Laboratory Evaluation of Low-Cost MEMS Based Sensor for Inclination and Acceleration Field Monitoring in Real-Time

In this paper, a novel sensor using low-cost parts was designed and its capability was evaluated to be used efficiently for inclination and displacement monitoring in the field. Robust sensor design was employed ensuring strength and resistance to water and severe weather conditions. The proposed monitoring system consists of the inclination sensor interconnected to a Raspberry Pi microcomputer with a LAN or Wi-Fi connection. Sensor acceleration and inclination accuracy were achieved using Complementary or Kalman Filters and evaluated during shaking table and flexural laboratory tests when put alongside high-performance high-cost sensors. Data transmission was achieved in real-time using the LabVIEW programming environment with online view capabilities.