This wasn’t the planned next step in this project, but I noticed that performance isn’t as good as I would like it to be. It seems that, in the end, everything will have to be rewritten in C. MicroPython is just a toy and the fastest solution for some hobby projects.
The next step is to understand what the sensor values represent in the real world. I always find it best to comprehend something when I can see it. Therefore, the next step is to visualize each of the data points (Ax, Ay, Az, Gx, Gy, Gz) received from the sensor in real-time. Python is not the ideal tool for real-time (RT) projects, but I hope it will be sufficient for something this simple.
I have had some of these electronic components for a long time, but I never got around to trying them. I want to create an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) without any particular need. There are probably already ready-made, simple, and better solutions, so this is just for fun. The sensor is the InvenSense MPU-6050 Six-Axis Gyro + Accelerometer. This sensor is not recommended for use in new projects as it has been replaced by a newer generation. The chip also includes a Digital Motion Processor™ (DMP™), which I do not wish to use, even though I am confident the result would be better.
I can’t understand how they came up with the idea of using an 8-bit DAC. The poor-quality DAC becomes even more unusable due to the presence of the pull-up resistor.
Remove the resistor, and you will have another DAC with the same functionality.
It’s time to forget about Arduino Pro Mini and move on to something 32-bit. Wemos S2 Mini ESP32 Development Board with a price of 1.00 EUR looks promising.
And let’s see if MicroPython is usable for prototyping.