Gyrocompass. Historical artwork of a scientist operating an early electrical gyroscope to find the direction of true north. Electricity is being used to drive a rotating wheel. Gimbals are used to isolate this rotation, allowing it to maintain its spin axis regardless of external motions. Friction applied to the wheel using gravity (weights or a viscous fluid) will cause the gyroscope to orientate towards true north, indicated by the pointer (lower right). The first electrical gyroscopic compasses were invented in the 1890s.