9-DOF Absolute Orientation IMU Fusion Breakout

9-DOF Absolute Orientation IMU Fusion Breakout: a Bosch revolution

Although the sensor with 9 degrees of freedom is a great invention, its user has to create the most complex algorithms to successfully merge all of the data relating to speed, rotation, inclination, etc. before being able to accurately track orientation in a 3D environment. This is no longer a problem thanks to this BNO055 component created by Bosch, which integrates the 3 sensors found traditionally in an inertial measurement unit – a gyroscope, magnetometer and accelerometer – as well as a processor capable of performing all the necessary calculations instantly!

An Arduino-compatible Adafruit IMU for all your 3D applications

Technically speaking, the data provided by all these sensors pass through the “centrifuge”, in other words the ARM Cortex-M0 processor, to convert them into information that can be used immediately in the form of quaternions, Euler angles, etc. Data flows are managed by an I2C connection at a frequency of between 1 and 100 Hz, depending on the sensor.

Technical specifications of the Adafruit IMU Fusion Breakout

Available data:

• Absolute orientation (Euler vector, 100 Hz): 3-axis orientation data based on a 360° sphere
• Absolute orientation (quaternion, 100 Hz): for a more accurate representation of 3D motion
• Angular velocity (100 Hz): 3 axes, expressed in rad/s
• Acceleration (100 Hz): 3 axes (gravity + linear motion), expressed in m/s²
• Magnetic field strength (20 Hz): 3 axes, expressed in micro Tesla (uT)
• Linear acceleration (100 Hz): 3 axes (acceleration minus gravity), expressed in m/s²
• Gravity (100 Hz): 3 axes, expressed in m/s²
• Ambient temperature (1 Hz): expressed in degrees Celsius
• 3.3V regulator
• Logic level shifting
• I2C pins
• 1 x 32.768 KHz crystal oscillator
• Dimensions: 20 x 27 x 4 mm
• Mounting hole dimensions: 20 mm diameter, 12 mm apart
• I2C addresses: 0x28 (default) or 0x29
• Weight: 3 g
• Delivered assembled and tested

Resources for the BNO055 IMU

We have grouped everything together in a single link here, including a data sheet, EAGLE files, an Arduino and Python code library, so that you can get immediately started with your 9-DOF Absolute Orientation IMU Fusion Breakout!

• Full tutorial