Accelerometer

An accelerometer is a device that measures proper acceleration, the acceleration experienced relative to freefall.

Single- and multi-axis models are available to detect magnitude and direction of the acceleration as a vector quantity, and can be

used to sense orientation, acceleration, vibration shock, and falling. Micro machined accelerometers are increasingly present in

portable electronic devices and video game controllers, to detect the position of the device or provide for game input.

Physical principles

An accelerometer measures proper acceleration, which is the acceleration it experiences relative to freefall and is the acceleration

felt by people and objects. Put another way, at any point in space time the equivalence principle guarantees the existence of a

local inertial frame, and an accelerometer measures the acceleration relative to that frame.[1] Such accelerations are popularly

measured in terms of g-force.

An accelerometer at rest relative to the Earth's surface will indicate approximately 1 g upwards, because any point on the Earth's

surface is accelerating upwards relative to the local inertial frame (the frame of a freely falling object near the surface). To obtain the

acceleration due to motion with respect to the Earth, this "gravity offset" must be subtracted.

The reason for the appearance of a gravitational offset is Einstein's equivalence principle which states that the effects of gravity on

an object are indistinguishable from acceleration. When held fixed in a gravitational field by, for example, applying a ground reaction

force or an equivalent upward thrust, the reference frame for an accelerometer (its own casing) accelerates upwards with respect to

a free-falling reference frame. The effects of this acceleration are indistinguishable from any other acceleration experienced by the

instrument, so that an accelerometer cannot detect the difference between sitting in a rocket on the launch pad, and being in the

same rocket in deep space while it uses its engines to accelerate at 1 g.

For similar reasons, an accelerometer will read zero during any type of free fall. This includes use in a coasting spaceship in deep

space far from any mass, a spaceship orbiting the Earth, an airplane in a parabolic "zero-g" arc, or any free-fall in vacuum. Another

example is free-fall at a sufficiently high altitude that atmospheric effects can be neglected.

However this does not include a (non-free) fall in which air resistance produces drag forces that reduce the acceleration, until

constant terminal velocity is reached. At terminal velocity the accelerometer will indicate 1 g acceleration upwards. For the same

reason a skydiver, upon reaching terminal velocity, does not feel as though he or she were in "free-fall", but rather experiences a

feeling similar to being supported (at 1 g) on a "bed" of up rushing air.

Acceleration is quantified in the SI unit meters (m/s2), in the CGS unit gal (Gal), or popularly in terms of g-force (g).

For the practical purpose of finding the acceleration of objects with respect to the Earth, such as for use in an inertial navigation

system, acknowledge of local gravity is required. This can be obtained either by calibrating the device at rest, or from a known

model of gravity at the approximate current position.

Conceptually, an accelerometer behaves as a damped mass on a spring. When the accelerometer experiences acceleration, the

mass is displaced to the point that the spring is able to accelerate the mass at the same rate as the casing. The displacement is

then measured to give the acceleration.

In commercial devices, piezoelectric, piezoresistive and capacitive components are commonly used to convert the mechanical

motion into an electrical signal. Piezoelectric accelerometers rely on piezoceramics (e.g. lead zirconate titanate) or single crystals

(e.g. quartz, tourmaline). They are unmatched in terms of their upper frequency range, low packaged weight and high temperature

range. Piezoresistive accelerometers are preferred in high shock applications. Capacitive accelerometers typically use a silicon

micro-machined sensing element. Their performance is superior in the low frequency range and they can be operated in servo mode

to achieve high stability and linearity.

Modern accelerometers are often small micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), and are indeed the simplest MEMS devices

possible, consisting of little more than a cantilever beam with a proof mass (also known as seismic mass). Damping results from the

residual gas sealed in the device. As long as the Q-factor is not too low, damping does not result in a lower sensitivity.

Under the influence of external accelerations the proof mass deflects from its neutral position. This deflection is measured in an

analog or digital manner. Most commonly, the capacitance between a set of fixed beams and a set of beams attached to the proof

mass is measured. This method is simple, reliable, and inexpensive. Integrating piezoresistors in the springs to detect spring

deformation, and thus deflection, is a good alternative, although a few more process steps are needed during the fabrication

sequence. For very high sensitivities quantum tunneling is also used; this requires a dedicated process making it very expensive.

Optical measurement has been demonstrated on laboratory scale.

Another, far less common, type of MEMS-based accelerometer contains a small heater at the bottom of a very small dome, which

heats the air inside the dome to cause it to rise. A thermocouple on the dome determines where the heated air reaches the dome

and the deflection off the center is a measure of the acceleration applied to the sensor.

Most micromechanical accelerometers operate in-plane, that is, they are designed to be sensitive only to a direction in the plane of

the die. By integrating two devices perpendicularly on a single die a two-axis accelerometer can be made. By adding an

additional out-of-plane device three axes can be measured. Such a combination always has a much lower misalignment error than

three discrete models combined after packaging.

Micromechanical accelerometers are available in a wide variety of measuring ranges, reaching up to thousands of g's. The designer

must make a compromise between sensitivity and the maximum acceleration that can be measured.

