On the Modeling of a MEMS Based Capacitive Accelerometer for Measurement of Tractor Seat Vibration

• Published in: Sensors & transducers Vol. 115; no. 4; p. 29
• Main Authors: Alidoost, M, Rezazadeh, G, Hadad-Derafshi, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Toronto IFSA Publishing, S.L 01.04.2010
• Subjects: Behavior; Human body; Mathematical models; Vehicles
• ISSN: 2306-8515; 1726-5479; 1726-5479

Drivers of heavy vehicles often face with higher amplitudes of frequencies range between 1-80 Hz. Hence, this range of frequency results in temporary or even sometimes permanent damages to the health of drivers. Examples for these problems are damages to the vertebral column and early tiredness, which both reduce the driver's performance significantly. One solution to this problem is to decrease the imposed vibration to the driver's seat by developing an active seat system. These systems require an online measuring unit to sense vibrations transferred to the seat. The measuring unit can include a capacitive micro-accelerometer on the basis of MEMS which measure online vibrations on the seat. In this study, the mechanical behavior of a capacitive micro-accelerometer for the vibration range applied to a tractor seat has been simulated. The accelerometer is capable to measure step, impact and harmonic external excitations applied to the system. The results of the study indicate that, with increasing the applied voltage, the system sensitivity also increases, but the measuring range of vibrations decreases and vice versa. The modeled accelerometer, at damping ratio of 0.67 is capable to measure accelerations within the frequency range of lower than 130 Hz. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]