Austin utilizes  LaCoste & Romberg gravity meters with the latest 'State of the Art' digital upgrades.

UltraSys™ Highlights: Large (55 conductor) main cable eliminated. High resolution marine and airplane modes. New DC heater control circuit. Smallest and lightest system available. Completely automatic. Greatest precision. Fully digital control system. 200 Hz sample rate. 32 bit processor; 16-bit A/D and D/A. 

UltraSys™ is Fully Digital: Transducer outputs are digitized with no additional analog processing. The new ZLS system digitizes input signals 200 times a second. All processing, including filtering, is done digitally. All control-loop algorithms, for both the platform and gravity sensor, are performed digitally by an embedded computer. Eliminating analog circuits enhances reliability and simplifies servicing.

How UltraSys™ Functions: UltraSys™ utilizes a 32-bit embedded processor to perform all of the platform and sensor control functions. The system control module is attached to the platform frame, thereby eliminating the 55 conductor main cable that connected the sensor to the computer in older systems. The power module may be located anywhere near the platform. A host computer completes the system. The embedded processor is connected to a host computer through a serial port. Using ZLS-supplied software, the host computer processes the data as required for high resolution or standard marine operations and archives the final data. Raw data from the accelerometers, gyros, and gravity transducer are digitized 200 times a second with a 16-bit A/D converter and processed by the embedded computer. Analog signal outputs to control the motor and gyros are provided by a 16-bit D/A converter which is also updated at 200 Hz. The embedded computer calculated the cross-coupling monitors at a 25 Hz rate. Slightly filtered data are transmitted to the host computer once per second. The host computer stores all data on hard disk and can simultaneously direct data to the video monitor, serial port, and printer in a variety of formats. Either a numerical or graphical format may be selected for display on the printer. In high resolution marine and airplane modes, raw data are recorded once per second, allowing the user to custom filter the data for specific applications. In marine mode the data are filtered in appropriate manner for marine data and record at 10-second intervals. Additional external data may be appended to the gravity data. The system accommodates up to four analog channels and 24 digital channels. The system is fully automatic and will start unattended after a power interruption. Operation is as simple as turning on the switch. However, all system functions can be controlled manually through menu selections. All key strokes are logged in a separate file for a complete record of system activity. System functions are continuously monitored and UltraSys™ will automatically shut down and activate an external alarm signal in the event of a serious malfunction.