Accelerometer

In engineering, an accelerometer is a sensor for velocity and acceleration, usually stabilized or corrected to report on movement in one axis. At least three accelerometers, therefore, are necessary to give three-dimensional position, and more may be needed to provide corrections for movement of the platform on which the accelerometers are mounted.

One basic accelerometer type is based on a strain gauge, or sensor whose resistance increases with lengthening of resistive material by physical force, in this case of the acceleration.