Input Device #

Intro #

In this page, I will document the process of using the MPU-6050 6-DoF Accel and Gyro sensor, and connect it to Touchdesigner to get the data visualized.

Basic info #

Specs:

• Main Chip: MPU-6050
• Power supply: 3~5V
• Communication mode: standard IIC communication protocol
• Chip built-in 16bit AD converter, 16bit data output
• Gyroscopes range: +/- 250 500 1000 2000 degree/sec
• Acceleration range: ±2 ±4 ±8 ±16g

Connection

Hardware #

I designed and fabricated a new board for adding this sensor. Unfortunately the board broke in half when I was adding rivets.

After another board milling session and carefully adding rivets, I finally get the board done. Next I will definitely use the SMD pin sockets as they do not need such process, even it’s a little bit harder to solder.

Library #

I tried different libraries for the sensor, including the Adafruit_MPU6050 library and MPU6050_light. I chose the latter one because it has a detailed documentation which goes through all the calculation process. Also it has the zeroing function for yaw angle calculation.

• MPU6050_light Github repository
• MPU6050_light Documentation

Arduino programming #

I changed a little to get a serial output that was easier to read for the touchdesigner.

/* Get tilt angles on X and Y, and rotation angle on Z
 * Angles are given in degrees
 * 
 * License: MIT
 */

#include "Wire.h"
#include <MPU6050_light.h>

MPU6050 mpu(Wire);
unsigned long timer = 0;

void setup() {
  //Disabled all the unnecessary serial output due to the

  Serial.begin(9600);
  Wire.begin();
  
  byte status = mpu.begin();
  //Serial.print(F("MPU6050 status: "));
  //Serial.println(status);
  while(status!=0){ } // stop everything if could not connect to MPU6050
  
  //Serial.println(F("Calculating offsets, do not move MPU6050"));
  delay(1000);
  // mpu.upsideDownMounting = true; // uncomment this line if the MPU6050 is mounted upside-down
  mpu.calcOffsets(); // gyro and accelero
  //Serial.println("Done!\n");
}

void loop() {
  mpu.update();
  
  if((millis()-timer)>10){ // print data every 10ms

  Serial.print(mpu.getAngleX());Serial.print(",");
  Serial.print(mpu.getAngleY());Serial.print(",");
  Serial.print(mpu.getAngleZ());Serial.println();

  // Old outputs
	// Serial.print("X : ");
	// Serial.print(mpu.getAngleX());
	// Serial.print("\tY : ");
	// Serial.print(mpu.getAngleY());
	// Serial.print("\tZ : ");
	// Serial.println(mpu.getAngleZ());
	timer = millis();  
  }
}

Touchdesigner #

Results #

Changes on all three directions (Pitch, yaw and roll) are detected. Pitch and yaw angles are precise, roll angle have a slight offset which resulted in an increasing error as time goes on. A good zeroing process can limit this error to less than 1° in a few minutes, which I think is well enough for my use case.

Shout out to the guy who write the MPU-6050_light library. This made using the sensor so much easier and more accurate. I’m happy for the results that I have so far.

For further use on this sensor, you can refer to the Shape of time II project that I did for the Embodied Interaciton course.