The technology developed is a piezoelectric stimulus-response quantification based gravimeter (PEG). This innovation takes a completely novel approach towards utilization of the piezoelectric element by quantifying the gravitational effects on them--they can not only generate an electric charge in response to mechanical deformation, but can also be mechanically deformed by applying electric charges, known as the converse-piezoelectric effect. In this way, piezoelectric elements can be used to precisely inject energy for exciting vibratory frequencies within the element and housing allowing the element to be used for quantifying subsequently produced electrical output. Fundamental detection is achieved through utilizing shear mode piezoelectric elements.

Conventional gravimeters typically measure the amount of the opposing forces required to suspend an object or by monitoring an objects freefall rate. The developed technology, a piezoelectric stimulus-response quantification based gravimeter (PEG), functions entirely different from conventional gravimeters. This novel technology's method of operation is achieved by economically utilizing shear type piezoelectric transducers with a new novel approach to piezoelectric instrumentation. The piezoelectric transducers are provided with excitation energy, causing a highly reproducible response across a full frequency spectrum. This allows the piezoelectric transducer to take static measurements as opposed to the conventional utilization of piezoelectric devices that require a dynamically changing quantity. This gravimeter is capable of measuring an abundant amount of physical quantities such as thermal, magnetic, and static forces. This stimulus-response process is highly repeatable which produces a near exact response/measurement from each collected reading. When the pull of gravity is introduced, the original element characteristics are changed along with fluctuations in gravity. These types of transducers are specifically designed to maximize the gravitational effects of the elements vibratory characteristics. Resultant characteristics are automatically quantified and temperature compensated through vector analyses and data reduction algorithms into gravitational units.

Benefits:
Cost-Efficient Design: Small handheld unit, portable, light weight; simple and economical to construct.
Innovative Utility: Designed to use shear mode piezoelectric elements; data analyses and correlation software are also innovative algorithms capable of highlighting minuscule differences within large data sets.
Data Sensitivity: Enhanced accuracy, achieved by using external noise mitigation techniques, within levels comparable to extremely sensitive superconducting gravimeters (nano-gal levels).
Monitoring Efficiency: The monitoring system is very sensitive and durable.
Simple Design: No significant competence level or specialized training required to operate it.
Novel approach: Piezoelectric transducers are provided with excitation energy, causing a highly reproducible response across a full frequency spectrum.