How did accelerometer evolve?5 answersAccelerometer technology has evolved significantly over the years. Initially developed in 1923 for industrial applications, accelerometers have progressed to tri-axial Force Balanced Accelerometers (FBA) designed for seismic, structural, aerospace, and commercial uses with improved sensitivity and reliability. The evolution continued with the fielding of accelerometer devices in national surveys and workshops between 2003 and 2010, enhancing their role in population surveillance and public health. Current accelerometer-based devices capture and store large volumes of raw acceleration data, prompting a shift towards activity characterization and energy expenditure estimation based on raw signals, necessitating collaborative analytic approaches. Accelerometers developed for gravitational wave interferometric detectors require strong directionality, vacuum compatibility, and high low-frequency sensitivity, influencing advancements in both the GW and geophysics fields.
Difference between ACCELEROGRAPH and accelerometers?5 answersAccelerographs and accelerometers differ in their design and functionality. Accelerometers, traditionally mechanical, face challenges due to inherent mathematical ill-posedness, leading to noisy and inaccurate acceleration outputs at high sampling rates. On the other hand, accelerographs, like rotational piezoelectric accelerometers, are designed to record angular accelerations during rotary motion, emphasizing the compensation of electrical signals for linear and rotational motion. Accelerometers typically consist of seismic masses and electrodes on substrates to measure acceleration components perpendicular to the surface, ensuring precise measurements. In contrast, accelerographs like the GENEActiv, Axivity AX3, and ActiGraph GT9X are used for physical activity assessments in large-scale surveys, with differences in measured acceleration outputs and time within intensity cut-points. Both devices serve distinct purposes, with accelerographs focusing on specific applications like seismic activity recording and physical activity monitoring.
Can heart contractility be measured with an accelerometer?4 answersHeart contractility can be measured using accelerometers. Implantable accelerometers have been proposed for continuous monitoring of heart wall motion, and markers extracted from cardiac accelerometry have been associated with contractility. These markers are based on uniaxial (1D) sensors, but 3D-acceleration signals obtained from sensors located at the left ventricle (LV) seem to better represent contractility. Another method involves using a hemodynamic sensor embedded at the tip of a pacing lead to measure myocardial contractility by analyzing myocardial mechanical vibrations during the cardiac cycle. This sensor provides continuous hemodynamic monitoring and has several clinical applications. Additionally, a novel approach using an optical fiber sensor and electrocardiogram (ECG) signals has been proposed to measure ballistocardiogram (BCG) and estimate the pre-ejection period (PEP) of the heart. Miniaturized 3D accelerometers placed on the heart can assess global and regional function, reflecting left and right ventricular contractility, and may be used for continuous postoperative monitoring after cardiac surgery. Therefore, accelerometers can be used to measure heart contractility in various ways.
What are the most common types of commercial accelerometers?5 answersThe most common types of commercial accelerometers are resistive, piezoresistive, piezoelectric, capacitive, thermal, and optical accelerometers. These types of accelerometers have been analyzed in multiple papers. They are widely used in various fields of engineering and human motion analysis. Piezoresistive, piezoelectric, and capacitance accelerometers are commonly employed in human applications. Amorphous materials have been used to develop accelerometers with superior low-frequency characteristics. Strong-motion accelerometers are also commonly used in seismic studies. Overall, these types of accelerometers offer small size, light weight, and improved dynamic response, making them suitable for measuring and monitoring shock and vibration in different applications.
When was the anemometer invented?4 answersThe anemometer was invented in different time periods by different inventors. The invention of the anemometer for meteorological monitoring, which includes a swinging mechanism and a wind measuring mechanism, was described by Shen Yujie in his paper. Another anemometer for weather monitoring, with similar components, was also described by Shen Yujie in a separate paper. The measurement of velocity in unsteady flows using hot wire anemometers was discussed by Giuseppe P. Russo in his paper. Additionally, an ionic anemometer utilizing a glow discharge was developed by Manabu D. Yamanaka, H. Hirosawa, Y. Matsuzaka, and Hiroki Tanaka, and its successful operation was described in their paper. However, the specific year of the invention of the anemometer is not mentioned in any of the abstracts provided.
What is a Triaxial Accelerometer?5 answersA triaxial accelerometer is a device used for measuring acceleration in three directions simultaneously. It consists of a mass and multiple groups of capacitance that detect movement in different axes. The device can be designed using various structures, such as a bonding substrate, support frame, sensitive mass block, detection beam, and cantilever beam. Another design includes a base plate, suspension, and elastic connection roof beams. Additionally, a triaxial piezoelectric accelerometer may have a housing, pedestal, connector, and sensor assemblies. Triaxial accelerometers can be used for various applications, including tunnel magnetoresistance detection, low-frequency vibration detection, and calibration of the device under test. These devices are compact, stable, and capable of detecting acceleration in three directions simultaneously.