Applications
Engineering

Accelerometers can be used to measure vehicle acceleration. They allow for performance evaluation of both the engine/drive train

and the braking systems Useful numbers like 0-60 mph, 60-0 mph and 1/4 mile times can all be found using accelerometers.
Accelerometers can be used to measure vibration on cars, machines, buildings, process control systems and safety installations.

They can also be used to measure seismic activity, inclination, machine vibration, dynamic distance and speed with or without the

influence of gravity. Applications for accelerometers that measure gravity, wherein an accelerometer is specifically configured for

use in gravimetric, are called gravimeters.

Notebooks equipped with accelerometers can contribute to the Quake-Catcher Network. QCN is a BOINC project aimed at scientific

research of earthquakes

Biology

Accelerometers are also increasingly used in the Biological Sciences. High frequency recordings of bi-axial or tri-axial

acceleration (>10 Hz) allows the discrimination of behavioral patterns while animals are out of sight. Furthermore, recordings of

acceleration allow researchers to quantify the rate at which an animal is expending energy in the wild, by either determination of

limb-stroke frequency[7] or measures such as Overall Dynamic Body Acceleration[8] Such approaches have mostly been adopted by

marine scientists due to an inability to study animals in the wild using visual observations, however an increasing number of

terrestrial biologists are adopting similar approaches. This device can be connected to an amplifier to amplify the signal.

Industry - Machinery Health Monitoring

Accelerometers are also used for machinery health monitoring of rotating equipment such as pumps,[9] fans,[10] rollers,
[11]
 compressors, and cooling towers,. Vibration monitoring programs are proven to save money, reduce downtime, and improve

safety in plants worldwide by detecting conditions such as shaft misalignment, rotor imbalance, gear failure[14] or bearing

fault[15] which can lead to costly repairs. Accelerometer vibration data allows the user to monitor machines and detect these faults

before the rotating equipment fails. Vibration monitoring programs are utilized in industries such as automotive manufacturing,
[16]
 machine tool applications,[17] pharmaceutical production,[18] power generation[19] and power plants,[20] pulp and paper,[21] food and

beverage production, water and wastewater, hydropower, petrochemical and steel manufacturing.

Building and structural monitoring

Accelerometers are used to measure the motion and vibration of a structure that is exposed to dynamic loads.Dynamic loads

originate from a variety of sources including:

 Human activities - walking, running, dancing or skipping

 Working machines - inside a building or in the surrounding area

 Construction work - driving piles, demolition, drilling and excavating

 Moving loads on bridges

 Vehicle collisions

 Impact loads - falling debris

 Concussion loads - internal and external explosions

 Collapse of structural elements

 Wind loads and wind gusts

 Loss of support because of ground failure

 Earthquakes and aftershocks

Measuring and recording how a structure responds to these inputs is critical for assessing the safety and viability of a structure. This

type of monitoring is called Dynamic Monitoring.

[edit]Medical applications

Zoll's AED Plus uses CPR-D•padz which contain an accelerometer to measure the depth of CPR chest compressions.

Within the last several years, Nike, Polar and other companies have produced and marketed sports watches for runners that

includefootpods, containing accelerometers to help determine the speed and distance for the runner wearing the unit.

In Belgium, accelerometer-based step counters are promoted by the government to encourage people to walk a few thousand steps

each day.

Herman Digital Trainer uses accelerometers to measure strike force in physical training.[23][24]

[edit]Navigation
Main article: Inertial navigation system

An Inertial Navigation System (INS) is a navigation aid that uses a computer and motion sensors (accelerometers) to continuously

calculate via dead reckoning the position, orientation, and velocity (direction and speed of movement) of a moving object without the

need for external references. Other terms used to refer to inertial navigation systems or closely related devices include inertial

guidance system,inertial reference platform, and many other variations.

An accelerometer alone is unsuitable to determine changes in altitude over distances where the vertical decrease of gravity is

significant, such as for aircraft and rockets. In the presence of a gravitational gradient, the calibration and data reduction process is

numerically unstable.[25][26]

[edit]Transport

Accelerometers are used to detect apogee in both professional[27] and in amateur[28] rocketry.

Accelerometers are also being used in Intelligent Compaction rollers. Accelerometers are used alongside gyroscopes in inertial

guidancesystems.[29]

One of the most common uses for MEMS accelerometers is in airbag deployment systems for modern automobiles. In this case the

accelerometers are used to detect the rapid negative acceleration of the vehicle to determine when a collision has occurred and the

severity of the collision. Another common automotive use is in electronic stability control systems, which use a lateral accelerometer

to measure cornering forces. The widespread use of accelerometers in the automotive industry has pushed their cost

down dramatically.[30] Another automotive application is the monitoring of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), conditions that

cause discomfort for drivers and passengers and may also be indicators of mechanical faults.

Tilting trains use accelerometers and gyroscopes to calculate the required tilt.[31]

Modern electronic accelerometers are used in remote sensing devices intended for the monitoring of active volcanos to detect the

motion ofmagma[32]

[edit]Consumer electronics

Accelerometers are increasingly being incorporated into personal electronic devices.

