HI!
Im using the ADXL345 accelerometer from SparkFun for a wearable experiment that im doing. Got it working fine with the basic code provided here(ADXL345 Hookup Guide - SparkFun Learn). Im able to access the individual G values for all three axis. SO far so good. What I want to do now is create an algorithm that takes those three values and returns a single number that serves as an index of how much physical activity de user is doing.
In order to do this im adding the three values m1 = xg + yg + zg at any single moment. Then I want to substract m1 - m2 (where m2 is m1 one second later) to obtain a rate of change between those two numbers. However my programming skills are limited and can't quite figure out how to do it.
Here is the code im using. I can only get m = xg + yg + zg but dont know how to store that value in the loop to compare it with the next one. Tried looking for this problem elsewhere without much luck. Maybe I'm using the wrong keywords! Please help! 
//Add the SPI library so we can communicate with the ADXL345 sensor
#include <SPI.h>
//Assign the Chip Select signal to pin 10.
int CS=10;
//This is a list of some of the registers available on the ADXL345.
//To learn more about these and the rest of the registers on the ADXL345, read the datasheet!
char POWER_CTL = 0x2D; //Power Control Register
char DATA_FORMAT = 0x31;
char DATAX0 = 0x32; //X-Axis Data 0
char DATAX1 = 0x33; //X-Axis Data 1
char DATAY0 = 0x34; //Y-Axis Data 0
char DATAY1 = 0x35; //Y-Axis Data 1
char DATAZ0 = 0x36; //Z-Axis Data 0
char DATAZ1 = 0x37; //Z-Axis Data 1
float m;
//This buffer will hold values read from the ADXL345 registers.
unsigned char values[10];
//These variables will be used to hold the x,y and z axis accelerometer values.
int x,y,z;
void setup(){
//Initiate an SPI communication instance.
SPI.begin();
//Configure the SPI connection for the ADXL345.
SPI.setDataMode(SPI_MODE3);
//Create a serial connection to display the data on the terminal.
Serial.begin(9600);
//Set up the Chip Select pin to be an output from the Arduino.
pinMode(CS, OUTPUT);
//Before communication starts, the Chip Select pin needs to be set high.
digitalWrite(CS, HIGH);
//Put the ADXL345 into +/- 4G range by writing the value 0x01 to the DATA_FORMAT register.
writeRegister(DATA_FORMAT, 0x01);
//Put the ADXL345 into Measurement Mode by writing 0x08 to the POWER_CTL register.
writeRegister(POWER_CTL, 0x08); //Measurement mode
}
void loop(){
//Reading 6 bytes of data starting at register DATAX0 will retrieve the x,y and z acceleration values from the ADXL345.
//The results of the read operation will get stored to the values[] buffer.
readRegister(DATAX0, 6, values);
//The ADXL345 gives 10-bit acceleration values, but they are stored as bytes (8-bits). To get the full value, two bytes must be combined for each axis.
//The X value is stored in values[0] and values[1].
x = ((int)values[1]<<8)|(int)values[0];
//The Y value is stored in values[2] and values[3].
y = ((int)values[3]<<8)|(int)values[2];
//The Z value is stored in values[4] and values[5].
z = ((int)values[5]<<8)|(int)values[4];
//convert the values to g forces
float xg = x * 0.0078;
float yg = y * 0.0078;
float zg = z * 0.0078;
m = xg +yg + zg;
Serial.println(m);
delay(1000);
}
//This function will write a value to a register on the ADXL345.
//Parameters:
// char registerAddress - The register to write a value to
// char value - The value to be written to the specified register.
void writeRegister(char registerAddress, char value){
//Set Chip Select pin low to signal the beginning of an SPI packet.
digitalWrite(CS, LOW);
//Transfer the register address over SPI.
SPI.transfer(registerAddress);
//Transfer the desired register value over SPI.
SPI.transfer(value);
//Set the Chip Select pin high to signal the end of an SPI packet.
digitalWrite(CS, HIGH);
}
//This function will read a certain number of registers starting from a specified address and store their values in a buffer.
//Parameters:
// char registerAddress - The register addresse to start the read sequence from.
// int numBytes - The number of registers that should be read.
// char * values - A pointer to a buffer where the results of the operation should be stored.
void readRegister(char registerAddress, int numBytes, unsigned char * values){
//Since we're performing a read operation, the most significant bit of the register address should be set.
char address = 0x80 | registerAddress;
//If we're doing a multi-byte read, bit 6 needs to be set as well.
if(numBytes > 1)address = address | 0x40;
//Set the Chip select pin low to start an SPI packet.
digitalWrite(CS, LOW);
//Transfer the starting register address that needs to be read.
SPI.transfer(address);
//Continue to read registers until we've read the number specified, storing the results to the input buffer.
for(int i=0; i<numBytes; i++){
values[i] = SPI.transfer(0x00);
}
//Set the Chips Select pin high to end the SPI packet.
digitalWrite(CS, HIGH);
}
Not sure if adding the three accelerations is the way to go. Try using a struct with x,y and z members and write a compare function that will give you some measure of how different they are (maybe a vector difference?). Also think about using an FFT on the data, that might give you more insight into what the wearer is doing (walking, running, having sex etc.)
The acceleration is a 3D vector, which has a length (or magnitude) and points in some direction. So, if you want to know about changes in acceleration you have to consider changes in both the length and the direction.
