What is a gyroscope on a phone? A gyroscope in a phone - what it is and how the device works, in which smartphone models it is installed
Gyroscopes have been used in phones for the past five years. Today, not a single device can do without them. But many people still don’t know what it is.
If, when creating a telephone, the original idea was to communicate at a distance, due to the development of modern technologies, this is a full-fledged multifunctional device.
Since there is always great competition between brands in the global market, companies strive to show their target audience new solutions that compare favorably with other manufacturers. It was competition that caused the appearance of gyroscopes in smartphones.
It was thanks to him that the devices became more functional and won good reviews from the owners. If quite recently gyroscopes were considered an outlandish element of a device, today it is difficult to surprise the target audience with their presence. And despite the fact that some consider the gyroscope to be a useful element of the phone system, others prefer to turn it off.
What is it?
A gyroscope is a special chip (in a smartphone) that analyzes the position of an object in space and determines the angles of its placement. The simplest example of a standard gyroscope is the spinning top, a game designed specifically for children. The gyroscope was first introduced to the public by the German astronomer and mathematician I. Bonenberger.
Some scientific works also contain information that the device was actually invented three years earlier. Gyro sensors are actively used in a large number of fields of science and technology, including aviation, shipping, and astronautics. They are installed in household appliances, and, naturally, modern smartphones.
Gyroscope and accelerometer are fundamentally different things
For some reason, society has formed the idea that the accelerometer and gyroscope are identical devices, which, accordingly, are designed to perform similar functions. In fact, this is far from the case. mounted in a smartphone in order to track its rotation in space. Gyro sensors are responsible for a much larger list of tasks:
- moving the device in space;
- determining the direction of the world;
- speed of movement in space;
- other functions.
In general, the functionality is very similar, so the gyro sensor itself is a significantly modernized accelerometer, produced as a separate device. If the accelerometer registers the rotation of the display, gyroscopes make it possible to determine movement in three planes. Some applications actively use the integrated microchip to solve internal problems.
The main functions of the gyroscope in modern smartphones
The use of gyro sensors in smartphones has enabled manufacturers to take advantage of a number of new capabilities. Regardless of which device the microchip is installed in, the owner will certainly note the functionality.
For example, previously, in order to answer an important call, you had to press a button or touch the screen. Now, just by shaking your phone, you can start a conversation. In addition, the gyroscope makes it possible to look at photographs, interesting images, and turn the page in an e-book. In audio players, you have the opportunity to select a different song without touching any buttons.
Gyro sensors are incredibly useful in calculators. When used in portrait mode, it becomes possible to cope with a minimum number of functions - multiply, divide, subtract or add.
If the owner turns the phone 90 degrees, he will receive a number of additional features. In fact, a real engineering calculator will appear in front of him. And most importantly, you don’t need to waste time searching and selecting the desired function in the settings menu every time - the system independently determines when it is necessary to switch to the engineering version, and when to return back to the regular one.
It may seem that the gyroscope is only responsible for performing normal functions. In fact, this is far from the case. Software developers have also taken notice of the capabilities of gyro sensors.
Some operating systems provide the ability to search for devices again. Microchips give the user the opportunity to use specific programs through which the level and angle of inclination of an object are determined. Therefore, if you see a builder who measures the angle of placement of certain objects at home using an iPhone, you should not be surprised.
Gyroscopes are very convenient if the owner of a smartphone needs to determine the area in which a person is located. It may seem to you that only the GPS sensor is responsible for this function, but in fact, this is not the case.
Now it independently calculates the current location coordinates, and the gyroscope determines the direction in which the person is turned in real time. For example, if you are in an open area where there are no roads, but you need to get to the nearest populated area, just turn your face towards it - and on the screen you will be able to see where you can get if you constantly walk straight. On the contrary, turning your back to the desired settlement, you will notice this too.
The presence of such assistants makes navigating unfamiliar terrain much easier. Thus, the gyro sensor is an indispensable element of the smartphone used by people who enjoy outdoor activities.
Naturally, the matter is not without its drawbacks. Some owners of phones with a gyroscope prefer to turn it off. For example, some applications may be slow to respond to changes in your current position in space. In addition, if you are lying down reading a book, turning over on your side, the gyro sensor will immediately indicate to the program the need to change the page orientation. As a result, you may experience a number of inconveniences.