[edit]Motion input

Some smartphones, digital audio players and personal digital assistants contain accelerometers for user interface control; often the

accelerometer is used to present landscape or portrait views of the device's screen, based on the way the device is being held.

Smartphones can download an Automatic Collision Notification (ACN) app such as My-911, similar to the Onstar AACN

service, Ford Link's 911 Assist, Toyota's Safety Connect, Lexus Link, or BMW Assist. The phone's accelerometer detects crash-

strength G-forces and automatically calls for assistance unless manually cancelled.

Nintendo's Wii video game console uses a controller called a Wii Remote that contains a three-axis accelerometer and was

designed primarily for motion input. Users also have the option of buying an additional motion-sensitive attachment, the Nunchuk, so

that motion input could be recorded from both of the user's hands independently.

The Sony PlayStation 3 uses the DualShock 3 remote which uses a six-axis accelerometer that can be used to make steering more

realistic in racing games, such as Motorstorm and Burnout Paradise.

The Nokia 5500 sport features a 3D accelerometer that can be accessed from software. It is used for step recognition (counting) in

a sport application, and for tap gesture recognition in the user interface. Tap gestures can be used for controlling the music player

and the sport application, for example to change to next song by tapping through clothing when the device is in a pocket. Other uses

for accelerometer in Nokia phones include Pedometer functionality in Nokia Sports Tracker. Some other devices provide the tilt

sensing feature with a cheaper component, which is not a true accelerometer.

[edit]Orientation sensing

A number of modern notebook computers feature accelerometers to automatically align the screen depending on the direction the

device is held, i.e. switching between portrait and landscape modes. This feature is relevant in Tablet PCs and some smartphones

and digital cameras[citation needed].

For example, Apple uses an LIS302DL accelerometer in the iPhone, iPod Touch and the 4th&5th generation iPod Nano allowing the

device to know when it is tilted on its side. Third-party developers have expanded its use with fanciful applications such as

electronicbobbleheads.[33] The BlackBerry Storm and Storm 2 Touchscreen phones also incorporate this orientation sensing feature.

The Nokia N95 and Nokia N82 have accelerometers embedded inside them. It was primarily used as a tilt sensor for tagging the

orientation to photos taken with the built-in camera, later thanks to a firmware update it became possible to use it in other

applications.
As of January 2009, almost all new mobile phones and digital cameras such as Canon's PowerShot and Ixus range contain at least

a tilt sensor (sometimes an accelerometer) for the purpose of auto image rotation, motion-sensitive mini-games, and to correct

shake when taking photographs.

[edit]Image stabilization

Camcorders use accelerometers for image stabilization. Still cameras use accelerometers for anti-blur capturing. The camera holds

off snapping the CCD "shutter" when the camera is moving. When the camera is still (if only for a millisecond, as could be the case

for vibration), the CCD is "snapped". An example application which has used such technology is the Glogger VS2[34], a phone

application which runs onSymbian OS based phone with accelerometer such as Nokia N96. Some digital cameras, contain

accelerometers to determine the orientation of the photo being taken and also for rotating the current picture when viewing.

[edit]Device integrity

Many laptops feature an accelerometer, such as Lenovo's (formerly IBM's) Active Protection System, Apple's Sudden Motion

Sensor and HP's 3D DriveGuard, which is used to detect drops. If a drop is detected, the heads of the hard disk are parked to avoid

data loss and possible head or disk damage by the ensuing shock.

[edit]Gravimetry
Main article: gravimeter

A gravimeter or gravitometer, is an instrument used in gravimetry for measuring the local gravitational field. A gravimeter is a type

of accelerometer, except that accelerometers are susceptible to all vibrations including noise, that cause oscillatory accelerations.

This is counteracted in the gravimeter by integral vibration isolation and signal processing. Though the essential principle of design

is the same as in accelerometers, gravimeters are typically designed to be much more sensitive than accelerometers in order to

measure very tiny changes within the Earth's gravity, of 1 g. In contrast, other accelerometers are often designed to measure

1000 g or more, and many perform multi-axial measurements. The constraints on temporal resolution are usually less for

gravimeters, so that resolution can be increased by processing the output with a longer "time constant".

[edit]Types of accelerometer
[edit]By construction

 Piezo-film or piezoelectric sensor [35]

 Shear Mode Accelerometer

 Surface Micromachined Capacitive (MEMS)

 Thermal (submicrometre CMOS process)

 Bulk Micromachined Capacitive

 Bulk Micromachined Piezo Resistive

 Capacitive Spring Mass Base

 Electromechanical Servo (Servo Force Balance)

 Null-balance
 Strain gauge

 Resonance

 Magnetic induction

 Optical

 Surface acoustic wave (SAW)

 Laser accelerometer

 DC Response

 High Temperature

 Low Frequency

 High Gravity

 Triaxial

 Modally Tuned Impact Hammers

 Seat Pad Accelerometers

 PIGA accelerometer (Pendulating Integrating Gyroscopic Accelerometer)

 4-20 mA loop power

 Integrated Electronic Piezoelectric (IEPE) accelerometer

 Direct piezoelectric 'charge mode' output, for connection to an instrument with a charge amplifier input [36]

 Recording Accelerometer