Synchronize sensors and cameras

摘要

Measurement systems often use cameras and other sensors that must be synchronized. We developed an aerial-photography system that uses a camera built from CCD image sensors, an IMU (inertial measurement unit), and a GPS unit. We then built circuits to provide trigger signals to synchronize the measurements at the optimal rate. The GPS provides information on spatial location, while the IMU provides information on spatial azimuth; the IMU combines a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and an accelerom-eter to produce angular and acceleration measurements of a three-axis vector.