Arduino MEAG 2560 with BMA020

loby · May 6, 2021, 3:49pm

Hello, I know that there is a search to get infos about this, but I get no answer about my question. I have connected a BMA020 to my Arduino Mega 2560:

But SCL is 21 and SDA is 20 on the MEGA and I connected not to D12, I connected to 5V.

With the sketch

#include <Wire.h>

#define ACCELEROMETER 0x38 

#define X_OUT1	   0x02 
#define X_OUT2	   0x03
#define Y_OUT1	   0x04 
#define Y_OUT2	   0x05
#define Z_OUT1	   0x06 
#define Z_OUT2	   0x07


void setup() {
    Wire.begin();
    Serial.begin(9600);
}


void loop() {
    Serial.print("X: ");
    Serial.print((unsigned int)accRead(X_OUT1), BIN);
    Serial.print ("      ");
    Serial.print((unsigned int)accRead(X_OUT2), BIN);
    Serial.println();  
    Serial.print("Y: ");
    Serial.print((unsigned int)accRead(Y_OUT1), BIN);
    Serial.print ("      ");
    Serial.print((unsigned int)accRead(Y_OUT2), BIN);
    Serial.println();  
    Serial.print("Z: ");
    Serial.print((unsigned int)accRead(Z_OUT1), BIN);
    Serial.print ("      ");
    Serial.print((unsigned int)accRead(Z_OUT2), BIN); 
    Serial.println();
    delay(100);
}

byte accRead(byte address){
    byte val = 0x00;
    Wire.beginTransmission(ACCELEROMETER);
    Wire.write(address);
    Wire.endTransmission();
    Wire.requestFrom(ACCELEROMETER, 1);
    
	  val = Wire.read();
    
    Wire.endTransmission();
    return val;
}

I got this code from an other topic here. The BMA020 do something, but I think it is not right. The output from the sketch is this:

Y: 1      11111000
Z: 1000001      110110
X: 1000001      111
Y: 1000001      11111000
Z: 1000001      110110
X: 1000001      111
Y: 10000001      11111000
Z: 1      110110
X: 10000001      111
Y: 10000001      11111000
Z: 1      110110
X: 10000001      111
Y: 1000001      11111000
Z: 1000001      110110
X: 10000001      111
Y: 1000001      11111000
Z: 1000001      110110
X: 10000001      111
Y: 1000001      11111000
Z: 1000001      110110
X: 10000001      111
Y: 1      11111000
Z: 1      110110
X: 10000001      111
Y: 1000001      11111000
Z: 1      110110
X: 1000001      111
Y: 1000001      11111000
Z: 1      110110
X: 10000001      111
Y: 10000001      11111000
Z: 1      110110
X: 1000001      111
Y: 1000001      11111000

Could it be right? If I move the senor, it look like there is no change in the output.

Is there someone to help me?

I have a WMP+ and I have already testet it with my MEGA. So I want to test the BMA020 how it works and then I want to combine both sensors. So if someone have a example (connection and sketch) for this, I will be very happy.

There are so many info about both sensors and arduino, but in consumption of the MultiWii boards. I don´t want to use this boards.

Regards,
loby

dc42 · January 14, 2012, 10:33pm

I'm not very familiar with the Wire library, however from the documentation, I can't see any reason for the second "Wire.endTransmission();" call in function accRead(). What happens if you remove it?
The data sheet says you can read all 6 registers in one go. If you request 6 bytes starting at address 0x02, what data do you get back?

loby · January 15, 2012, 11:26am

Hi dc42,
ok I changed it in this way:

#include <Wire.h>

#define ACCELEROMETER 0x38 

#define X_OUT1	   0x02

void setup() {
    Wire.begin();
    Serial.begin(9600);
}


void loop() {
    Serial.print("All: ");
    Serial.println((unsigned int)accRead(X_OUT1), BIN);
    delay(100);
}

byte accRead(byte address){
    byte val = 0x00;
    Wire.beginTransmission(ACCELEROMETER);
    Wire.write(address);
    Wire.endTransmission();
    Wire.requestFrom(ACCELEROMETER, 6);
    
	  val = Wire.read();
    
    Wire.endTransmission();
    return val;
}

and the result is this

All: 1
All: 1000001
All: 1000001
All: 10000001
All: 1000001
All: 10000001
All: 10000001
All: 10000001
All: 1000001
All: 10000001
All: 11000001
All: 1000001
All: 10000001
All: 1000001
All: 1
All: 11000001
All: 10000001
All: 1
All: 10000001
All: 10000001
All: 1000001
All: 1000001
All: 1000001
All: 10000001
All: 1000001
All: 1000001
All: 1000001
All: 10000001
All: 1000001
All: 1000001
All: 1000001
All: 1000001
All: 1000001
All: 1000001
All: 10000001
All: 11000001
All: 1000001
All: 1000001
All: 10000001
All: 10000001
All: 1000001
All: 1000001
All: 1000001
All: 1000001
All: 10000001
All: 10000001

My problem ist that it seem to get connected to the sensor and there is something to read form it. I have to say that in this period which shows the result above, I didn’t move the sensor. For me it is confusing that the values change so much although I do not move this thing.

