[android-developers] Re: Correct unit of Sensor.getPower() ?

JP wrote:

The Android documentation
http://developer.android.com/reference/android/hardware/Sensor.html#getPower%28%29
defines the units of sensor power as mA. That's milliAmps, which is a
unit of electric current, not power. Can anybody in the know clarify
the units delivered by getPower(), or confirm that this is indeed
electrical current (somewhat less useful)?

What is the battery voltage? 

<http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/airplane/ohms.html>

Batteries are rated in mAh, or (3.6 coulombs) units, a unit of charge. An advantage of getting "power" in mA is that you can estimate how long the sensor can run if you know the battery's charge capacity.

You can trust the API docs - they are authoritative (or should be). They say "mA", as does every source I've Googled. (You did do a web search prior to asking here, did you not?) For example:

<http://books.google.com/books?id=RuN0jb4YASwC&pg=PA895&lpg=PA895&dq=android+measuring+sensor+power&source=bl&ots=u4Jo6Fu_e6&sig=dwDVF6kud38yLjvDG_x0o0wuOjI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=_TBhT7aGF8mq2QWcreSNCA&ved=0CHoQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q&f=false>

-- 

Lew

 

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