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The Engineer Guy explains how smartphones know up from down

The Engineer Guy explains how smartphones know up from down

Posted: 22 May 2012, 09:03, by Nick T.

Categories: Interesting facts Interesting facts

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The Engineer Guy explains how smartphones know up from down

One of the less-touted components that you will find inside of a smartphone or a tablet is its accelerometer – a small component that reacts when the device is being moved or rotated. Thanks to this tiny piece of silicon, your handheld can detect whether you are holding it sideways or in portrait mode and respond adequately, usually by rotating the display in the correct orientation.

But how do accelerometers work? That is a question for Bill Hammack, also known as the Engineer Guy, who reveals the inner workings of every day gizmos in his YouTube show. And as you can already guess, accelerometers were last episode's topic.

So, it turns out that accelerometers were a bit more complex that we though they were. The elements that go inside one are so small that manufacturing them by hand or with a machine is practically impossible, which is why some chemical trickery must be used instead. Curious to know more? Then just sit back and check out the video that we have embedded below.

source: Engineer Guy via Gizmodo

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1. mercorp posted on 22 May 2012, 09:10 3 0

That was eductional.thanks.

2. blinkdagger posted on 22 May 2012, 09:37 0 0

I'm making one..

3. knihai posted on 22 May 2012, 09:47 0 0

haha You need a freaking million dollar "nano technology" machine to etch silicon for those chips. Either you own intel or have so much money to burn

4. tward291 posted on 22 May 2012, 10:14 0 0

learn something new everyday. today was no exception. ever since i started school in electrical engineering the things we can do, and how we do them just amaze me every time.

5. jopancy posted on 22 May 2012, 13:44 2 1

If such intelligent piece of engineering needs thought and careful designing by the engineer, how come people say life or cells were not designed, but was a 'product' of blind chance???

6. tward291 posted on 22 May 2012, 15:57 0 0

what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8. redrooster13 posted on 23 May 2012, 00:46 0 0

I agree. This is nothing compared to the human body and some people think that there was no creator behind us. They just think we just some how came about from an explosion. Anyways, it was cool to get an idea of what goes into a accelerometer.

7. cncrim posted on 22 May 2012, 20:11 0 0

awesome..... learn something.

9. darkskoliro posted on 23 May 2012, 02:41 0 0

should post more stuff like this

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Samsung Galaxy S4
- Announced: 14 Mar 2013
- OS: Android 4.2.2
- Hardware: Quad core, 1900 MHz, Krait 300, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 5.0 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 13 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s LTE Cat3/4 Uplink 50 Mbit/s HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS
Apple iPhone 5
- Announced: 12 Sep 2012
- OS: iOS
- Hardware: Dual core, 1300 MHz, Apple Swift, 1016 MB RAM
- Display: 4.0 inches, 640 x 1136 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 8 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900), CDMA (800 1700/2100 1900)
- Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS EV-DO Rev.A EV-DO Rev.B
Samsung GALAXY Note II
- Announced: 29 Aug 2012
- OS: Android 4.1.2 4.1.1
- Hardware: Quad core, 1600 MHz, ARM Cortex-A9, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 5.5 inches, 720 x 1280 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 8 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Battery: 35 hours of Talk Time, 980 hours of Stand-by
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s LTE Cat3/4 Uplink 50 Mbit/s HSDPA+ (4G) 21.1 Mbit/s HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS
HTC One
- Announced: 19 Feb 2013
- OS: Android 4.1.2
- Hardware: Quad core, 1700 MHz, Krait 300, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 4.7 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 4 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900), CDMA (800 1900)
- Data: LTE HSPA (unspecified) UMTS EDGE GPRS
Sony Xperia Z
- Announced: 07 Jan 2013
- OS: Android 4.1.2
- Hardware: Quad core, 1500 MHz, Krait, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 5.0 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 13.1 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Battery: 11 hours of Talk Time, 550 hours of Stand-by
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s LTE Cat3/4 Uplink 50 Mbit/s HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS
Google Nexus 4
- Announced: 29 Oct 2012
- OS: Android 4.2.2 4.2.1 4.2
- Hardware: Quad core, 1500 MHz, Krait, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 4.7 inches, 768 x 1280 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 8 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Battery: 15.3 hours of Talk Time, 390 hours of Stand-by
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS
LG Optimus G
- Announced: 28 Aug 2012
- OS: Android 4.1.2 4.0.4
- Hardware: Quad core, 1500 MHz, Krait, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 4.7 inches, 768 x 1280 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 13 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Battery: 15 hours of Talk Time, 335 hours of Stand-by
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: LTE HSPA (unspecified) UMTS EDGE GPRS
Nokia Lumia 920
- Announced: 05 Sep 2012
- OS: Windows Phone 8
- Hardware: Dual core, 1500 MHz, Krait, 1024 MB RAM
- Display: 4.5 inches, 768 x 1280 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 8.7 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Battery: 17 hours of Talk Time, 400 hours of Stand-by
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s LTE Cat3/4 Uplink 50 Mbit/s HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS

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The Engineer Guy explains how smartphones know up from down

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9 Comments Follow Following

1. mercorp posted on 22 May 2012, 09:10 3 0

2. blinkdagger posted on 22 May 2012, 09:37 0 0

3. knihai posted on 22 May 2012, 09:47 0 0

4. tward291 posted on 22 May 2012, 10:14 0 0

5. jopancy posted on 22 May 2012, 13:44 2 1

6. tward291 posted on 22 May 2012, 15:57 0 0

8. redrooster13 posted on 23 May 2012, 00:46 0 0

7. cncrim posted on 22 May 2012, 20:11 0 0

9. darkskoliro posted on 23 May 2012, 02:41 0 0

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