Is it right, that I could say there is a connection to the sensor or it is possible that I get values from what ever?

Regards,
loby

system · January 15, 2012, 4:35pm

But SCL is 21 and SDA is 20 on the MEGA and I connected not to D12, I connected to 5V.

What does this mean? Show how you have actually connected the thing to the Arduino - a decent photo would probably be best.

dc42 · January 15, 2012, 5:14pm

I still think you should try removing the second call to Wire.endTransmission().

loby · January 15, 2012, 5:19pm

Hi PaulS,

I have problems to add a picture here, so I try this:
This is how I connect the BMA020 to the Arduino MEAG 2560:

BMA020 PINs Arduino
UIN / Pullup / CSB to 5 Volt
ENABLE
INT
GND

SCK to SCL (21)
SDI to SDA (20)
SDO / GND to GND

My last tests today give me the opinion that I get values form the sensor and they change if I move it, but I think they are confuse.
Here my last sketch for that:

#include <Wire.h>

#define ACCELEROMETER 0x38 

#define X_OUT1	   0x02 
#define X_OUT2	   0x03
#define Y_OUT1	   0x04 
#define Y_OUT2	   0x05
#define Z_OUT1	   0x06 
#define Z_OUT2	   0x07


void setup() {
    Wire.begin();
    Serial.begin(9600);
}


void loop() {
    Serial.print("X: ");
    Serial.print((unsigned int)accRead(X_OUT1));
    Serial.print ("      ");
    Serial.print((unsigned int)accRead(X_OUT2));
    Serial.println();  
    Serial.print("Y: ");
    Serial.print((unsigned int)accRead(Y_OUT1));
    Serial.print ("      ");
    Serial.print((unsigned int)accRead(Y_OUT2));
    Serial.println();  
    Serial.print("Z: ");
    Serial.print((unsigned int)accRead(Z_OUT1));
    Serial.print ("      ");
    Serial.print((unsigned int)accRead(Z_OUT2)); 
    Serial.println();
    delay(200);
}

byte accRead(byte address){
    byte val = 0x00;
    Wire.beginTransmission(ACCELEROMETER);
    Wire.write(address);
    Wire.endTransmission();
    Wire.requestFrom(ACCELEROMETER, 6);
    
	  val = Wire.read();
    
    Wire.endTransmission();
    return val;
}

Now I get this result:

X: 1      8
Y: 65      247
Z: 193      53
X: 193      7
Y: 129      247
Z: 1      54
X: 1      8
Y: 1      247
Z: 65      54
X: 1      8
Y: 65      247
Z: 193      53
X: 65      8
Y: 1      247
Z: 1      54
X: 193      7
Y: 129      247
Z: 193      53
X: 193      7
Y: 65      247
Z: 193      53
X: 193      7
Y: 65      247
Z: 1      54
X: 1      8
Y: 65      247
Z: 1      54
X: 1      8
Y: 129      247
Z: 1      54
X: 193      7
Y: 65      247
Z: 193      53
X: 1      8
Y: 65      247
Z: 129      54
X: 1      8
Y: 65      247
Z: 193      53
X: 1      8
Y: 65      247
Z: 193      53
X: 1      8
Y: 1      247
Z: 65      54

My problem is that the values are umping in my eyes because in the time of this values I didn’t move the sensor. And at last I am not able to interpret the values. The datasheet give me no idea about this because my understanding is to low.

Thank you
Regards,
loby

loby · January 15, 2012, 5:34pm

@dc42: I delete the second Wire.endTransmission(). The output looks like this now:

X: 65      6
Y: 193      249
Z: 1      55
X: 129      6
Y: 129      249
Z: 65      55
X: 129      6
Y: 1      250
Z: 1      55
X: 129      6
Y: 193      249
Z: 1      55
X: 193      6
Y: 1      250
Z: 193      54
X: 193      6
Y: 65      250
Z: 1      55
X: 193      6
Y: 65      250
Z: 1      55
X: 129      6
Y: 193      249
Z: 1      55
X: 193      6
Y: 193      249
Z: 1      55
X: 129      6
Y: 193      249
Z: 129      55
X: 129      6
Y: 1      250
Z: 1      55

I think not much difference.

