Experimental Study of Low Cost Multiple IMU Based Open-source Motion Sensing Platform for Data Logging in Seismic Shaking Table Test

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) based inertial measurements units (IMUs) have become very popular in recent times because of low cost, small size and non-invasive nature.  One of the major domains of its use is design of wearable sensors for human motion sensing and analysis. As a result, number of open-source motion sensing hardware and software platform have come up. This paper presents experimental study of one such open-source wearable motion sensing platform, Oblu, for measuring structural response of models in seismic shaking table test. Required customization of open-source platform to meet needs of data logging in seismic shaking table test is discussed. Also, the details of post-test data processing and analysis done on another open-source platform Scilab is discussed. To compare the results of experimental study, analysis of similar model, subjected to identical test conditions, is performed using Structural Software for Analysis and Design SAP2000. The study shows potential of using low cost open-source motion sensing platform in comparison to expensive and proprietary accelerometer based data logging systems conventionally used for seismic shaking table tests