Dependence of inertial measurements of distance on accelerometer noise

Accelerometers are widely used in many applications to determine position. An investigation is made into the errors in estimated position that are caused by noise and drift effects in stationary accelerometers. An analytical study is made into the effects of biases in the accelerometer data and the effects of changing the cut-off frequency in the anti-aliasing filter. The root mean square errors in position are calculated as a function of time and sampling frequency. A comparison is made between the theoretical results and experimental data taken from 2 commercial accelerometers. Recommendations are made regarding the calibration of accelerometers prior to their use in practical situations. (Original abstract - amended)