Ground Motion Sensors — Unattended Detection Systems

The two primary types are active sensors, which emit a signal and detect its reflection, and passive sensors, which detect energy emitted by a source — such as geophones that respond to ground movement. In seismic monitoring, passive geophone-based sensors are most common for detecting vibration from construction or blasting events.

The best sensor depends on your application. For construction and blasting vibration monitoring, triaxial geophones integrated into ISEE-compliant seismographs like the Instantel Micromate or Minimate Pro are ideal. They measure velocity across three axes with sample rates up to 65,536 samples per second and are rated for extreme field conditions from -40°C to 55°C.

The Micromate, Micromate Plus, and Minimate Pro all comply with ISEE (2011) and DIN 45669-1 standards. The Micromate and Micromate Plus also meet Swedish blasting (SS4604866) and pile driving (SS025211) standards, making them suitable for international project compliance requirements.

Yes. All three units support remote deployment with internal battery life of 10–15 days, compatibility with solar panels and external batteries, and optional cloud-hosted data hosting. uWave Monitoring Systems also offers custom enclosure design and remote communications consulting for extended unattended installations.

Standard internal memory is 15 MB, storing up to 1,000 events. An optional upgrade to 60 MB expands capacity to over 4,000 events. Non-volatile memory ensures data is preserved even in the event of power loss, making these units well-suited for long-term unattended monitoring projects.

Yes. uWave Monitoring Systems offers both rental and purchase options for the Micromate, Micromate Plus, and Minimate Pro. Rental packages include technical support, calibration services, and remote monitoring consulting. Discounts are available for bulk rentals and multiple unit purchases, making it cost-effective for large-scale projects.