How a Smartphone Knows Up from Down (accelerometer)

Bill takes apart a smartphone and explains how its accelerometer works. He also shares the essential idea underlying the MEMS production of these devices.This video is based on a chapter from the EngineerGuy team's latest book Eight Amazing Engineering Stories (Learn more at http://www.engineerguy.com/elements)

• Category

  Science & Technology

[AliffYaDaYa]

Hi, i have a question... there is three seismic mass in that chip? to represent as X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis? if the answer is three, how about the position of seismic mass for Z-axis?

[engineerguyvideo]

I showed only one axis. There is another chip for the y axis that is similar, and then a little different one to capture z-axis motion.

[engineerguyvideo]

I dunno ..l you tell me ... the android I show is my personal phone, the iphone was one I got for free from a student because it was broken.

[Divy Sitlani]

How does touchscreen works ??

[Tzann]

Acceleration should work, due to inertia (still present in space). Detection of orientation probably not so much (lack of gravity). So, in general accelerometers also work in space (and are used in navigation systems), but I am not sure, how well a phone performs without gravity (especially, because in some applications the ASICs of accelerometers used in smart phones work with an internal offset to counter gravity). Well, maybe Hadfield will answer . . some day.

[polka23dot]

William S. Hammack speaks so fast that it is hard to notice that his "Side View" drawing does not make sense. It makes some sense (not much) if we assume that the potassium hydroxide etches silicon faster in the HORIZONTAL direction than in the VERTICAL direction. (Mr. Hammack stated the opposite.)

[Nikhil Deshpande]

i was searching this for years,thank you

[SalehMagrabi]

thanks out of all my heart.

[libya X]

good job thanks for the info



[Slup10000]

trust me i am a engeneer

[Gilster85]

How are gyroscopes made? Is the process similar to the accelerometer?

[lakeb0dom]

interesting, I've always thought it had a conventional accelerometer with a bubble and sensors :P

[TheNightHawk88Redux1]

very interesting.