A microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensor suite including a three axis accelerometer including an accelerometer sensor polyhedron having a series of faces, and a series of axial accelerometers on three faces of the series of faces of the accelerometer sensor polyhedron. The MEMS sensor suite also includes a three axis magnetometer including a magnetometer sensor polyhedron having a series of faces, and a series of axial magnetometers on three faces of the series of faces of the magnetometer sensor polyhedron.

A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) based sensor device includes a first MTJ element, a first reservoir, a second MTJ element, a second reservoir, and processing circuitry. The first reservoir includes first particles configured to move within the first reservoir during acceleration. A first portion of the first reservoir is electrically coupled to a free layer of the first MTJ element. The second reservoir includes second particles configured to move within the second reservoir during acceleration. A first portion of the second reservoir is electrically coupled to a free layer of the second MTJ element. The processing circuitry is configured to determine an acceleration based on a first output voltage at a pinned layer at the first MTJ element and a second output voltage at a pinned layer at the second MTJ element.

A single axis accelerometer comprising a swing arm pivotally attached to a frame is held in apposition to a stop by a threshold force until an experienced acceleration force greater than the threshold force causes a distal segment of the swing arm to release from the stop and move toward a sensor that is activated by a sensor trigger on the distal segment of the swing arm.

A single axis accelerometer comprising a swing arm pivotally attached to a frame is held in apposition to a stop by a threshold force until an experienced acceleration force greater than the threshold force causes a distal segment of the swing arm to release from the stop and move toward a sensor that is activated by a sensor trigger on the distal segment of the swing arm.

Methods of determining movement and devices that can be configured to function as an accelerometer, a gyroscope or a magnetometer and is comprised of a sensing element suspended by acoustic waves, and a measurement system capable of determining the position, or rotation of the sensing element without introducing any residual force on the sensing element. The acoustic suspension of the sensing element provides a virtually friction, and torque free method of constraining the sensing element, but not hindering its ability to sense accelerations, rotations or magnetic fields.

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for tracking and determining the position of an object, the method comprising determining a primary position indication based on signals received from an external positioning system and using said primary position indication to determine a first position of said object, recording acceleration data of a cyclically moving object using inertial sensor signals or accelerometer sensor signals and integrating said acceleration data over a selected period of time to determine a tilting of said cyclically moving part of the object relative to a horizontal plane, recording direction data of said moving object based on measuring an external magnetic field of the cyclically moving part of the object using a magnetometer sensor to determine an orientation of said cyclically moving part relative to the external magnetic field, computing the velocity of said moving object in any direction based on said inertial sensor signals or accelerometer sensor signals, determining a secondary position indication of said object based on said first position, said direction data and said velocity data, and using said secondary position indication to determine a second position of said object.

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for tracking and determining the position of an object, the method comprising determining a primary position indication based on signals received from an external positioning system and using said primary position indication to determine a first position of said object, recording acceleration data of a cyclically moving object using inertial sensor signals or accelerometer sensor signals and integrating said acceleration data over a selected period of time to determine a tilting of said cyclically moving part of the object relative to a horizontal plane, recording direction data of said moving object based on measuring an external magnetic field of the cyclically moving part of the object using a magnetometer sensor to determine an orientation of said cyclically moving part relative to the external magnetic field, computing the velocity of said moving object in any direction based on said inertial sensor signals or accelerometer sensor signals, determining a secondary position indication of said object based on said first position, said direction data and said velocity data, and using said secondary position indication to determine a second position of said object.

The present disclosure discloses a vertical superconducting magnetic mass-spring oscillator with an adjustable natural frequency, comprising: a proof mass, a negative-stiffness superconducting coil and a positive-stiffness superconducting coil; the negative-stiffness superconducting coil is mounted at an opening of a semi-closed space of the proof mass, so that a part of magnetic lines of the negative-stiffness superconducting coil are in a compressed state in a closed space of the proof mass, and the other part of the magnetic lines of the negative-stiffness superconducting coil are in an expanded state outside the closed space of the proof mass; a vertical magnetic repulsive force applied to the proof mass by the negative-stiffness superconducting coil varies with a displacement of the proof mass from an equilibrium position, with the variation magnitude proportional to the displacement and the variation direction the same as the displacement direction; and the positive-stiffness superconducting coil is mounted in the semi-closed space of the proof mass, and a vertical magnetic repulsive force applied to the proof mass by the positive-stiffness superconducting coil varies proportionally to the displacement of the proof mass from the equilibrium position, with the variation direction opposite to the displacement direction. The present disclosure realizes that the natural frequency of the superconducting mass-spring oscillator is adjustable, and meanwhile, the cross-coupling effect of horizontal and vertical degrees of freedom of the proof mass can be reduced.

The present disclosure discloses a vertical superconducting magnetic mass-spring oscillator with an adjustable natural frequency, comprising: a proof mass, a negative-stiffness superconducting coil and a positive-stiffness superconducting coil; the negative-stiffness superconducting coil is mounted at an opening of a semi-closed space of the proof mass, so that a part of magnetic lines of the negative-stiffness superconducting coil are in a compressed state in a closed space of the proof mass, and the other part of the magnetic lines of the negative-stiffness superconducting coil are in an expanded state outside the closed space of the proof mass; a vertical magnetic repulsive force applied to the proof mass by the negative-stiffness superconducting coil varies with a displacement of the proof mass from an equilibrium position, with the variation magnitude proportional to the displacement and the variation direction the same as the displacement direction; and the positive-stiffness superconducting coil is mounted in the semi-closed space of the proof mass, and a vertical magnetic repulsive force applied to the proof mass by the positive-stiffness superconducting coil varies proportionally to the displacement of the proof mass from the equilibrium position, with the variation direction opposite to the displacement direction. The present disclosure realizes that the natural frequency of the superconducting mass-spring oscillator is adjustable, and meanwhile, the cross-coupling effect of horizontal and vertical degrees of freedom of the proof mass can be reduced.

A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) based sensor device includes a MTJ element and processing circuitry. The MTJ element includes a free layer, a pinned layer, and a tunnel barrier, the tunnel barrier being arranged between the free layer and the pinned layer. The free layer is adapted to flex away from the tunnel barrier during acceleration. The processing circuitry is configured to measure a resistance at the MTJ element and determine acceleration based on the resistance at the MTJ element.