Anyone know of a multiresistance tilt/angle finding sensor ?

[iso9001]

Pretty much like the title says,

I want to find the angle of my work table. I "need" a single sensor for this, no mechanical linkages. I thought about using sonar like in the back of some cars now, but I want I really want is to get absolute angle in 1 (or more if possible directions)

Any ideas ?

 

[David Bridgen]

Anything which uses reflection, such as sonar, measures distance, not angle.

If you want a resistive sensor make a clinometer. Use a potentiometer. Mount it on your work table with a weight on a rod attached at a right angle to its shaft.

 

[iso9001]

No mechanical linkages. None. Absolutely will not work.

I need an IC or sensor for this. Its a little more complex then just a work table so dont be thrown off by that.

No one makes a digital bubble level ?

 

[David Bridgen]

Interesting.

Thinking through my fingers .....

A bubble level.
Two parallel laser, or at least very narrow light beams, one each side of the bubble, each with a detector.
When level they tangentially touch the bubble edges. Both detectors receive equal intensities.
When not level, one beam will pass just through the liquid and the other partially through it and be refracted as it enters and leaves the bubble.
If the two refractions cancel there still should be a difference since one beam passes through more liquid than the other.

 

[JimB]

Consider an accelerometer.

https://www.analog.com/en/prod/0,2877,ADXL202,00.html

JimB

 

[mechie]

inclinometer

Have a look at
**broken link removed**
or
**broken link removed**

The problem with an accelerometer is drift - they are good at sudden changes but really poor at slow or steady-state measurements (integrator problems).

 

[iso9001]

Accelerometer wont work. Need somthing sort of absolute since it wont always be on.

I was looking at mouser and found this https://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?ha...uctid=423855&e_categoryid=148&e_pcodeid=68814 but that datasheet sucks and I cant figure out what kind of signal is sends back. or what it wants for power, confusing. And thier website doesnt even list it asa valid p/n

I looked at that digram and that looks good, but I cant find that sensor to begin with. So, I'm right back to where I started,

Except now I know what I want is called a tilt sensor I got more hits with that then clincometer

 

[JohnBrown]

Accelerometer wont work. Need somthing sort of absolute since it wont always be on.

I think you should still check out the Analog devices MEMS chips. I think they have devices which measure tilt. After all, gravity is an acceleration, isn't it?

 

[JimB]

Accelerometer wont work. Need somthing sort of absolute since it wont always be on.

Oh yeah!

An extract from the link I quoted earlier.

****************************************
THEORY OF OPERATION
The ADXL202E is a complete, dual-axis acceleration measurement
system on a single monolithic IC. It contains a polysilicon surfacemicromachined
sensor and signal conditioning circuitry to implement
an open loop acceleration measurement architecture. For
each axis, an output circuit converts the analog signal to a duty
cycle modulated (DCM) digital signal that can be decoded with
a counter/timer port on a microprocessor. The ADXL202E is
capable of measuring both positive and negative accelerations to
at least ±2 g. The accelerometer can measure static acceleration
forces such as gravity, allowing it to be used as a tilt sensor.
*****************************************

JimB

 

[chemelec]

Just a Thought: How about using a Fixed Magnet placed at a fixed distance and angle to a Linear Hall Effect device.

The Output Voltage should change as the Angle Changes.

 

[bmcculla]

Accelerometers detect tilt quite well - gravity is really easy to detect. Take a look at ST's LIS3L02A. 3 Axis acceleration for ~$20 from digikey. It's fairly easy to detect gravity (down) within a degree.

Accelerometers are just a mass on a spring that deflects due to acceleration. The MEMS version is just the mass and spring micro-machined. The displacement of the mass is measured with capacitive sensors.

The problem with an accelerometer is drift - they are good at sudden changes but really poor at slow or steady-state measurements (integrator problems).

This is only a problem if you are trying to measure speed or posistion. Since gravity is an acceleration its direction can be measured directly with no integration.