The patent mentions non-metal wheels ....I was reading between the spokes : ) I had not appreciated we already had a fluid pressure sensor patent. Good isn't it.
Another "Vibratory gyroscopes such as the cylinder gyroscope 2 described above have advantages over traditional rotary gyroscopes in that they are more convenient to construct and generally far more robust. However, the accuracy of vibratory gyroscopes is less than that of rotary gyroscopes and is not acceptable for use in inertial navigation systems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vibratory gyroscope having improved accuracy." Ah well if they all come off : )
As you say a e-mail to the HQ should get an answer as it cannot be a secret. I have sent you some stuff from publications which might help your friend. Though you better check it as it may be scary to the untutored without all the other backgound pieces going back years.
Slightly how I feel about IGE now, a technology that for all I know could be surpassed next week. Actually I comsider that may be unlikely but I do not know it for fact. And TRT's market is bigger and we have more big friends, and we have two techs. : )