2GIG Engineering Powers Inclinometer Systems with PanelPilotACE Displays
Founded in 2015 in Maine, 2GIG Engineering specialises in the design and manufacture of inclinometers, also known as tilt sensors. These precision devices measure angular movement in degrees and are engineered for reliability in both stable and extreme conditions.
To interpret and visualise the data captured by their tilt sensors, 2GIG uses PanelPilotACE touchscreen displays—a flexible solution that simplifies user interface design and accelerates deployment across industries.
Each inclinometer creates a virtual zero-degree reference plane and continuously measures deviations from that baseline, providing operators with essential feedback.
A Versatile Display for Tilt Sensor Interfaces
The PanelPilotACE range has proven to be a reliable HMI solution for 2GIG across numerous applications. From medical equipment to film production, these displays provide a visual interface for wireless control systems, enabling users to interact directly with sensor data.
“We have used PanelPilotACE in conjunction with our tilt sensors in numerous applications. The PanelPilotACE is used to provide the touchscreen interface in a wireless control system for our sensor. By touchscreen command we can modify trip angles, delays, output rates, adjust analog ranges and log data.” – Jody Knowles, Owner of 2GIG Engineering
Supporting Precision in Spinal Surgery
One of 2GIG’s standout projects involved a collaboration with Trinity Orthopedics, who developed a surgical accessory for a C-arm X-ray machine. The device aids in spinal surgeries by ensuring precise pin placement with fewer X-ray exposures.
“Trinity Orthopedics in California has created an accessory for a C-arm X-ray machine. This is used to place pins accurately for spinal surgery without the need to take excessive X-rays for placement.” – Jody Knowles
For this application, 2GIG integrated a tilt sensor with a drive motor to control the movement of the machine with ultra-high precision. The PanelPilotACE SGD 43-A was used to wirelessly display tilt angles in real time, helping surgeons place pins more safely and effectively.
“If the machine needs to move just 1 mm or .1 degrees, a person cannot move the machine with enough precision. We helped them with the drive motor system, along with one of our tilt sensors for rotation of the C-arm. Lascar’s PanelPilotACE SGD 43-A was used to display the tilt angle from sensor data obtained over a wireless connection. This allows the surgeon to place pins more accurately, using less radiation, and to communicate better with other staff helping with the pin placement. Prototyping has been great so far.”
Real-Time Feedback for Film and Flight
In another project, 2GIG worked with Alpha Stabilized to improve camera alignment during filming. Their tilt sensors provided roll and tilt feedback, transmitted wirelessly via XBee, and displayed in real time using a PanelPilotACE SGD 43-A.
“This was one of my favorite projects we have worked on recently in which we have used the PanelPilotACE. Thanks to the drag and drop feature of the Design Studio, it is very quick and easy to create a project. The software is very user friendly.” – Jody Knowles
2GIG also developed a solution for MD Helicopters, where their dual-axis analog tilt sensor was paired with a PanelPilotACE SGD 70-A. The 0–5V sensor outputs were connected to the display’s analogue inputs, which then converted and presented the data as digital angle readouts—crucial for flight angle monitoring.
Rugged Depth Displays for Dredging
For dredging applications, 2GIG created a simple and effective interface to monitor digging depth. Using their battery-powered, wireless tilt sensors and a PanelPilotACE SGD 70-A, operators can view ladder length, set target dig depths, and define tolerances for over- or under-dredging—all on a single, user-friendly touchscreen.
Why PanelPilotACE Works for 2GIG
PanelPilotACE displays offer a scalable platform for developing custom interfaces without the need for code. The Design Studio software allows engineers to drag and drop components like meters, graphs, and logic gates—making prototyping and deployment faster across multiple applications.
With rich input/output support and a fully customisable UI, PanelPilotACE has helped 2GIG deliver high-precision inclinometer systems in demanding sectors including medical, aerospace, construction, and cinematography.