The length L = sqrt(xx + yy + z*z)
The direction cosines in x, y, and z (which give the information about where the vector is pointing) are given by
dcx = x/L
dcy = y/L
dcz = z/L
Google will tell you lots more.
Hi! Thanks for your answers. I intend to use FFT and analyze de acceleration vector in future iterations of the project. Right now im just interested in being able to integrate all of the sensors and get coherent outputs from each one.
I think i got to some results that might be useful doing this:
(As I said for now Im interested to use the accelerometer as a movement detector: If the user moves the values of the mRate parameter go up, if the user moves very little or doesn't move at all, the values are small or zero)
//Add the SPI library so we can communicate with the ADXL345 sensor
#include <SPI.h>
//Assign the Chip Select signal to pin 10.
int CS=10;
//This is a list of some of the registers available on the ADXL345.
//To learn more about these and the rest of the registers on the ADXL345, read the datasheet!
char POWER_CTL = 0x2D; //Power Control Register
char DATA_FORMAT = 0x31;
char DATAX0 = 0x32; //X-Axis Data 0
char DATAX1 = 0x33; //X-Axis Data 1
char DATAY0 = 0x34; //Y-Axis Data 0
char DATAY1 = 0x35; //Y-Axis Data 1
char DATAZ0 = 0x36; //Z-Axis Data 0
char DATAZ1 = 0x37; //Z-Axis Data 1
float m1;
float mRate;
float m2;
//This buffer will hold values read from the ADXL345 registers.
unsigned char values[10];
//These variables will be used to hold the x,y and z axis accelerometer values.
int x,y,z;
void setup(){
//Initiate an SPI communication instance.
SPI.begin();
//Configure the SPI connection for the ADXL345.
SPI.setDataMode(SPI_MODE3);
//Create a serial connection to display the data on the terminal.
Serial.begin(9600);
//Set up the Chip Select pin to be an output from the Arduino.
pinMode(CS, OUTPUT);
//Before communication starts, the Chip Select pin needs to be set high.
digitalWrite(CS, HIGH);
//Put the ADXL345 into +/- 4G range by writing the value 0x01 to the DATA_FORMAT register.
writeRegister(DATA_FORMAT, 0x01);
//Put the ADXL345 into Measurement Mode by writing 0x08 to the POWER_CTL register.
writeRegister(POWER_CTL, 0x08); //Measurement mode
}
void loop(){
//Reading 6 bytes of data starting at register DATAX0 will retrieve the x,y and z acceleration values from the ADXL345.
//The results of the read operation will get stored to the values[] buffer.
readRegister(DATAX0, 6, values);
//The ADXL345 gives 10-bit acceleration values, but they are stored as bytes (8-bits). To get the full value, two bytes must be combined for each axis.
//The X value is stored in values[0] and values[1].
x = ((int)values[1]<<8)|(int)values[0];
//The Y value is stored in values[2] and values[3].
y = ((int)values[3]<<8)|(int)values[2];
//The Z value is stored in values[4] and values[5].
z = ((int)values[5]<<8)|(int)values[4];
//convert the values to g forces
float xg = x * 0.0078;
float yg = y * 0.0078;
float zg = z * 0.0078;
m1 = xg +yg + zg;
// get the rate of change by substracting m1 to m2 and multiply that value by 10 to amplify the signal
mRate = 100 * (m1 - m2);
//there are no unsigned floats in C so we just multiply by -1 if the value is negative
if (mRate < 0){
mRate = mRate * -1;
}
Serial.println(mRate);
m2 = m1;
delay(1000);
}
//This function will write a value to a register on the ADXL345.
//Parameters:
// char registerAddress - The register to write a value to
// char value - The value to be written to the specified register.
void writeRegister(char registerAddress, char value){
//Set Chip Select pin low to signal the beginning of an SPI packet.
digitalWrite(CS, LOW);
//Transfer the register address over SPI.
SPI.transfer(registerAddress);
//Transfer the desired register value over SPI.
SPI.transfer(value);
//Set the Chip Select pin high to signal the end of an SPI packet.
digitalWrite(CS, HIGH);
}
//This function will read a certain number of registers starting from a specified address and store their values in a buffer.
//Parameters:
// char registerAddress - The register addresse to start the read sequence from.
// int numBytes - The number of registers that should be read.
// char * values - A pointer to a buffer where the results of the operation should be stored.
void readRegister(char registerAddress, int numBytes, unsigned char * values){
//Since we're performing a read operation, the most significant bit of the register address should be set.
char address = 0x80 | registerAddress;
//If we're doing a multi-byte read, bit 6 needs to be set as well.
if(numBytes > 1)address = address | 0x40;
//Set the Chip select pin low to start an SPI packet.
digitalWrite(CS, LOW);
//Transfer the starting register address that needs to be read.
SPI.transfer(address);
//Continue to read registers until we've read the number specified, storing the results to the input buffer.
for(int i=0; i<numBytes; i++){
values[i] = SPI.transfer(0x00);
}
//Set the Chips Select pin high to end the SPI packet.
digitalWrite(CS, HIGH);
}
The quantity "m1 = xg + yg + zg" has no physical significance, so it is hard to see what you might learn from changes in it.
rate of change as it implies the use of time or 2 points in time like a line slope. Adding all the values does nothing.
rate = (y2-y1)/(x2-x1)
Thanks guys I understand what you are saying about adding the values being kind of pointless. But so far I just want to use the accelerometer as contextual information for the rest of the sensors.
Thanks a lot for your input I really appreciate it!