Towards the Electrostatic Realization of the Kilogram

We propose a method to realize the kilogram through electrical units, namely the volt. The device is based on a simple plane plate electrostatic actuator used to counterbalance the weight force. The geometry of the electric field is characterized by changing the distance between the plates while maintaining a constant force. This approach leads to the realization of a simple and compact device for the absolute measurement of small masses. The expected uncertainty is 10
^-4
in the milligram range.