Overview
We have developed a highly integrated, low-cost, angle sensitive motion sensor that does not exhibit slip effects.
This sensor is based on a commercial motion sensor (ADNS 3080) that has been originally designed for applications in an optical computer mouse. Since these chips are mass produced the entire sensor becomes quite cheap.
By interfacing the mouse sensor with a microcontroller and an USB device, combined with well dimensioned optical assemblies, we successfully created a powerfull motion sensor easily adaptable for different applications.
Features
* Non slip speed over ground measurement
* Measurement of 2D velocity
* Low cost
* Measurement of yaw rate by combining two of the sensors
* Powerfull and easy to use software interface
Sample Applications
We are currently using the sensor for measuring of 2D velocity of a passenger car as well as its yaw rate.

Furthermore we are developing its usage in the following applications:
* Measurement of velocity of a model car as well as its yaw rate and its absolute position and orientation.
* Measurement of velocity of a rail vehicle.
Software
The sensor provides an easy to use c++ interface as well as a low level serial protocol.
The configuration tool implements the whole functionality of the motion sensor. With this tool one can easily setup the sensor in its environment and tweak its operation.

Contact
This sensor has been developed at the Department of Measurement and Control Systems, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.
Contact
Paper
The sensor has been presented at Intelligent Vehicles Symposium 2010, San Diego.
Low-Cost Sensors for Image Based Measurement of 2D Velocity and Yaw Rate
Abstract:
Numerous applications require precise determination of the motion of a textured surface. Image based sensors are attractive for this purpose, since they are contactless and do not suffer from slip effects. Moreover, they do not only measure scalar speed, but can determine velocity as a 2d vectorial quantity, and, if two sensors are combined, can even observe yaw rate of the surface. If this kind of sensor is mounted inversely on a vehicle, it can determine its motion by measuring the relative displacement of the road surface. In this paper we will use a commercial motion sensor that has been originally designed for application in an optical computer mouse. We will show that, by well-considered dimensioning of the optical part of the system, this sensor can measure velocities in a range that is typical for automotive application. The result is a highly integrated, low-cost, angle sensitive motion sensor that does not exhibit slip effects. We evaluate this sensor through testing on a vehicle that is equipped with reference sensors, with special consideration on the advantages of this measurement principle over conventional wheel speed sensors.