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Lesson 05: Gyroscope & Accelerometer Module (MPU6050)

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to interface the Raspberry Pi with the MPU6050, a sensor that integrates a 3-axis gyroscope and accelerometer. You’ll explore how to measure acceleration, orientation, and rotation. This project offers hands-on experience with reading sensor data, utilizing Python for hardware interaction, and grasping I2C communication fundamentals. You will also learn to continuously capture acceleration in three axes, rotational speed, and temperature from the sensor. It’s an ideal starting point for beginners eager to delve into sensors and motion tracking using the Raspberry Pi.

Required Components

In this project, we need the following components.

It’s definitely convenient to buy a whole kit, here’s the link:

Name	ITEMS IN THIS KIT	LINK
Universal Maker Sensor Kit	94	Universal Maker Sensor Kit

You can also buy them separately from the links below.

Component Introduction	Purchase Link
Raspberry Pi 5	BUY
Gyroscope & Accelerometer Module (MPU6050)	BUY

Wiring

Code

# Import the mpu6050 class and sleep function from respective modules.
from mpu6050 import mpu6050
from time import sleep

# Initialize the MPU-6050 sensor with the I2C address 0x68.
sensor = mpu6050(0x68)

# Infinite loop to continuously read data from the sensor.
while True:
    # Retrieve accelerometer data from the sensor.
    accel_data = sensor.get_accel_data()
    # Retrieve gyroscope data from the sensor.
    gyro_data = sensor.get_gyro_data()
    # Retrieve temperature data from the sensor.
    temp = sensor.get_temp()

    # Print accelerometer data.
    print("Accelerometer data")
    print("x: " + str(accel_data['x']))
    print("y: " + str(accel_data['y']))
    print("z: " + str(accel_data['z']))

    # Print gyroscope data.
    print("Gyroscope data")
    print("x: " + str(gyro_data['x']))
    print("y: " + str(gyro_data['y']))
    print("z: " + str(gyro_data['z']))

    # Print the temperature in Celsius.
    print("Temp: " + str(temp) + " C")

    # Pause for 0.5 seconds before the next read cycle.
    sleep(0.5)

Code Analysis

Import Statements

The mpu6050 class is imported from the mpu6050 library, and the sleep function is imported from the time module. These imports are necessary for interacting with the MPU-6050 sensor and introducing delays in the code.

For more information about the mpu6050 library, please visit m-rtijn/mpu6050.
```
from mpu6050 import mpu6050
from time import sleep
```
Sensor Initialization

An instance of the mpu6050 class is created with the I2C address 0x68 (the default address of the MPU-6050 sensor). This step initializes the sensor for data reading.
```
sensor = mpu6050(0x68)
```
Infinite Loop for Continuous Reading

An infinite loop (while True) is used to continuously read data from the sensor. This is a common practice for sensor-based applications where constant monitoring is required.
```
while True:
```
Reading Sensor Data

Inside the loop, data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and temperature sensor is read using the get_accel_data, get_gyro_data, and get_temp methods of the mpu6050 class instance. These methods return the sensor data in a user-friendly format.
```
accel_data = sensor.get_accel_data()
gyro_data = sensor.get_gyro_data()
temp = sensor.get_temp()
```

Printing Sensor Data

The retrieved data is then printed out. Accelerometer and gyroscope data are accessed as dictionary values (x, y, z axes), and temperature is directly printed as a Celsius value.

print("Accelerometer data")
print("x: " + str(accel_data['x']))
print("y: " + str(accel_data['y']))
print("z: " + str(accel_data['z']))

print("Gyroscope data")
print("x: " + str(gyro_data['x']))
print("y: " + str(gyro_data['y']))
print("z: " + str(gyro_data['z']))

print("Temp: " + str(temp) + " C")

Delay Between Readings

Finally, a half-second delay is introduced using sleep(0.5). This delay is crucial to prevent overwhelming the Raspberry Pi with continuous data readings.
```
sleep(0.5)
```