Absolute gravimeters tie their measurement of gravity to the definition of the second 
by interrogating the position of a falling test mass using a laser interferometer. Our vision is to develop and prototype a miniaturised absolute gravimeter by 
leveraging modern vacuum, laser, and micro-electromechanical systems.

The acceleration due to Earth’s gravity is not constant, but varies slightly over time due to the tidal influence of the Sun and Moon. These tidal signals are the largest periodic variations in gravity and are understood theoretically through models that combine celestial mechanics and geophysics.