New Movella Motion Sensor Xsens MTi-8 Backs up Centimeter-accurate Position Data with High-bandwidth Inertial Measurements

XSENS MTi-8, a miniature surface-mount sensor from Movella, provides dead reckoning inputs to fill gaps or correct errors in data from RTK GNSS receivers.

Enschede, The Netherlands – October 27, 2022 - Movella™, a global innovator of advanced technologies and products that sense, capture, and analyze movement, today launched the Xsens MTi-8, a miniature surface-mount motion sensor which combines centimeter-accurate positioning data outputs with a high-bandwidth inertial navigation system (INS) to enable precise dead reckoning.

The new MTi-8’s INS is based on a proven inertial measurement unit – a platform first implemented in the existing MTi-3 and MTi-7 products. The MTi-8 also features an RTK GNSS satellite positioning receiver interface. The interface is compatible with universal NMEA signals, and with u-blox, Septentrio, and Trimble data formats.

The MTi-8’s on-board INS capability means that RTK satellite positioning data can be enhanced in various ways:

To maintain real-time position information by dead reckoning in tunnels, under bridges, and in other locations in which the satellite and/or RTK signal may be lost temporarily.

To correct intermittently faulty satellite position information when a positioning and/or RTK signal is temporarily lost or distorted.

To increase the update rate of position and velocity data in fast-moving applications. The typical RTK GNSS receiver’s update rate is 10Hz. The MTi-8 increases this to up to 400Hz by filling in the gaps between GNSS receiver outputs with INS calculations.

Arnout Koelewijn, Product Manager at Movella, said: ‘Unlike a stand-alone RTK GNSS receiver, the MTi-8 provides fast, accurate positioning data at all times in all conditions, as well as giving the orientation measurements which are essential in many applications. The MTi-8 is the new way to supercharge the performance of an RTK GNSS receiver.’

Complete GNSS/INS hardware and software system

The MTi-8 hardware system consists of a 3D gyroscope, 3D accelerometer, and magnetometer, and interfaces to an external GNSS receiver and barometer, all housed in a small 12.1mm x 12.1mm x 2.55mm package.

Xsens sensor fusion software generates precisely synchronized measurements of roll, pitch, yaw/heading, velocity, and position. The sensor fusion software operates with ultra-low latency to maintain high accuracy at output data rates up to 400Hz.

This makes the MTi-8 ideal for a wide range of slow or fast navigation, stabilization, mapping, and scanning applications. It may be used in autonomous vehicles, outdoor mobile robots, and many other products.

Development with the MTi-8 is supported by the Xsens MT Software Suite, which includes:

MT Manager – a GUI for Windows and Linux® platforms. MT Manager provides tools including a firmware updater and magnetic field mapper.

Software development kit

Code examples

Drivers for LabVIEW, Robot Operating System (ROS), and GO.