Measurement of the road gradient using an inclinometer mounted on a moving vehicle

Inclinometers are sensors used to measure the angle of tilt of the surface they are placed upon. Unfortunately inclinometers are very susceptible to noise caused by their movement. Therefore, they are generally only suitable for tilt measurements in static situations. This paper will investigate the inclinometer signal under dynamic conditions. A number of methods of analysing the inclinometer signal will be investigated, with the aim being to develop a method of de-coupling the error signals from the gradient signal. A successful error removal algorithm will enable the errors caused by movement of the sensor to be removed, thus, enabling the inclinometer to be used to measure the angle of tilt of a body under dynamic conditions. For example, the inclinometer can be placed in a vehicle and the gradient of the road can be logged whilst the car is travelling along.