An accelerometer or gravimeter is a device for measuring acceleration and the effects of gravity.

According to the Equivalence principle in general relativity, the effects of gravity and acceleration are the same, so an accelerometer can make no distinction between these effects.

Accelerometers are used in inertial guidance systems, as well as in many other scientific and engineering systems.

Types of accelerometer:

• Piezo-film
• Surface Micromachined Capacitive (MEMS), Analog Devices, Motorola
• Thermal (submicron CMOS process), MEMSIC
• Bulk Micromachined Capacitive
• Bulk Micromachined Piezo Resistive
• PiezoElectric
• Electromechanical Servo (Servo Force Balance ???)
• no MEMS capacitance, piezoresistive, piezoelectric
• null-balance
• strain gage
• resonance
• magnetic induction
• optical
• Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW)

In Biology

Many animals use statocysts, special cellular structures with pendulous weights and enervated sensory organs to measure acceleration and gravity.

See also

• gyroscope

External links

• Trends in accelerometer design
• Analog devices application note: Accelerometer Design and Applications