A new wireless modular device for rapid measurements of structural motions

Abstract

In this paper, we present an internally developed sensing system featuring an integrated 6 degrees-of-freedom (6 DoF) accelerometer designed to provide a rapid and remarkably simple solution for measuring low frequency vibrations — such as flow-induced vibrations — or other movements of solid structures in educational, research, and industrial applications. Given its highly compact form factor, the device supports wireless communication and onboard data logging to a memory card. Since neither power supply nor data transmission requires a wired connection, it is also suitable for analyzing the motion of untethered, freely moving bodies. According to its modular architecture, the sensor can be fitted with custom housings tailored to diverse geometric constraints and produced rapidly using SLA 3D printing technology. In addition to outlining the design considerations, we detail the device's construction and capabilities, then validate its performance by comparing measurement results from a simple autonomous chaotic mechanical system experiment with a vision-based measurement method.