# Shock/Drop Detection Whitepaper

There are several possibilities to detect shock/impact. All work with the **accelerometer**. We will go through the **pros and cons** of each in this whitepaper.

### Why detect shocks? <a href="#why-detect-shocks" id="why-detect-shocks"></a>

Shock detection can be useful in situations where any shock/impact might **damage goods** or other objects.

It's useful in e.g. **transporting fragile goods** where the messages can help you with sorting out **insurance** quickly and also analyzing where the damage came from and when. This allows you to improve your processes.

### What API 6 mode to use for shock detection <a href="#what-api-6-mode-to-use-for-shock-detection" id="what-api-6-mode-to-use-for-shock-detection"></a>

* The most commonly used mode for this purpose is **Don't drop me.**
* You can also experiment with the **Guard me** mode.
* Both **Don't drop me** and **Guard me** modes have WiFi-enabled variants you can opt for if you want better localization. More here: [Location tracking whitepaper](/kb/pre-sales-support/untitled/location-tracking-whitepaper.md)

### How to test and find the ideal settings <a href="#how-to-test-and-find-the-ideal-settings" id="how-to-test-and-find-the-ideal-settings"></a>

* Always start with the **basic mode** and work from there - the default settings are calibrated to be an all-in-one solution. With Don't drop me, we recommend modifying register 0x15 (Don't drop me threshold) - use [heapsort](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heapsort) to find the correct value quickly.
* You can use the heapsort method when working with Guard me as well, in this case, you work with **accelerometer sensitivity register 0x11**.

### Example setup <a href="#example-setup" id="example-setup"></a>

* You want to track packages with **porcelain** and make sure their fragile content is delivered **without damage**. You also want to make sure the packages will not be tilted and would like to track the packages with the best precision possible.
* You will use **Don't drop me WiFi with independent accelerometer events and tilt.** This combination will work like **Trace me WiFi which also detects impacts on goods and tilting.** The tilt is controlled by register **0x3E and has a precision of 1°**. Here are the steps to take:
* Try basic Don't drop me and find the ideal threshold of acceleration you want to use.
* Switch to Don't drop me WiFi, turn on the independent alerts (reg 0x56), and tilt (0x3E).
* Test in the field and adjust accordingly.

If you have any questions, you can raise a **support ticket** [here](https://simplehw.eu/helpdesk/technical-support-1/submit).

If you'd like us to **review your use case** and suggest the best settings, [here's the form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1RqGyRAfwHrt1MGQzAbVK2flogHDYJoWHdfTn2ro-VWI/edit).


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