What is the efficiency of an accelerometer?

[Tony17]

I 've got a project, and I 've been searching all over to find an answer; what is the efficiency of the accelerometer itself (p.e. in its use in smart-devices as screen-orientation method)?

Or do you know, what is the efficiency (approximately of a regular spring (NOT into void)?

Thank you very much,
Tony

 

[berkeman]

I 've got a project, and I 've been searching all over to find an answer; what is the efficiency of the accelerometer itself (p.e. in its use in smart-devices as screen-orientation method)?

Or do you know, what is the efficiency (approximately of a regular spring (NOT into void)?

Thank you very much,
Tony

The word "efficiency" does not seem appropriate here. Maybe a more appropriate question (in the EE forum) would be what is in the datasheet for orientation sensors in cellphones? But then we would just ask you for a link to a typical datasheet...

 

[Tony17]

The word "efficiency" does not seem appropriate here. Maybe a more appropriate question (in the EE forum) would be what is in the datasheet for orientation sensors in cellphones? But then we would just ask you for a link to a typical datasheet...

Thanks for the quick answer :D! You're saving me here! So efficiency is not quite right here huh? That's a problem... My project is asking for analysis of systems/layouts/devices that work using -not exclusively- gravitational potential as an energy source and their efficiency percentage. But if this word doesn't work, maybe I was wrong and the whole device is out of point of the subject? Could you please give me your opinion on this? Also, what about a spring's efficiency?

 

[berkeman]

Thanks for the quick answer :D! You're saving me here! So efficiency is not quite right here huh? That's a problem... My project is asking for analysis of systems/layouts/devices that work using -not exclusively- gravitational potential as an energy source and their efficiency percentage. But if this word doesn't work, maybe I was wrong and the whole device is out of point of the subject? Could you please give me your opinion on this? Also, what about a spring's efficiency?

Oh, it sounds more like you are asking about energy harvesting from vibration? You can't use GPE all by itself as an energy source (at least not as part of an energy cycle with no other work inputs), so you must be looking at vibration?

In that case, you would look at different kinds of accelerometers to see which ones used something like a coil and moving magnet. But that may be hard to find, and you should be looking at small speakers (which use a voice coil around a cylindrical magnet to generate movement). If you vibrate them in the axis of the speaker, you can harvest small amounts of energy from that vibration...

EDIT -- And you could probably improve the efficiency of the speaker vibration harvester by tuning some extra mass that you place at the center of the speaker. Be sure to use a non-ferrous material when adding weight there. Quiz Question -- Why non-ferrous?

 

[CWatters]

My project is asking for analysis of systems/layouts/devices that work using -not exclusively- gravitational potential as an energy source and their efficiency percentage.

So do you mean things like:

A hydro electric power station?
Tidal lagoon power station?
Weight powered clock?