Learn in the textbookDetection Devices (Light, Electromagnetic, and Motion Sensors)
DefinitionA gyroscope sensor (ジャイロセンサー) detects how fast an object is rotating, which is its angular velocity.
ExplanationAngular velocity is how many degrees an object's orientation changes per unit of time. A gyroscope sensor measures which axis a device is turning around and how fast, so it can follow small changes in orientation. It keeps camera images steady and drones level, and it is often paired with an accelerometer to work out a device's orientation.
AnalogyIt is like sitting in a swivel chair with your eyes closed and still feeling it when someone spins you around.
Memory hook"Gyro" comes from the Greek word for "turning"; the name traces back to the gyroscope, a device that relies on a spinning top keeping its axis pointed the same way.