Accelerometers are sensors and instruments for measuring, displaying and analyzing acceleration and vibration. They can be used on a stand-alone basis, or in conjunction with a data acquisition system. Accelerometers are available in many forms. They can be raw sensing elements, packaged transducers, or used as a sensor system or instrument, incorporating features such as totalizing, local or remote display, and data recording. Accelerometers can have from one to three axes of measurement; typically, the multiple axes are orthogonal to each other. These devices work on many operating principles. The most common types of accelerometers are piezoelectric, capacitance, null-balance, strain gage, resonance, piezoresistive, and magnetic induction.

Vibration sensors are sensors for measuring, displaying and analyzing linear velocity, displacement and proximity, or acceleration. They can be used on a stand-alone basis, or in conjunction with a data acquisition system. Vibration sensors are available in many forms. They can be raw sensing elements, packaged transducers, or as a sensor system or instrument, incorporating features such as totalizing, local or remote display, and data recording.