Accelerometer Modeling in the State-Space

Abstract

Generically, accelerometers are sensors that measure the accelerating force applied to an object. Their operation is based on a simple mechanical system and D’Alembert’s force principle along with Newton’s laws of motion. This device is typically mounted to the body of the test object under investigation that is subjected to an accelerating force. The displacement of the seismic or “proof” mass due to the acceleration is sensed by an embedded component from which the acceleration is determined. Interestingly enough, the resulting the resulting mathematical relations governing the dynamical motion is based on the underlying physics, sensor materials, geometry and fabrication. Mathematically, the various designs satisfy the underlying Newtonian equations of motion, but their type and performance differ significantly.