New gravimeter-on-a-chip is tiny yet extremely sensitive

A tiny device that can make very precise measurements of the Earth's gravity has been unveiled by physicists at the University of Glasgow in the UK. While their gravimeter is not quite as sensitive as the best available sensors, the team says that it could be produced for a 1000th of the cost. It is also significantly smaller and lighter than current devices, and could be deployed in drone aircraft or in multi-sensor arrays to perform a range of tasks, including mineral exploration, civil engineering and monitoring volcanoes.