Sensor fusion for orientation estimation uses which sensors?

• A. Accelerometer, Gyro, and Magnetometer.
• B. Gyro and magnetometer only.
• C. Accelerometer only.
• D. Magnetometer only.

Answer: (A)

Sensor fusion for orientation estimation relies on combining all three sensors because each provides a crucial piece of the orientation puzzle. The accelerometer gives the gravity direction, helping to determine pitch and roll, but it can be swamped by motion and can’t provide a reliable yaw. The gyroscope measures angular velocity, so it tracks how orientation changes over time with high fidelity, yet integrating this data over time drifts due to bias. The magnetometer supplies a heading reference relative to Earth's magnetic field, giving yaw, but it is vulnerable to magnetic disturbances and local distortions. Putting these together with a fusion algorithm, like a Kalman or complementary filter, yields a stable, drift-corrected estimate of all three orientation angles: roll, pitch, and yaw.