Newsgroups: comp.robotics
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From: nagle@netcom.com (John Nagle)
Subject: Re: inclinometers/angle sensors
Message-ID: <nagleDBIJ83.D7s@netcom.com>
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
References: <3th3nd$gbk@dewey.csun.edu> <DBHCBD.1A2D@pen.k12.va.us>
Date: Mon, 10 Jul 1995 18:26:27 GMT
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fculpepp@pen.k12.va.us (Fred W. Culpepper) writes:
>eric schonning (hbcsc388@huey.csun.edu ) writes:
>> Looking for inclinometers/angle sensors, preferably self-contained (ie:
>> all I need to attach is voltage source and read the output) and that don't
>> need to be attached to a shaft.  Like the angle sensors you can buy at a 
>> hardware store, that you just put on a surface and the needle points to
>> the angle the surface is at, except I just need something that can vary
>> an electrical signal.  Midori America makes a blue-pot sensor, but its
>> limited to +/- 45 deg, and I need +/- 60 deg at least.  Using a pot with
>> a weight hanging off of it won't do either as this is going to a customer
>> and don't want it to look like a kludge.  Midori's product is ideal; if I
>> could find a similiar product but with +/- 60 deg I would be elated.
>> They use a magneto-resistive element in their product which works great
>> and is not subject to wear.  Thanks for any info.     Eric

>Why not use a pot and a weight - sorta like a plumb-bob.  If
>you want all 360 degrees, then use a 3 turn or 10 turn pot and
>use only the part that satisfies your requirement.

     The trouble with pots is that you can get stuck at a limit stop if
the system is rotated too far.  I'd go with accelerometers, although
you have to do some signal processing on the outputs to get "down".
The prices on those are getting really good.  Check with Analog Devices.
There are also the Spectron electrolytic tilt sensors, although those
are subject to sloshing problems.

					John Nagle
