An accelerometer is a sensor that resolves minute changes in acceleration. Acceleration is (the rate of change in direction and speed). The sensor can be a module or an integrated circuit, even a MEMS (microelectromechanical system) component.
http://electronicproducts-com-develop.go-vip.net/Analog_Mixed_Signal_ICs/Accelerometer_IC_measures_low-g_forces_with_0_005-g_resolution.aspx
An early Endevco accelerometer. For more, see https://www.endevco.com/products/featured-products/
Typically, an accelerometer is used in conjunction with the a gyroscope to detect the gravity influence, and provide the necessary information to drive the compensation process. http://electronicproducts-com-develop.go-vip.net/Sensors_and_Transducers/Sensors_and_Transducers/Improving_control_with_MEMS_inertial_sensors.aspx
The accelerometer’s main use is to alternate between portrait and landscape modes in electronic communication devices. http://electronicproducts-com-develop.go-vip.net/Sensors_and_Transducers/Sensors_and_Transducers/Combining_multimodal_touch_and_haptic_response.aspx
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