LPR530AL gyro readout

Using Arduino Sensors
1

Hi arduinoforum,

I'm having trouble getting a reading from the LPR530AL dual axis gyro (both 0x and 4x analogOuts)

i connected 3.3V, ground and one wire to the 4x analog output.

My arduino code:

int val;
int gyro;

void setup() {
pinMode(7, OUTPUT);
pinMode(2, INPUT);

//Serial.begin(9600);
Serial.begin(19200);
//Serial.begin(38400);
}

void loop() {
// switch off the magnet (relay switch)
val = digitalRead(2);
digitalWrite(7, val);

// read gyro
gyro = analogRead(4);
Serial.print("gyro value X: \t" + gyro);
//Serial.print(gyro);

delay(1000);
}

I'm getting gibberish on the serial monitor, which kind of freezes...
Anything i forgot? should i connect vRef to ground also or is that not necessary?
I also tried serveral baudrates, but that should not have anything to do with the gyro reading right?

Thanks!

2

Okay, found it, it's because you cannot add
the gyro readout value and a string i guess.

3

You are used to Java perhaps? Yes the print functions are very limited on a small microcontroller. I'd always advise getting one thing working at a time before moving to the next - don't put yourself in the position of having made a dozen changes and only then find your code has stopped working, test each change (or set of related changes) so that you have immediate feedback that you got it right!

4

Thanks for the tip! And yeah, i'ts javascript/actionscript :slight_smile: not much string to int / into to string stuff needed there :slight_smile:
I am now getting readouts, however, it's hovering at around ~1023 which is the max for a 10 bit ADC, but i'm not moving the gyro...
What could this be?

I'm using this guide to get to the angular rotation speed (in degrees, ultimately).

[edit]: okay, wth, to be sure i'm now also measuring Y out 4x, not just the X out 4x, and they're both 1023 exact and not changing.
What can be the cause of this?

5

Oops, never mind again, it was because i copied the Aref line from the guide thread:

analogReference(EXTERNAL); //3.3V

...but i wasn't really supplying the voltage. stupid!
i guess i should do as MarkT advises: small changes so you can spot bugs soon.

6

Okay, i finally got the reading i wanted!

Why can i get a deg/second readout higher than 300 deg/second? (highlighted in the CoolTerm program)
300 deg/second should be the max. range of my gyro?.
I am using this guide, and as i want the degrees per second,
not the degree (for adjusting geolocation or something, i did not add the code for the time difference with millis(); ).

P.S:

I was messing around for so long because i could not solder the gyro,
because i did not knew if the measuring range and sensitivity were what i was looking for.
While moving the gyro, it was sometimes disconnected from the analog output wire...
and yeah my mac crashed several times... probably not that much of a best practice :>