Real-Time Velocity Estimation Algorithm for a Multivariable Motion Sensor

This paper proposes an algorithm for real-time velocity estimation using the position and acceleration signals obtained from a multivariable motion sensor, consisting of a resistive potentiometric displacement sensor plus a MEMS accelerometer. The estimation algorithm is composed of two processing chains that estimate velocity starting from position and acceleration signals. Velocity estimation from position is obtained through an adaptive windowing differentiator while the estimation from acceleration is based on a stabilized numerical integration. Such two estimations are fused together by means of a tailored mixing logic. The proposed algorithm is first simulated in MATLAB and then experimentally implemented and tested. The proposed algorithm presents a lower estimation error for velocity as compared to the differentiation of the position through the finite difference method (FDM). Simulation and experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed mixing logic.