The functionality of modern mobile phones has long gone beyond making calls and exchanging SMS text messages. A smartphone today is a universal gadget stuffed with all kinds of sensors. Many models also have specific sensors with which the phone can determine its position in space. Examples of such sensitive devices are the gyroscope and accelerometer.
What is a gyroscope and what is it for, how it works
Let's start with the fact that a gyroscope is a mechanical or electromechanical device capable of determining its own angle of inclination relative to the earth's surface. Compared to other similar devices, it was invented relatively late, namely in 1817. The main design element of a gyroscope is a rotor-top rotating around a vertical axis, and its axis can change its position in space, and the speed of rotation of the top significantly exceeds the speed of rotation of its axis of rotation. Thanks to this, the top always maintains its position regardless of the external forces acting on it, which is the whole principle of the gyroscope.
Initially, this simple device was used as a teaching aid. Practical application was found only 60 years later, when engineer Aubrey came up with the idea of installing it in torpedoes to stabilize their course. Today, this useful invention, having been improved many times, is widely used in a variety of mechanisms. To accurately determine position in space, gyroscopes are used in ships, airplanes, spacecraft, rockets, simulators, radio-controlled devices such as quadcopters and, of course, in smartphones.
How does a gyroscope work in a smartphone, the difference between a gyroscope and an accelerometer
Naturally, the gyroscope in a smartphone differs significantly in terms of design from classic gyroscopes, although it serves the same purpose. Mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy, forming a sequence of bits - the binary code that underlies all computer software systems. Of course, there are no rotating tops in the gyroscopes of electronic devices; they are too small for that. Instead, moving masses of matter are used, the displacement of which causes a change in the electrical capacitance of the capacitors, recorded by the microprocessor.
Instead of capacitors, current-generating piezocrystals can be used, which are especially common in another type of sensor that determines the position in space - accelerometers. Structurally, accelerometers are very similar to gyroscopes; they also have a moving element - a special weight, the displacement of which, when the device is tilted, affects the piezoelectric crystal. In this way, the speed and pressure are converted into an electrical signal, which is processed accordingly by the microprocessor. So, we hope you have got some idea of what a gyroscope is in a smartphone.
And here are a couple more points. Both gyroscopes and accelerometers are inertial MEMS sensors, differing, however, in the principle of data acquisition. If the gyroscope determines only the angle of inclination relative to the earth's surface, then the accelerometer can measure linear acceleration, that is, horizontal movement relative to the ground. In practice, smartphones and other devices often have both sensors installed, which complement each other perfectly. Now let's see how to find out if your phone has a gyroscope.
How to check if your phone has a gyroscope
We already know why a gyroscope is needed in a smartphone, but how to check its presence on a particular mobile device. The gyroscope is used by all applications that register the tilt of the device - navigation and construction programs, 3D games, 3D panoramic content viewers, screen rotation firmware, and so on. But support for these functions does not mean that the specified sensor is in the phone, because we already noted above that it can be partly replaced by an accelerometer.
If you want to find out whether a gyroscope is integrated into the gadget or not, go to the official website of the device manufacturer, find your model there and study its technical characteristics. There is a faster way to get the information you need. Install a free benchmark application on your smartphone AnTuTu Benchmark, in the “My Device” section it displays a list of all sensors, among which there will be data about the gyroscope. If “Not supported” is indicated next to the “Gyroscope” item instead of its name, it means that there is no sensor on the device.
As an alternative, you can use another application – Sensor Sense. Unlike AnTuTu Benchmark, in addition to the list of sensors, it also displays all their readings. We install the program and see if there is a gyroscope in the list. If not, then it is not on the device.
It is also worth paying attention to another wonderful software tool - AIDA64, which provides a complete set of device configuration information. What sensors are on board can be viewed on the “Sensors” tab. If a gyroscope appears in the list, you can be sure that the phone has it installed.
Enabling/disabling and calibrating the gyroscope on Android
As a rule, the gyroscope in phones is an independent sensor, not connected in any way with software settings. Either there is a gyroscope, and it is always on, or it is not, but then there can be no question of turning the sensor on/off. True, users often ask how to turn on the gyroscope on Android, but this question stems from a misunderstanding of the principle of its interaction with the software part of the device. You can enable and disable accelerometer functions, for example, auto-rotate the screen, but again this is not directly related to the gyroscope.
