[en] A direct force-balance technique was analyzed for carrying out the Eotvos experiment in space, which is intended to give sufficient sensitivity to allow investigation of the gravitational interactions of energy stored in the weak interaction. The heart of experiment is an exceedingly sensitive dual accelerometer, containing two proof masses constructed of the materials whose Eotvos ratio is to be compared. For use in development of the accelerometer, a magnetic microbalance is proposed in which the weight of the proof mass is supported by magnetic forces which vary very slowly with the proof mass position. It is shown that at least two different mechanizations of the magnetic suspension may be feasible

[en] The metrological facilities used at the CESTA to calibrate the sensitivity of an acceleration transducer by an interferential method of displacement measurement are described. The technical characteristics, the calibration procedure followed and the uncertainty on the measurement obtained are explained in particular

[en] The metrological facilities used at the CESTA to calibrate the sensitivity of an acceleration transducer by a reciprocity method are described. Their characteristics are given, the calibration procedure is illustrated by a particular example and the uncertainty on the measurement obtained is specified

[en] A novel MEMS accelerometer with grid strip capacitors is developed. The mechanical and electrical noise can be reduced greatly for the novel structure design. ANSOFT-Maxwell software was used to analyze the fringing electric field of the grid strip structure and its effects on the designed accelerometer. The effects of the width, thickness and overlapping width of the grid strip on the sensing capacitance are analyzed by using the ANSOFT-Maxwell software. The results show that the parameters have little effect on the characteristics of the presented accelerometer. The designed accelerometer was fabricated based on deep RIE and silicon-glass bonding processes. The preliminary tested sensitivities are 0.53 pF/g and 0.49 pF/g in the x and y axis directions, respectively. A resonator with grid strip structure was also fabricated whose tested quality factor is 514 in air, which proves that the grid strip structure can reduce mechanical noise. (semiconductor devices)

[en] After a brief review of the principle of operation and principal calibration characteristics of accelerometers, this article presents in the middle frequency range ie, 5 Hz to 10 kHz, two absolute methods of calibration of their sensitivity. These two methods consist of: a method of interference measurement of the accelerometers displacement which for a given frequency will permit calculation of the resultant level of acceleration; an electrical reciprocity method. They require the measurement of mechanical and electrical levels which can be easily referred to National Standards and the interrelation between their frequency range and their acceleration levels permits their cross-comparison

[en] An automatic test bench for medium-frequency acceleration transducers employing a method of comparison is described. The following points are discussed: the measurement possibilities of this bench in the frequency range 10Hz-10kHz and for applied acceleration levels of 1000m.s^-2 or below; the transducer parameters checked; the uncertainties on the measurement of these parameters. The test procedure is described in detail and illustrated by a concrete case showing the particular form of presentation of the results

No abstract available

No abstract available

[en] The responsibilities of the National Bureau of Metrology and the functional organisation of the metrology system it has placed at the service of users (calibration line, primary laboratory, approved Centre and competent service) are presented. The position of the medium-frequency acceleration transducer calibration centre of the CESTA Experimentation Service in these calibration lines and the possibilities and uncertainties of this calibration Centre are given

[en] In this paper, smartphone acceleration sensors were used to perform a quantitative analysis of mechanical coupled oscillations. Symmetric and asymmetric normal modes were studied separately in the first two experiments. In the third, a coupled oscillation was studied as a combination of the normal modes. Results indicate that acceleration sensors of smartphones, which are very familiar to students, represent valuable measurement instruments for introductory and first-year physics courses. (paper)