MPU-6050 3-Axis Accelerometer and Gyro Sensor

The MPU-6050 is a super popular motion-tracking sensor that combines a 3-axis gyroscope and a 3-axis accelerometer in a single chip. It’s widely used in DIY electronics, robotics, drones, and mobile devices to detect motion, orientation, and acceleration.

Feature Details

Gyroscope Measures angular velocity (rotation) in X, Y, Z axis

Accelerometer Measures acceleration (tilt, motion, gravity) in X, Y, Z axes

Interface I²C (Inter-Integrated Circuit)

Power Supply 3.3V or 5V depending on breakout board

Onboard DMP Digital Motion Processor – can do sensor fusion for orientation (e.g., pitch, roll, yaw)

Common Uses

• Gesture detection
• Self-balancing robots
• Drones/quadcopters
• Fitness trackers
• VR headsets
• Gaming controllers

Here’s how to connect it to an Arduino Uno:

PinVCC 5V or 3.3V

GND GND

SDA A4 (on Uno)

SCL A5 (on Uno)

Arduino Code (Basic)

Using the Wire.h library and optionally the MPU6050 or I2Cdev library:

#include <Wire.h>
#include <MPU6050.h>

MPU6050 mpu;

void setup() {
  Wire.begin();
  Serial.begin(9600);
  mpu.initialize();

  if (mpu.testConnection()) {
    Serial.println("MPU6050 connected");
  } else {
    Serial.println("MPU6050 connection failed");
  }
}

void loop() {
  int16_t ax, ay, az;
  int16_t gx, gy, gz;

  mpu.getMotion6(&ax, &ay, &az, &gx, &gy, &gz);

  Serial.print("Accel: ");
  Serial.print(ax); Serial.print(" ");
  Serial.print(ay); Serial.print(" ");
  Serial.print(az); Serial.print(" | Gyro: ");
  Serial.print(gx); Serial.print(" ");
  Serial.print(gy); Serial.print(" ");
  Serial.println(gz);

  delay(500);
}