The same goes for gyroscope calibration; only the accelerometer can be adjusted by software. It is unlikely that you can do this using the built-in tools of the OS itself; for these purposes you need to use special utilities like Accelerometer Calibration Free. Everything is very simple here - the mobile device is placed on a flat surface, and when the red ball indicating balance is exactly in the center of the “sight”, the “Calibrate” button is pressed.
In general, if you come across information online about how to calibrate a gyroscope on Android, know that we are talking about setting up the accelerometer.
Many users, when studying the characteristics of their smartphone, often come across the presence of such a device on their phone as “ gyroscope" What it is and what its functions are, users often do not know or imagine, quite often confusing it with an accelerometer. In this article I will try to “shed light” on this issue and tell you what a gyroscope is in a phone, what its functions are, what is the difference between a gyroscope and an accelerometer, and also how to find out if there is a gyroscope in a phone.
Gyroscope is a special sensor in a smartphone that allows you to determine the position of your phone in space. The gyroscope is trained to respond to changes in the orientation angles of the body on which it is installed relative to the inertial reference system.
The width of such a sensor inside the phone usually does not exceed 10 millimeters, and the height is 5 millimeters.
A prototype of a device with the functions described above was invented back in 1817 by the German John Bonenberg, and the term “gyroscope” itself was introduced into lexical circulation much later - in 1852.
Important! If you do not yet know what is in the phone and their purpose, you should read the materials on the links.
Gyroscope functions
After we have figured out what a gyroscope is, it is worth listing the functions it performs. The main function of the gyroscope on modern smartphones and tablets is to automatically rotate the image on the screen following a change in the position of the mobile device.
In addition, it is actively used by various gaming programs (in particular racing), navigation applications, various utility software, and so on. For example, turning the smartphone screen down can lock the screen or turn off the sound, shaking the phone will answer an incoming call or start Bluetooth, and the presence of a gyroscope on the phone allows you to work more accurately with GPS navigation and navigate on the map.
Well, there’s no need to talk about the benefits of a gyroscope in games. The recent global hit, the game Pokemon Go, made full use of the capabilities of the gyroscope, allowing the player to catch Pokemon in familiar terrain, and the Pokemon themselves quite correctly use the features of the surrounding landscape, read by the phone’s camera.
A gyroscope is also used in virtual reality helmets, recording the turns and tilts of the player’s head, and accordingly adjusting the computer image to it.
Difference between gyroscope and accelerometer
You can often find opinions on the Internet that gyroscope and accelerometer- this is the same thing as a gyroscope - it is a more accurate accelerometer and so on. In fact, these are two different sensors, and if the accelerometer is usually installed in mobile devices by default, then the gyroscope is not always present in users’ smartphones and tablets.
The main difference between these devices lies in their functions. If the gyro sensor (gyroscope) determines the position of your device in space, then the accelerometer measures the acceleration of your device and provides information about its movement (for example, an indicator of the speed of movement).
How to turn the gyroscope on and off
When analyzing the question of what a gyroscope means, it is also worth mentioning how to turn the gyroscope on and off. In general, de facto, this sensor works almost always; we can only turn on and off various functions in which it is involved (for example, flipping the screen of our device).
For example, to enable the mentioned screen rotation, you should go to the settings of your mobile device, tap on “Screen”, and in the screen settings enable the “Auto-rotate screen” function.
Accordingly, to disable this function, you need to deactivate it in the same way.
How to find out if your phone has a gyroscope
Most modern phones have built-in gyroscope sensors. If you still doubt its availability, just enter the make and model of your device into the search bar of the search engine, and then read its full technical specifications.
You can also use auxiliary programs that provide complete information about the device. Can I recommend
Hello everyone, dear users of the best mobile portal Trashbox. Today’s sixth article from the “How it works” section is dedicated to the gyroscope. If you don’t know what this is, this article is for you. Let's find out what a gyroscope is and how it works. The most interesting under the cut.
