Forum Discussion
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
13 years ago --- Quote Start --- I was just wondering, how would you describe the function of the accelerometer in the DE0-Nano card? No code, just description in words please :) --- Quote End --- Sindredit - the datasheet of the accelerometer from the product page is particularly useful in this regard: http://www.analog.com/static/imported-files/data_sheets/adxl345.pdf Page 13 of the datasheet has the information you want. To paraphrase : the accelerometer is a Micro ElectroMechanical System (MEMS) type. It has capacitors whose one end is fixed, the other is attached to a moving mass. Since q = C*V (assuming capacitor is linear), differentiating both sides we get i = CdV/dt + VdC/dt. Note that we CANNOT ignore dC/dt because the moving mass causes one of the plates to move and this in turn causes a change in capacitance. If I remember my basic MEMS class, most MEMS capacitors work this way. Have fun. Bharath