How it works: The Wiimote March 16, 2007

1. The Set-Up
An accelerometer consists of a silicon weightâ€â€less than one millionth of a gramâ€â€connected to a chip by minuscule springs. When you hold the controller still, the weight sits equidistant between sets of silicon plates. A current running through the weight sends equal voltages to all plates.
2. The Swing
As you move your arm, the weight slides to one side, increasing the voltage at the nearer plates. The accelerometer measures this change in voltage and uses it to calculate the distance the weight has traveledâ€â€a matter of no more than five nanometers (hair is around 200 nanometers wide).
3. The Physics
A basic lawâ€â€force divided by massâ€â€reveals the acceleration. The force depends on the distance the weight moves and the stiffness of the springs holding it. With weights that shift up and down, left and right, and back and forth, the accelerometer measures movement in three dimensions.
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