A gyroscope (translated as “rotation” or “look”) is a device that has the ability to measure changes in the orientation angles of the body associated with it relative to the inertial coordinate system. Currently, two types of gyroscopes are known: mechanical and optical. According to their operating mode, gyroscopes are divided into: angular velocity sensors and direction indicators. However, one device can operate simultaneously in different modes depending on the type of control.
As for mechanical gyroscopes, the most famous of them is the rotary gyroscope - this is a solid body that rotates rapidly and whose axis is capable of changing orientation in space. The rotation speed of the gyroscope in this case significantly exceeds the rotation speed of its rotation axis. The main property of this gyroscope is the ability to maintain a constant direction of the rotation axis in space in the absence of any influence on it by external forces. The main part of a rotary gyroscope is a rapidly rotating rotor, which has several degrees of freedom (axes of possible rotation).
Operating principle
The principle of operation of a gyroscope is based on weights that vibrate on a plane with a speed frequency multiplied by movement. When the gyroscope turns, the so-called Coriolis acceleration occurs. If you skipped physics at school or don’t know, then all bodies have a single property - when they rotate, they maintain their orientation relative to the direction of gravity. Essentially, a gyroscope is a top that rotates around a vertical axis, mounted in a frame that can rotate around a horizontal axis, and in turn fixed in another frame that can rotate around a third axis. Thus, we can come to the conclusion: no matter how we turn the top, it always has the opportunity to still be in a vertical position. The sensors record how the top is oriented relative to the frames, and the processor reads how the frames in this case should be positioned relative to gravity.
Gyroscopes are used in technology. They are used as components both in navigation systems (artificial horizon, gyrocompass, etc.) and in spacecraft orientation and stabilization systems. As for the stabilization system itself, there are three types: a power stabilization system (used on two-degree gyroscopes), an indicator-power stabilization system (also on two-degree gyroscopes) and an indicator stabilization system (on three-degree gyroscopes).
Now let’s take a closer look at these three main types. Force Stabilization System: One gyroscope is required for stabilization around each axis. The stabilization itself is carried out directly by the gyroscope, as well as by the unloading engine. At the beginning, the gyroscopic moment acts, and then the unloading motor is connected. Indicator-force stabilization system: stabilization also requires one gyroscope. Stabilization is carried out only by unloading motors, but at the beginning a small gyroscopic moment appears. And the last one is an indicator stabilization system: one gyroscope is needed to stabilize around two axes. Stabilization is carried out only by unloading motors.
Using a gyroscope in mobile devices
Let's touch on the topic of using a gyroscope in mobile devices and game consoles. Currently, most smartphones use a so-called MEMS accelerometer. Being an acceleration sensor, in a resting state it sees only one vector - the vector of the universal force of gravity, which is always directed towards the center of the Earth. By decomposing the vector into the sensitive axes of the sensor, the angular position of the device in space is calculated without any difficulty. Also, vector decomposition can show that the sensor is unable to determine the device’s turn based on the heading angle, that is, turning left or right when the smartphone is placed on its edge - the projection of the vector onto the heading is always zero. The first game controller that can determine its position in space was released by Nintendo - the Wii Remote for the Wii game console, and it uses only a three-dimensional accelerometer.
In addition, the gyroscope began to be used in game controllers. For example, Sixaxis for the third generation SONY PlayStation and Wii MotionPlus for the Nintendo Wii. Both game controllers use two complementary spatial sensors: a gyroscope and an accelerometer. Also, the newest controllers, in addition to the accelerometer, use an additional spatial sensor - a gyroscope. If we consider the work of a gyroscope in other things, then there are toys based on a gyroscope. The most commonplace examples are a yo-yo and a spinning top, or popularly called a spinning top. Tops differ from gyroscopes in that they do not have a single fixed point.
There are also applications for the gyroscope in other areas - there is a whole list of them. The gyroscope is used in navigation devices in airplanes and spacecraft, in weapons (the bullet spins when fired, this gives it much greater stability and increases shooting accuracy), the wheels of a bicycle or similar device work like gyroscopes - this prevents the rider from falling. Thus, any rotating object can be called a gyroscope - it counteracts the deviation of the axis of rotation.
There are a huge number of inventions that are characterized by a long and very rich history of use in various instruments and devices. It is common to hear the name of something but not even have an idea of what it is for. This is exactly how the question arises, what is a gyroscope? It's worth looking into it.
