MPU6050

The MPU6050 is a sensor that lets one know how an object is moving and how it’s tilted. It consists of an accelerometer(3-axis) and a gyroscope(3-axis).

The accelerometer can tell the direction, like up, down, left, or right. And the gyroscope can sense when the device rotates, like when you spin a top.

When we combine the information from the accelerometer and gyroscope, we can figure out how the device is moving and what direction it’s facing. This can be really useful for drones, robots or video game controllers that need to know how they’re being moved.

So, the MPU6050 is like a little helper that can tell you how something is moving and which way it’s facing/heading.

The accelerometer measures acceleration along each of the three axes (x, y, and z) and can determine the direction and magnitude of motion. The gyroscope measures angular velocity, or how quickly the device is rotating around each of the three axes.

The Digital Motion Processor (onboard) combines the information from the accelerometer and gyroscope to provide a more accurate representation of the device’s motion and orientation. The DMP can output data in the form of quaternions or Euler angles, which can be used to determine the position, velocity, and orientation of the device.

It can communicate with microcontrollers through a variety of interfaces, including I2C, SPI, and UART.

MPU6050 is a highly versatile sensor module that provides accurate and reliable motion sensing capabilities, making it an essential component in many different types of electronic systems.

Applications Most common application areas for the MPU6050:

1. Robotics: Position and orientation sensing, allowing robots to navigate and interact with objects.

2. Industrial automation: Position and orientation sensing, allowing machines to perform precise movements and control processes.

3. Virtual Reality: For orientation sensing, allowing users to look around in a virtual environment.

4. Gaming: Motion sensing, to control games using natural movements.

5. Fitness tracking: To monitor daily exercise levels.

6. Motion capture: Capturing the movements of actors and athletes, allowing for realistic animations.

7. Smartphones and tablets: To rotate the screen when the user changes the orientation.

8. Augmented reality: Orientation sensing, allowing virtual objects to be overlaid on the real world.

9. Medical devices: For monitoring movement and orientation, allowing doctors to track patient progress and diagnose conditions.

10. Drones: For stabilization and orientation sensing, allowing them to fly and maintain stability.

Interfacing with Arduino

The MPU6050 uses the I2C bus to communicate with the Arduino or other microcontrollers.

The MPU6050 can be connected to the Arduino using the I2C bus. Connect the MPU6050 SDA pin to Arduino as per above wiring diagram.

Include Library > Manage Libraries. Search for “Wire” and “MPU6050”, then install the libraries

#include <Wire.h>
#include <MPU6050.h>
MPU6050 mpu;
void setup() {
 Serial.begin(9600);
  Wire.begin();
   mpu.initialize();}
   
   void loop() {
     int16_t ax, ay, az;
     int16_t gx, gy, gz;
     
      mpu.getMotion6(&ax, &ay, &az, &gx, &gy, &gz);
      float axg = ax / 16384.0;
      float ayg = ay / 16384.0;
      float azg = az / 16384.0;
          
      float gxds = gx / 131.0;
      float gyds = gy / 131.0;
      float gzds = gz / 131.0;
      Serial.print("Accel: ");
        Serial.print(axg);
          Serial.print(", ");
            Serial.print(ayg);
              Serial.print(", ");
                Serial.print(azg);
                  Serial.print(" Gyro: ");
                    Serial.print(gxds);
                      Serial.print(", ");
                        Serial.print(gyds);
                          Serial.print(", ");
                            Serial.println(gzds);
           delay(100);
           }