Xsens announced a major capability upgrade for its industrial-grade Xsens Sirius and Xsens Avior inertial measurement units (IMUs). The new Heave feature delivers centimetre-level vertical displacement measurement, enabling real-time stabilisation and wave compensation in a wide range of marine applications.
Complete motion data for demanding marine environments
Marine engineers can now access comprehensive motion data – roll, pitch, yaw, and Heave – from a single compact sensor. This eliminates the need for external processing or for oversized tactical-grade systems while maintaining the precision required for offshore platforms, vessels, docking systems, marine robots, buoys, and surveying equipment.
The Heave output operates at up to 100Hz, providing the real-time response needed in active stabilisation and wave compensation systems. All processing happens on-device, simplifying system integration and reducing latency.
Industry-leading accuracy across extended wave periods
Xsens Motion Reference Units (MRUs) – IMUs with Heave capability – deliver real-time Heave accuracy better than 5cm for wave periods up to 29s. This covers most marine applications. For longer wave periods up to 40s, accuracy is approximately 6cm, twice the range supported by comparable industrial-grade MRUs.
“Engineers now get vertical displacement data directly onboard, alongside roll, pitch, and yaw,” said Ayush Sharma, Algorithms Engineer at Movella. “This gives marine customers the complete motion reference they need for stabilisation and compensation systems, without the size or certification overhead of tactical MRUs.”
The algorithm uses proprietary phase correction and bias estimation to mitigate the effect of drift over extended operating periods. Users can also define offset points – Centre of Rotation (COR) and Point of Interest (POI) – ensuring that Heave values reflect the true motion of the vessel or payload, even when the MRU is installed away from the POI.
Seamless firmware upgrade
The Heave algorithm is available for download immediately as a firmware update for existing Xsens Sirius and Xsens Avior units in the field, with no hardware modifications required. All new unit’s ship with the feature integrated. Heave output is enabled with a single setting in the MT Manager software or the Xsens Software Development Kit (SDK).
Designed for straightforward integration
Xsens Avior is a compact OEM module for embedded system designs.
Xsens Sirius is a standalone MRU in a rugged IP68 housing for harsh environments. It meets MIL-STD-202 requirements.
Both products support RS-422, CAN, and UART interfaces. Development kits are available for prototyping, with free SDKs for C/C++, Python, ROS1, ROS2, and MATLAB. All units meet CE, FCC, and RoHS regulatory requirements, and are ITAR-free.
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