MPU-6000/MPU-6050: Advanced 6-Axis MotionTracking Devices

The inertial measurement unit, or IMU, is an essential electronic device that accurately measures a craft's velocity, orientation, and gravitational forces. This measurement is achieved through the seamless integration of accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers. These devices, originally developed for aviation and spacecraft, are now commonly used in fields such as Human-Computer Interaction, navigation, and balancing systems like the ones found in Segway Personal Transporters.

The MPU-6000/MPU-6050 family stands out as the world’s premier series of 6-axis MotionTracking devices. These devices are meticulously designed to meet the growing demand for low power, cost-effective, and high-performance components for modern devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and wearable sensors. Within these compact components, a 3-axis gyroscope and a 3-axis accelerometer are combined into a single silicon die, offering unprecedented levels of motion tracking accuracy.

What truly sets the MPU-6000/6050 apart is their onboard Digital Motion Processor (DMP), which excels in handling complex 9-axis MotionFusion algorithms. This advanced capability allows these devices to communicate with external magnetometers and other sensors seamlessly through an auxiliary master I2C bus. As a result, they can collect comprehensive sensor data independently of the main system processor—creating a symphony of data for precise motion analysis without the typical constraints and interruptions.

To further enhance usability, the 6 DoF sensor breakout integrates this sensor with a low noise 3.3V regulator and essential pull-up resistors for the I2C bus. This thoughtful design makes it easy to connect with Arduino processors for an array of applications, from robotics to innovative Human-Computer Interaction projects and smart wearable technology. Thanks to the accessible Arduino library from i2cdevlib, enthusiasts can effortlessly harness the sensor's capabilities to obtain essential data—pitch, roll, yaw, quaternion, and Euler angles—transforming complex measurements into user-friendly terms.