Using the IMU

While most modules snap in and out of the Device, the inertial measurement unit (IMU), which measures orientation and acceleration, is built into the Device itself to ensure that it sits at the center of mass of the Device. The IMU on the Device is a 9-axis IMU, meaning that it has an accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer, allowing for accurate measurement of orientation.

1. In order to access the IMU data, go to the Device screen shown in image I, and select the purple icon in the bottom right corner. This will take you to the IMU data pages.

2. The first page, shown in image II, shows the orientation of the Device in 3D space. Lines show the orientation graphically, and the raw x, y, z, and w values (the data is being processed as quaternion data, hence the 4 axes) are shown below the graph.

3. Swipe right across the screen to see the next IMU page. The second page shows the acceleration data in each direction of the Device, as shown in image III. Contrary to orientation, acceleration is measured in standard 3-dimensional euclidean space, so the raw values are shown only in x, y, and z axes.

4. Swipe again to see the third IMU screen, shown in image IV. This screen allows you to turn the IMU on or off to preserve battery power - this is the equivalent of plugging in or unplugging any other module. When the IMU is off, you will not see data on the first or second IMU screens - but turning it on again will bring the data back.