What is a Gimbal?
A gimbal, also called a gimbal ring, is a mechanical device consisting of two or more rings mounted on axes at right angles to each other. An object mounted on a three ring gimbal will remain horizontally suspended on a plane between the rings regardless as to the stability of the base. Gimbals have a wide range of practical uses ranging from film to aerospace applications. A gimbal may be used to keep objects level in unstable environments–for example, many dashboard mounted cup-holders are gimbals. Gimbals are also extremely valuable in shipboard and aircraft environments, when measuring instruments such as chronometers and compasses must be kept level with the horizon. Gimbals may also be used for aerospace navigation, as they can be set to provide a stable measurement from a specific reference point such as the earth or sun regardless as to their actual position in space. Gimbals employed in aerospace navigation utilize Euler angles to orient an object such as a spacecraft. When u
A gimbal, also called a gimbal ring, is a mechanical device consisting of two or more rings mounted on axes at right angles to each other. An object mounted on a three ring gimbal will remain horizontally suspended on a plane between the rings regardless as to the stability of the base. Gimbals have a wide range of practical uses ranging from film to aerospace applications. A gimbal may be used to keep objects level in unstable environments–for example, many dashboard mounted cup-holders are gimbals. Gimbals are also extremely valuable in shipboard and aircraft environments, when measuring instruments such as chronometers and compasses must be kept level with the horizon. Gimbals may also be used for aerospace navigation, as they can be set to provide a stable measurement from a specific reference point such as the earth or sun regardless as to their actual position in space. Gimbals employed in aerospace navigation utilize Euler angles to orient an object such as a spacecraft.
