Identification of accelerometer orientation errors and compensation for acceleration estimation errors

Inertial measurement units (IMU) consist of accelerometers. Estimation accuracy of acceleration in a particular direction depends on how accurately accelerometers are placed at desired or ideal orientations. The estimation inaccuracy which results from inaccurate orientation of an accelerometer can be eliminated if the orientation error or the angle between the actual and the ideal orientations is known. This paper presents a method of identification of the accelerometer orientation errors without requiring any rotational motion of the IMU in which accelerometers are placed. It also presents a method of compensation for the inaccuracy of acceleration estimation due to the accelerometer orientation errors using angular motion information.