Digital inclinometers measure an object’s angle of inclination to gravity and have various applications, including in transportation, construction, surveying, and sports. They provide critical information for aircraft pilots and can also be used for satellite dish reception, mining, and seismology. Medical inclinometers measure joint range of motion in physical therapy and sports training. Some models use fluid design, while others are digital.
A digital inclinometer is a device for measuring the angle of inclination of an object with respect to gravity. It has many applications in transportation systems, including aircraft, ships, and as part of safety systems in some automobiles. They are also commonly incorporated into heavy construction equipment as a safety mechanism and can be used in recreational activities such as cross-country cycling. Other uses include in surveying equipment and in the orientation of satellite dishes and solar panels for optimal reception of a signal or light source.
The aircraft’s inclinometer creates what is known as an artificial horizon and the sensors then monitor deviations from this based on gravitational pull. Early versions of the technology in aircraft relied on the movement of contained fluids versus gravitational pull that displayed in a readout, but most are now digital inclinometer designs. While there are a wide variety of applications for digital inclinometers in general, including as tilt sensors in video game controllers, their use in aircraft is very critical. They provide information about whether an aircraft is moving level to land and whether it is drifting up or down at an angle due to changing weather or aircraft control conditions. Often at night or in bad weather, pilots are forced to rely entirely on the readings of digital altimeters and inclinometers to safely guide an aircraft to its destination.
The off-road inclinometer or bicycle inclinometer often falls back on the earlier bubble and fluid design to indicate slope. This is due to the fact that these models can be made compactly and do not require a power source for remote operation. They are designed to indicate uphill or downhill gradients of approximately 21° and can weigh less than an ounce (30 grams). They mount to a handlebar and the readout is best viewed when not in rough terrain or conditions where the angle of ascent or descent changes rapidly.
Other adaptations of the digital inclinometer include the satellite inclinometer for satellite dish reception, which often incorporates a compass and provides highly accurate readings. These sophisticated versions of the digital inclinometer are also used in forestry and surveying and are built to attach to both tripods and cameras. Other advanced applications include in structural geology as a mining inclinometer or to measure ground motion from volcanoes and earthquakes in seismology.
The medical inclinometer is another form of handheld digital inclinometer that is used to measure range of motion in joints. They are a useful aid both in physical therapy to monitor the progress of convalescent patients and in sports training. By placing the device against a joint and moving it through its functional range, motion can then be compared to normal range of motion or previous levels measured in the patient.
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