A SEMINAR REPORT

ON
ACCELEROMETER
SENSORS..
Presented by:-
Sarthak Patnaik
 CONTENTS
CONTENTS. PAGE NO.
Acknowledgement……………………………………………........01
Abstract…………………………………………………………………….02
Introduction……………………………………………………….......03
Why are accelerometers used…………………………….......04
How accelerometer works ………………………………………05
Mems accelerometer……………………………………………….06
General overview of Mems……………………………………….07
Accelerometer types………………………………………………..08
Accelerometer type-1(Resistive)……………………............09
Accelerometer type-2(Capacitive)……………………………..10
Typical features of type 1 and 2…………………………..........11
Accelerometer type-3(Fibre optic)……………………..........12
Typical features of type-3…………………………………………….13
Accelerometer type-4(Force balance)…………………………14
Accelerometer type-5(Vibrating quartz)…………….........15
Typical features of type 4 and 5…………………………………..16
Accelerometer type-6(Piezo-electric)…………………........17
Typical features of type-6………………………………….….......18
Piezo-electric materials……………………………………………….19
Applications of accelerometers………………………………20-22
Reference…………………………………………………………………..…23
 INTRODUCTION.
WHAT ARE ACCELEROMETERS?
 An accelerometer is an electromechanical device that will measure
acceleration forces.
 These forces may be static, like the constant force of gravity pulling at
your feet, or they could be dynamic - caused by moving or vibrating the
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.
WHY ARE ACCELEROMETERS USED?
By measuring the amount of static acceleration due to gravity, you can find
out the angle the device is tilted at with respect to the earth. By sensing the
amount of dynamic acceleration, you can analyze the way the device is
moving.
Accelerometer can help your project understand its surroundings better. A
good programmer can write code using the data provided by an accelerometer.
An accelerometer can help analyze problems in a car engine using vibration
testing, or you could even use one to make a musical instrument.
In the computing world, IBM and Apple have recently started using
accelerometers in their laptops to protect hard drives from damage. If you
accidentally drop the laptop, the accelerometer detects the sudden freefall,
and switches the hard drive off so the heads don't crash on the platters. In a
similar fashion, high g accelerometers are the industry standard way of
detecting car crashes and deploying airbags at just the right time.
 HOW ACCELEROMETER WORKS?
There are many different ways to make an accelerometer!
Some accelerometers use the piezoelectric effect - they
contain microscopic crystal structures that get stressed
by accelerative forces, which causes a voltage to be
generated.
Another way to do it is by sensing changes in
capacitance. If you have two microstructures next to
each other, they have a certain capacitance between
them. If an accelerative force moves one of the
structures, then the capacitance will change. Add some
circuitry to convert from capacitance to voltage, and you
will get an accelerometer.
There are even more methods, including use of the
piezo-resistive effect, hot air bubbles, and light.
 MEMS ACCELEROMETER.
 MEMS (Micro-ElectroMechanical Systems) sensors.  
 SDI's accelerometers use capacitance change due to acceleration force as
the sensed parameter.  A capacitive approach allows several benefits
when compared to the piezoresistive sensors used in many other
accelerometers.  In general, gaseous dielectric capacitors are relatively
insensitive to temperature.  Although spacing changes with temperature
due to thermal expansion, the low thermal coefficient of expansion of
many materials can produce a thermal coefficient of capacitance about
two orders of magnitude less than the thermal coefficient of resistivity of
doped silicon. 
 Capacitance sensing therefore has the potential to provide a wider
temperature range of operation, without compensation, than piezo-
resistive sensing.  As compared with piezoelectric type accelerometers,
which require a dynamic input of some minimum frequency to generate a
response, SDI capacitive sensing allows for response to DC accelerations
as well as dynamic vibration. 
 GENERAL OVERVIEW OF MEMS.
• Silicon Designs' basic accelerometer unit
is a 20 pin LCC (Leadless Ceramic Carrier)
package containing two parts: 
the Sense Element or sensor chip and
the integrated electronics or ASIC
Application Specific Integrated Circuits
chip .
•The chips are attached using standard die
attach and gold wire bonding techniques
and the package is solder sealed to provide
a simple, strong, fully hermetic device. 
Built with one of two ASIC chips to provide
either an analog or digital output, this basic
accelerometer can be easily surface
mounted to a circuit board and is used to
build all of SDI's single and three axis
modules.
 ACCELEROMETER TYPES.
Common Accelerometer Types
Resistive
 Strain Gauge
 Piezo-resistive

 Micro-machined

 Thin-Film

Capacitive
Fiber Optic
Servo or Force Balance
Vibrating Quartz
Piezoelectric
 Accelerometer Type-1
Resistive Operating Principle

