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ViB-ProX vs standard geophones: what to use and when

ViB-ProX is an all-in-one accelerometer monitor: DC to 1 kHz, 20 bit, any-angle M10 mount, months of runtime, ShockAi auto reports.

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Written by Stefan
Updated today

ViB-ProX

Geophone.

Who is this for

Engineers and site managers who need compliant blast and vibration monitoring with fast setup and consistent reporting.

Key benefits at a glance

  • Broadband capture: DC to 1000 Hz at 4 kS/s in one record.

  • Simple setup: any-angle mounting on an M10 masonry bolt.

  • 20-bit resolution: resolves low-level vibration and preserves waveform detail.

  • One device for all: selectable ranges from 2 g to 40 g for far-field and near-field.

  • All-in-one: sensor, logger, storage, power, Bluetooth and GPS in one unit.

  • ShockAi analytics: auto-generated reports today, with vibration prediction and rock fragmentation on the roadmap.

  • Battery life: 4 to 6 months continuous with GPS off or duty-cycled, about 1 week with GPS always on.


Quick start: install ViB-ProX in 3 steps

  1. Fix the bolt: pick location and install an M10 masonry bolt.

  2. Mount: screw ViB-ProX onto the bolt and tighten for firm coupling.

  3. Start logging: press the button to run with saved settings, or start from the ShockAi App.

Optional: if you want a fixed reference to the blast, point the button (the X axis) toward the source. Verify the first event or test record.

Why this is faster than a geophone
Traditional geophone plus logger installs typically involve levelling the sensor, cabling to a logger, configuring polarity and sensitivity, threshold set-up and cable management.


Frequency response and low frequency performance

  • Geophones: velocity is flat above the natural frequency and rolls off by about 12 dB per octave below it. Amplitude is usually about 3 dB down at the corner (for example 10 Hz or 4.5 Hz elements).

  • ViB-ProX: measures acceleration with a flat passband from DC to 1000 Hz at 4 kS/s, so it captures slow settlement and fast shock fronts in one record.

Figures:

  • Figure 1. Frequency response: 10 Hz geophone vs flat accelerometer.

  • Figure 1a. 10 Hz and 4.5 Hz geophones magnitude overlay with corner markers.

  • Figure 1b. Geophone phase response.


Resolution and dynamic range

Geophone chains commonly publish 16-bit conversion, while ViB-ProX records at 20-bit.

  • Think of bit depth like marks on a ruler. 20-bit means 1,048,576 steps across the range; 16-bit is 65,536 steps.

  • Practical examples: at ±40 g the quantisation step is about 0.076 mg; at ±2 g it is about 0.0038 mg.

  • Each extra bit gives about 6 dB of theoretical dynamic range. Moving from 16-bit to 20-bit gives roughly 24 dB more range and about 16× finer steps at the same scale.

  • ViB-ProX uses fast sampling and digital filtering so effective in-band resolution is even better.


Processing: acceleration, velocity and displacement

ViB-ProX captures acceleration directly. Velocity and displacement are derived using ShotTrack’s proprietary iterative filtering algorithm that stabilises the baseline, preserves peaks and maintains phase accuracy.

Figures to attach:

  • Figure 4a. Acceleration a(t) for a 5 Hz tone.

  • Figure 4b. Velocity v(t) = ∫ a(t) dt.

  • Figure 4c. Displacement d(t) = ∫ v(t) dt.


Battery life

Typical continuous operation is 4 to 6 months with GPS off or duty-cycled, and about 1 week with GPS always on. External power source can easily be added, the ViB-ProX will accept and USB-C charge types, solar panels etc...


When to use each instrument

  • Use geophones when a regulation explicitly requires a geophone for PPV within a specified band.

  • Use ViB-ProX when you need DC capture, any-angle mounting, long autonomous runtime, minimal cabling or integrated analytics.

  • Hybrid approach: many sites use ViB-ProX for full waveform capture and insights and keep geophones for clauses that still name a geophone.


FAQ

Can ViB-ProX report in R/T/L like a geophone install?
Yes. ViB-ProX records X, Y, Z. If a spec asks for R/T/L, orient the X axis toward the source and export as R/T/L.

Does ViB-ProX meet PPV reporting needs?
Yes. Measure acceleration and derive velocity using standard PPV filters. Where the clause names a geophone, use one for that clause and include ViB-ProX for the broadband record.

What sampling should I use?
Use 4 kS/s for DC to 1 kHz passband. Lower rates are available for power saving or specific bands.

How do I maximise battery life?
Duty-cycle GPS, and keep the enclosure within its recommended temperature range.

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