Hardware
Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)
An inertial measurement unit is a sensor package combining a three-axis accelerometer and three-axis gyroscope, often with a magnetometer, measuring specific force and angular velocity at rates from hundreds to thousands of hertz. Because integrating its measurements drifts over time, IMU data is fused with cameras, LiDAR, or leg odometry via Kalman or complementary filters to produce stable orientation and velocity estimates.
Why it matters for physical AI
High-rate inertial sensing is the backbone of state estimation for legged balance, drone stabilization, and visual-inertial odometry, bridging the gaps between slower exteroceptive sensor updates.
Related terms
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