  We review some quantum electrodynamical effects related to the uniform
acceleration of atoms in vacuum. After discussing the energy level shifts of a
uniformly accelerated atom in vacuum, we investigate the atom-wall
Casimir-Polder force for accelerated atoms, and the van der
Waals/Casimir-Polder interaction between two accelerated atoms. The possibility
of detecting the Unruh effect through these phenomena is also discussed in
detail.