@PaulS: Here a link to a video of my wiring:

http://youtu.be/vmuExqRfz6Q

dc42 · January 15, 2012, 6:25pm

OK, to see if you are getting sensible values you need to interpret the values according to the data sheet meinemullemaus.de. Try this:

#include <Wire.h>

#define ACCELEROMETER 0x38 

#define X_OUT1	   0x02 
#define X_OUT2	   0x03
#define Y_OUT1	   0x04 
#define Y_OUT2	   0x05
#define Z_OUT1	   0x06 
#define Z_OUT2	   0x07

int x_acc = 0, y_acc = 0, z_acc = 0;

void setup() {
    Wire.begin();
    Serial.begin(9600);
}

int convert(uint8_t loByte, uint8_t hiByte)
{
   int temp = (int)(signed char)hiByte;
   return (int)(((unsigned int)temp << 2) | ((unsigned int)loByte >> 6));
}

void accRead(){
    uint8_t regs[6];
    Wire.beginTransmission(ACCELEROMETER);
    Wire.write(X_OUT1);
    Wire.endTransmission();
    Wire.requestFrom(ACCELEROMETER, 6);
    for (uint8_t i = 0; i < 6; ++i)
    {
       regs[i] = Wire.read();
    }
    x_acc = convert(regs[0], regs[1]);
    y_acc = convert(regs[2], regs[3]);
    z_acc = convert(regs[4], regs[5]);
}

Then in loop() print out the values of x_acc, y_acc and z_acc.

loby · January 15, 2012, 7:10pm

Hi dc42,

here is the result

X: 27
Y: -30
Z: 218
X: 29
Y: -31
Z: 217
X: 28
Y: -30
Z: 215
X: 26
Y: -30
Z: 219
X: 26
Y: -29
Z: 218
X: 31
Y: -33
Z: 217
X: 28
Y: -30
Z: 215
X: 26
Y: -30
Z: 216
X: 25
Y: -31
Z: 217
X: 28
Y: -32
Z: 218
X: 26
Y: -31
Z: 216
X: 27
Y: -30
Z: 219
X: 27
Y: -32
Z: 216
X: 26
Y: -32
Z: 217
X: 26
Y: -31
Z: 219
X: 26
Y: -34

It look much better. I saw X and Y changing by turning the sensor. Only the Z value is not conclusive for me. I the example I don#t move the sensor. Have I calibrate the sensor at the start? What do you think?

Regards, loby

loby · January 15, 2012, 7:15pm

Ok, Z is the turn in the plateau of the BMA020. I think it could not give values like X and Z. But what shows Z. Is this a difference?
Sorry, I am sure the answer is in the datasheet, but I have problems to understand.

Thank you
Regards,
loby

dc42 · January 15, 2012, 7:16pm

The Z reading may be caused by gravity. What happens if you turn the sensor upside down, or on one side?

loby · January 16, 2012, 6:33pm

ok, up side down I get roughly -230, normal position 230, so the same but in negative. If I turn it to one side I get roughly 0. Ok, I get value to deal with, but I think they are strange. To work with them is ok, I could calibrate the software to this, but I there is a possibility to understand it will be great.

loby · January 16, 2012, 7:11pm

now I found an artikel about this sensor and there is the info about the Z. It is the normal gravity that cause this value. I am actually not abel to interpret the 230 but I will search for that.

dc42 · January 16, 2012, 9:31pm

loby: now I found an artikel about this sensor and there is the info about the Z. It is the normal gravity that cause this value. I am actually not abel to interpret the 230 but I will search for that.

Gravity and acceleration are indistinguishable according to Einstein. The datasheet for that sensor at http://www.meinemullemaus.de/mindstorms/BMA020.pdf says that with the default settings, the sensitivity is between 166 and 346 per 1g in the z-axis. So that Z-axis reading is well within the specification.

The datasheet also says that the offsets in the readings may be up to +/- 0.22g. So the x and y axis readings you are getting at zero acceleration are also within tolerance. Of course, if the sensor is tilted, the x and y axes will sense gravity as well.

loby · January 17, 2012, 10:55am

Hi dc42,

thank you very much! Now I understand it. Sorry, but the datasheet is to difficult to read for me. I always tried to find all new information I got in this datasheet, but I loose. Ok, so I could handle this values in my project. Again, thank you.

Regards, loby

system · May 6, 2021, 9:57am