Which sensor would you use to measure the robot's heading?

• A. Gyroscope
• B. Accelerometer
• C. Proximity sensor
• D. Encoder

Answer: (A)

Heading is the robot’s orientation around the vertical axis, so you need to know how fast the robot is rotating about that axis. A gyroscope provides exactly that: angular velocity around each axis, including yaw. By integrating the yaw rate over time, you build up the robot’s heading relative to its starting orientation. That makes the gyro the best sensor for measuring heading directly.

Accelerometers tell you linear acceleration and the direction of gravity, which can help with tilt estimation but not the heading around the vertical axis. Proximity sensors measure distance to nearby objects, not orientation. Encoders track wheel rotations to infer movement and, with geometry, can estimate changes in orientation indirectly, but they don’t give a direct heading reading. In real systems, gyro data is often fused with a magnetometer to correct drift and keep the heading accurate over time.