GAT/DeLiTe: an autonomous system for complete micro-gyroscope characterization

The advancement of the MEMS micro-gyroscope development effort at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory has necessitated the production of autonomous test equipment. A cost effective and efficient method of performing qualification testing and lifetime characterization was developed in response. Implemented as a set of two independent programs, the Gyroscope Automated Testbed (GAT) and the Device Lifetime Testbed (DeLiTe), provide short-term stability and response characterization and long-term stability analysis. The two programs were designed to automate the time consuming task of performance analysis, accommodate the simultaneous testing of multiple devices, and reduce the risk of operator induced errors. Both systems are implemented on personal computers hardware. Specialized hardware or dedicated systems are not required, which results in a low cost system solution. This paper discusses the design and implementation of the two programs