4 | How to use the MPU6050 with Arduino and Teensy

Summary

This video tutorial guides you through integrating the MPU-6050 gyroscope into a quadcopter project. It covers key concepts like roll, pitch, and yaw, explaining how the gyroscope measures rotation around these axes. You'll learn how to set up the sensor with the I2C protocol, configure the low-pass filter, and adjust the sensitivity scale. The video provides step-by-step instructions on programming the microcontroller to read the rotation rates and display them on a serial monitor. The tutorial concludes by demonstrating how to test the gyroscope, ensuring accurate data for stable flight control.

Takeaways

• 😀 The MPU-6050 gyroscope is essential for maintaining the stability and level orientation of the quadcopter during flight.
• 😀 The MPU-6050 measures rotation rates in three axes: roll (x-axis), pitch (y-axis), and yaw (z-axis).
• 😀 Roll, pitch, and yaw represent different rotational movements that are crucial for controlling the quadcopter's orientation.
• 😀 The gyroscope's sensitivity scale is set to 65.5 LSB per degree per second, allowing for precise measurements.
• 😀 The I2C protocol, using SDA and SCL lines, is the communication method between the MPU-6050 and the microcontroller.
• 😀 Soldering is required for the MPU-6050, as it does not come with pre-soldered headers.
• 😀 A low-pass filter with a cut-off frequency of 10 Hz is applied to smooth out motor-induced vibrations, improving accuracy.
• 😀 The gyro measurements are expressed in LSB (Least Significant Bits) and need to be converted into degrees per second.
• 😀 The I2C address for the MPU-6050 is 0x68, and data can be accessed from registers 43 to 48 for gyro measurements.
• 😀 The program code must initialize the sensor, read rotation rates, and display the values on the serial monitor for real-time tracking.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the MPU-6050 gyroscope in a quadcopter?

The MPU-6050 gyroscope is responsible for measuring the rotation rates around the three axes (roll, pitch, and yaw) to help keep the quadcopter level during flight.

What are the three axes of rotation measured by the MPU-6050?

The three axes of rotation are roll (around the x-axis), pitch (around the y-axis), and yaw (around the z-axis).

What does a roll rotation mean in the context of the gyroscope?

A roll rotation means rotating clockwise around the x-axis of the gyroscope.

Why is it important for the quadcopter's rotation rate to be 0 degrees per second?

To maintain the quadcopter's current orientation, the rotation rate must be 0 degrees per second, ensuring the craft stays level without unnecessary movement.

Which communication protocol does the MPU-6050 use to communicate with the microcontroller?

The MPU-6050 uses the I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) protocol, which requires two wires: the SDA (data) line and the SCL (clock) line.

What is the significance of the low-pass filter for the MPU-6050?

The low-pass filter is essential to smooth out the rotation data by eliminating high-frequency noise, such as motor vibrations, to provide more accurate measurements of rotation rates.

How does the sensitivity setting of the MPU-6050 affect its measurements?

The sensitivity setting determines the scale factor for the gyroscope's measurements. A sensitivity of 65.5 LSB (Least Significant Bits) per degree per second allows the sensor to report rotation rates in degrees per second.

What does the I2C address for the MPU-6050 default to?

The default I2C address for the MPU-6050 is 0x68 (in hexadecimal).

Why is it necessary to use two 8-bit registers to store the gyroscope’s rotation data?

Each axis of rotation (x, y, z) is measured by a 16-bit value, which is split across two 8-bit registers. The data from these registers is combined to obtain the full 16-bit value for each axis.

What should you do to power the MPU-6050 gyroscope?

To power the MPU-6050, connect the 5V DC output to the VCC pin and ground to the GND pin. Additionally, connect the SDA and SCL lines to the corresponding microcontroller pins.