An accelerometer is used with an
accelerator. Accelerators are electromechanical machines used for the
calculation of changes in the speed of acceleration triggered by movement over
a period. When choosing an accelerometer, there are lots of factors to consider,
whether you need it for detecting orientation and vibration or calculating the
velocity of an object it is connected to.
Accelerometers have so many
applications. In the aviation industry, sophisticated accelerometers are utilized as
inertial navigation system elements. In an industrial environment, they are
used for the detection and monitoring of vibration in machines that rotate.
Also, the ones we recognize the most are integrated into our gadgets like
digital cameras, tablets, computers, smartphones, and others. They ensure that
screen images are seen in the correct position.
How To
Choose the Suitable Accelerometer for Use
The challenging question is how to
choose the right and appropriate accelerometer for use? Moving on, there are
some questions to consider regarding your design necessities like:
● Single or
multiple axes?
● Consider the
level of swing needed
● Bandwidth?
● Analog or
digital?
● Have you
confirmed the buffering and impedance?
The hardware you would be using should
determine if you will need an analog or digital. Digital accelerometers make
use of pulse width modulation. Therefore there is a square wave at a particular
frequency while analogs have an output that is always voltage equivalent to the
speed.
Furthermore, after this, the next
question would be, what exactly are you using for the design? A microcontroller
having digital inputs or a basic stamp would need a digital output
accelerometer. Note that analog is recommended if you are making use of a full
analog-based circuit.
Also, for over 80% designs, two axes are
okay. Generally, 3D projects need a 3-axis accelerometer, or you could probably
make use of 2-axis accelerometers positioned at the right angles.
At the activity of quantifying, incline
utilizing the Earth's gravity, a ±1.5 g accelerometer is best for swing. ±2 g
is recommended for the measurement of a robot or car motion. Accelerometers of
about ±5 g and above are suitable for projects that involve you stopping and
starting. The more sensitive the accelerometer is, the more accurate the
reading will be. Note that sensitivity is the balance of change in speed, i.e.,
input, to change in the output wave.
This alone explains the correct
relationship between output and acceleration. Sensitivity is stipulated at a
certain supply voltage, and it is naturally displayed in units of LSB/g or
mg/LSB for digital-output and mV/g for analog-output accelerometers.
It is also
expressed in a range of max, typ, and min, or as a percent and figure
deviation. Sensitivity is ratiometric in analog output sensors; therefore, when
the supply is doubled, the sensitivity is automatically doubled too.
In conclusion, before you decide to place an order on
the accelerometer that you want, make your research and know if it is exactly
what you want to avoid wasting your hard-earned cash.
