Micro acoustic monitoring with MEMS accelerometers: towards a WSN implementation

Collapse of geological structures (e.g., rock faces and cliffs) is related both to the nature of the rocky substrate and the presence of fractures which may impair mechanical performance and stability; the in situ acquisition of acoustic information related to the rock dynamics has proved to be helpful in characterizing the dynamics of the system and forecast its evolution over time. We propose the use of a new generation of low cost integrated accelerometric sensors based on MEMS technology for measuring the slopes activity in a continuous, low power, non intrusive, approach suitable for wireless sensor networks deployments.