QUESTION

Hard

Science & Technology

Prelims 2023

Consider the following actions:

  1. Detection of car crash/collision which results in the deployment of airbags almost instantaneously
  2. Detection of accidental free fall of a laptop towards the ground which results in the immediate turning off of the hard drive
  3. Detection of the tilt of the smartphone which results in the rotation of display between portrait and landscape mode

In how many of the above actions is the function of accelerometer required?

Select an option to attempt

Explanation

  • Car Crash Detection and Airbag Deployment: Modern cars use accelerometers as part of a complex system to detect rapid deceleration that can indicate a crash. The accelerometer data, along with other sensors, triggers the airbag deployment almost instantaneously. 

  • Laptop Fall Detection and Hard Drive Shut Off: Some laptops use accelerometers to detect a sudden fall or impact. This can trigger the hard drive heads to retract or park, protecting the drive from potential damage. 

  • Smartphone Tilt Detection and Display Rotation: Accelerometers are widely used in smartphones to detect orientation changes (tilt). This allows the device to automatically switch the display between portrait and landscape mode depending on how you hold the phone. 

  • In all these scenarios, the accelerometer detects changes in acceleration or tilt, which is then used by the system to perform the specific action.

Therefore, all three statements are correct.

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