Multicomponent transducer

A multicomponent transducer, comprising:

• (a) an inertial mass;
• (b) means for ferrohydrodynamically levitating the inertial mass in a magnetic fluid, whereby the inertial mass is substantially unconstrained with respect to the directions of motion to which it is responsive;
• and
• motion sensing means for sensing selected components of the motion of the inertial mass wherein the motion sensing means includes means for sensing time varying changes in capacitance resulting from motion of the inertial mass, oscillator means for transforming the time varying capacitance into a time varying frequency;
• and receiver means for transforming the time varying frequency into a time varying voltage representative of the magnitude and periodicity of the motion of the inertial mass.

A multicomponent transducer, comprising:

• (a) a housing, wherein the housing includes a generally enclosed cavity;
• (b) a magnetic fluid generally filling the housing cavity;
• (c) an inertial mass immersed in the magnetic fluid-filled housing cavity;
• (d) magnetic means for levitating the inertial mass in the magnetic fluid cavity;
• and
• (e) motion sensing means for sensing at least two components of motion of the levitated inertial mass, wherein the motion sensing means includes a plurality of pairs of segmented electrodes covering substantially the entire surface of the housing cavity, and the motion sensing means includes means for sensing time varying changes in capacitance resulting from the motion of the inertial mass;
• oscillator means for transforming the time varying capacitance into a time varying frequency;
• and receiver means for transforming the time varying frequency into a time varying voltage representative of the magnitude and periodicity of the motion of the inertial mass.

A multicomponent transducer, comprising:

• (a) a housing, wherein the housing includes an enclosed, substantially spherical cavity of radius R;
• (b) a magnetic fluid generally filling the spherical cavity;
• (c) an inertial mass immersed in the magnetic fluid, wherein the inertial mass is substantially spherical of radius r and the ratio r/R of the inertial mass and the housing cavity is:
• 0.4.ltorsim.r/R.ltorsim.0.9
• (d) means for levitating the inertial mass about an equilibrium position within the spherical cavity and means for horizontally centering the inertial mass about the equilibrium position;
• and
• (e) motion sensing means for sensing at least two components of motion of the inertial mass about the equilibrium position, wherein the motion sensing means includes means for sensing time varying changes in capacitance resulting from motion of the inertial mass, oscillator means for transforming the time varying capacitance into a time varying frequency and receiver means for transforming the time varying frequency into a time varying voltage representative of the magnitude and periodicity of the motion of the inertial mass.