensional (2D) mechanization:
  • Use of INS for feature matching
  • Kalman filter formulation
  • Extension into the three-dimensional (3D) case:
  • Use of INS for compensation of the laser scanner tilt
  • Use of platform motion for extracting 3D features from 2D scan images
  • Performance demonstration
  • Bonus material: Integration of ladar, vision, and inertial data

Biography:

Dr. Uijt de Haag is an associate professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and a principal investigator (PI) with the Avionics Engineering Center at Ohio University since 1999.  He obtained his M.S.E.E. degree from Delft University in The Netherlands in 1994 and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio in 1999. He has authored or co-authored over 80 navigation-related publications, including three book chapters.  He is a senior member of the IEEE and AIAA, and a member of the SPIE and ION. Within the ION Maarten has served as the air representative on the Council and is currently co-editor for the Institute of Navigation Red Book on “Integration Navigation Systems,” and associate editor for NAVIGATION: The Journal of the Institute of Navigation. Dr. Uijt de Haag was awarded the 2008 Institute of Navigation Thomas L. Thurlow Award for his contributions to laser-based navigation and integrity monitors for synthetic vision systems.

Dr. Soloviev is a research assistant professor at the University of Florida. Previously he served as a senior research engineer at the Ohio University Avionics Engineering Center. He has over ten years of R&D experience in the area of navigation. His research interests focus on all aspects of multi-sensor integration for navigation including integrated processing of GPS, inertial, laser radar and imagery signals. Dr. Soloviev received the RTCA William E. Jackson Award in 2002 and the Institute of Navigation Early Achievement Award in 2006.