Basic definition
A gyroscope is a navigation device in which the main element is a rapidly rotating rotor, fixed in such a way that its axis of rotation rotates. Two gimbal frames provide three degrees of freedom. In the absence of any external influences on the device, the axis of the rotor's own rotation maintains a constant direction in space. If it is influenced by the moment of an external force that tends to rotate the axis of its own rotation, then it begins its movement not around the direction of the moment, but around an axis perpendicular to it.
Device Features
If we talk about what a gyroscope is, then it is worth noting that in a well-balanced and fairly quickly rotating device, mounted on highly advanced 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, it is able to indicate the angle of rotation of the base on which it is fixed. This is exactly what was first clearly demonstrated by the French physicist J. Foucault. If you limit the rotation of the axis with a special spring, then when installing the device on which it performs the turn, the gyroscope will deform the spring until the moment of the 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. An aircraft turn signal and many other gyroscopic devices operate on this principle. Since the bearings create very little friction, it does not require much energy to keep the gyroscope rotor spinning. Typically, to set it in motion, as well as to maintain this movement, a low-power electric motor or a jet of compressed air is sufficient.
Gyroscope: application
Most often, this device is used as a sensing element for indicating gyroscopic devices, and also as a rotation angle or angular velocity sensor for devices operating under automatic control. In some cases, a gyroscope can serve as a generator of energy or torque.
Currently, the operating principle of the gyroscope allows it to be actively used in aviation, shipping and astronautics. Almost every long-distance sea vessel has a gyrocompass for automatic or manual control of the vessel, and some also use gyrostabilizers. The fire control system of naval artillery is usually equipped with a variety of additional gyroscopes, which are designed to provide a stable reference frame 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 airplanes are also necessarily equipped with these devices in order to provide reliable information about the activities of navigation and stabilization systems. Such devices include an attitude indicator, a gyroscopic turn and roll indicator, and a gyrovertical. 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 and other equipment - cameras with gyroscopes, gyrosectants, navigation sights. In military aviation, gyroscopes are actively used as components in bombing and aerial shooting sights.
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 lot of additional functions and modules, some of which turn out to be 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 becomes 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.
What is this?
First you need to decide what kind of device it is and what functionality it has. So, a gyroscope in a phone is an element 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 detect a change in position, and if there is an accelerometer, also acceleration during a fall. The information is then transmitted to the gadget's computing unit. Given certain software, the device makes a decision about how it should further react to changes that have occurred to it.
What else is it needed for?
So, if everything becomes clear with the question of what a gyroscope is, then all that remains is to find out why it is used in phones. Protecting the insides is not the only task here. In combination with a variety of software, it provides 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 controls make games truly exciting, which is why they are in high demand.
It can be noted that Apple products are equipped with gyroscopes, and they play a very significant role, since the operation of many applications is tied to them. A mode called CoverFlow was specially developed for it. There are a very large number of applications that work in this mode, but you can focus on a few that most clearly demonstrate it. For example, if you use a calculator on an iPhone, then in portrait position the user will only have access to simple actions, namely addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. But when you rotate the device 90 degrees, everything changes. At the same time, the calculator switches to the advanced mode, that is, the engineering mode, in which many more functions will be available.
If you understand how a 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 on such a device using GPS navigation, and in this case the map will always turn in the direction where your gaze is directed. Therefore, if you are facing, for example, a river, this will be displayed on the map, and if you turn, the position of the map will change. Thanks to this, terrain orientation is greatly simplified and can be quite useful for people who are passionate about active recreation.
Problems with the gyroscope on the phone
One can also talk about the disadvantages inherent in gyroscopes. Very often they are disabled due to the fact that programs react to changes in position in space with some delay. For example, if you decide to read while lying on the couch on the screen of a smartphone or tablet, then the gyroscope and the program associated with it will change the orientation of the page every time you turn or change your position. 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 by the delayed response of the program.
Modern varieties
The first gyroscopes were mechanical. This type of device is still used today, but with some improvements to make it more useful. At the moment, there is a laser gyroscope, which is devoid of the disadvantages inherent in mechanical ones. And this is exactly the device used in modern technology.