Voltage output of resistor bridge changes proportionally with applied acceleration

+ Signal + Power - Power - Signal

Fixed
Resistors

Sensing Resistor
#1 Mass
Flexure
Sensing Resistor
#2

9
Accelerometer Type-2.
Capacitive Operating Principle
 Utilizes frequency modulation technique through varying capacitor bridge

Power Ground Signal

Fixed Capacitors Built-In Electronics

~

Insulator
Sensing Capacitor
#1

Flexure Mass

Sensing Capacitor
Insulator #2

10
Accelerometer Type-1.
Resistive / Capacitive
Typical Characteristics
 Measure down to 0 Hz (DC response)
 Limited dynamic range (<80 dB = 10,000:1)
 Limited high frequency range (<10 kHz)
 Often a damped frequency response (0.7% of critical)
 Sensitivity may vary with input (mV/g/V)
 Traditionally fragile (limited shock protection)
 Operates multi-conductor cable (at least 3 wires)
 Micro-machined versions are small and lightweight
 Performance matches cost ($10 to $1000 USD)

11
 Accelerometer Type-3.
Fiber Optic Operating Principle.
 Amount of light gathered by receivers is proportional to applied acceleration

Power Ground Signal

Built-In Electronics
Transmitter
Receiver Receiver

Reflective Surface

Flexure Mass Flexure

12
Accelerometer Types.
Fiber Optic
Similar characteristics and applications as resistive and
capacitive sensors
Additional features
 Provision for remotely locating electronics
 High temperature operation to 1000 F (537 C)

 Cabling is transmitting only light, which consequently

eliminates the possibility of RF and EM interference in “noisy”

environments
 Traditionally, light loss in long cables and connections was a

consideration
 Expensive sensors, cabling and signal conditioning

13
Accelerometer Type-4.
Servo or Force Balance Operating Principle.
 Feedback force required to maintain uniform capacitance is proportional to acceleration

Power Ground Signal

Sensing Feedback Power

Amplifier Amplifier
Stationary
Support
Capacitance Gap
Flexure

Magnetic
Coil Insulator
Mass

14
 Accelerometer Type-5.
Vibrating Quartz.
 Resonant frequency difference between elements is proportional to applied acceleration

Power Ground Signal

Inverting Amplifier

Frequency Tracking Amplifiers

Flexure Mass Vibrating Crystal #2

Vibrating Crystal #1 Mass Flexure

15
Accelerometer Type-5.
Force Balance / Vibrating Quartz
Typical Characteristics
 Measure down to 0 Hz (DC response)
 Wide dynamic range (>120 dB = 1,000,000:1)
 Extremely stable over time and temperature (ppm)
 Limited high frequency range (<1 kHz)
 Poor overload survivability (<100 g’s)
 Force balance may exhibit large magnetic sensitivity
 Very expensive (~$1000 USD)

16
Accelerometer Type-6
Piezoelectric Signal/Power Ground
 Force on self-generating crystal provides charge output proportional to acceleration

Voltage or Charge Amplifier

Preload Ring
Mass
Piezoelectric
Crystal

Base

17
Piezoelectric Materials
Piezoelectric Materials
Naturally Piezoelectric
 Rochelle Salt
 One of first materials used to make sensors

 Tourmaline
 Sensitive to hydrostatic pressure

 Exotic, “Man-Made” Materials

 Langasite

 Lithium Niobate

 Cultured Quartz

Piezoelectric Materials
Piezoelectric Effect
Word origin comes from the greek work “piezen” which
translates “to squeeze”.
The generation of an electrical signal by a dielectric
material as it is subjected to a mechanical stress.
F

+ +
+ + + + + Piezoelectric
- - - - - Material
-
-

12/06/01 MRE Panel 19

 APPLICATIONS OF ACCELEROMETERS.
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 gravimetry, are called gravimeters.
Notebook computers equipped with accelerometers can contribute to the
Quake-Catcher Network. QCN is a BOINC project aimed at scientific
research of earthquakes
APPLICATIONS OF ACCELEROMETERS.
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 or measures such as Overall Dynamic Body Acceleration.
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.
APPLICATIONS OF ACCELEROMETERS.
Industry - Machinery Health Monitoring
Accelerometers are also used for machinery health monitoring of rotating
equipment such as pumps, fans,rollers,compressor,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 or bearing fault 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,
machine tool applications, pharmaceutical production, power generation
and power plants,pulp and paper,food and beverage production, water and
wastewater, hydropower, petrochemical and steel manufacturing
 REFERENCE
REFERRED FROM..
http://www.gsmarena.com/
http://www.dimensionengineering.com/acceleromete
rs.htm
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/categories.php?
c=80
http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Technical:Accelerome
ter_Fundamentals
THANK YOU….