How to - Accelerometer (1) Fundamentals and Tilt Measurement

[Lorenzo M. Oliver]

http://forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx?f=6&m=55816

Acceleration is a measure of how quickly speed changes. Just as a speedometer is a meter that measures speed, an accelerometer is a meter that measures acceleration. You can use the ability to sense acceleration to measure a variety of things that are very useful to electronic and robotic projects and designs:

* Acceleration (of course!)
* Tilt, tilt angle
* Incline
* Rotation
* Vibration
* Collision detection
* Gravity

Accelerometers are already used in a wide variety of machines, specialized equipment and personal electronics. Here are just a few examples:

* Self balancing robots
* Tilt-mode game controllers
* Model airplane auto pilot
* Car alarm systems
* Crash detection/airbag deployment
* Human motion monitoring
* Leveling tool

Once upon a time, accelerometers were large, clunky and expensive instruments that did not lend themselves to electronic and robotic projects. This all changed thanks to the advent of MEMS, micro-electro-mechanical-systems. MEMS technology is responsible for an ever increasing number of formerly mechanical devices designed right onto silicon chips. The accelerometer you will be working with in the forthcoming activities is the Parallax Memsic 2125 Dual Axis Accelerometer module.