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Test: Sensor Fusion (IMU)

Sensors & Fusion

Sensor Fusion: Building an IMU on the GY-85

The accelerometer: a noisy absolute

The ADXL345 measures acceleration on three axes. When the board is still, the only acceleration it feels is gravity, so the direction of that 1 g tells you which way is down, and from that the roll and pitch. It is absolute: nothing accumulates, so nothing drifts. Tilt the board with the sliders, then press Shove to accelerate it sideways.

Challenge: With the board level, use Shove to make the accelerometer report more than 15° of pitch.

gIMU PCBderekmolloy.ieADXL345ITG3205HMC5883LXYZ
the real boardwhat the accelerometer says (with its axes)

The last 10 seconds

-60°-30°0°30°60°rollnow-10 s
trueaccelerometer

ax, ay, az (g)

+0.00, +0.00, +1.00

Accel roll

+0.0°

Accel pitch

+0.0°

az as raw counts

+256