US Patent 9557157 Inertial dimensional metrology

A method of performing dimensional metrology of an object (12) includes incorporating an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU-18) with an elongate probe (20) in a portable metroprobe (10). A tip (22) of the probe (20) has an offset length (L) from an origin (26) of a coordinate system in the IMU (18) and position (X,Y,Z) thereof is correlated based on attitude (A,B,C) measurement of the IMU (18). The metroprobe (10) is transported in sequence to a complement of survey points (Pn) on the object (12) for measuring corresponding coordinates (X,Y,Z) thereof based on measured attitude (A,B,C) of the IMU (18).