Support for contemporary IMUs?

[Adrian]

Is there an updated list of IMUs supported by PyPilot?

The IMUs listed here (ICM-20948, MPU-9250, MPU-9255) are all out of production, and I'm struggling with the quality of ICM-20948 breakouts we're sourcing from China. And even if the module passes basic functional tests, the chips by now are probably factory floor sweepings if not fake, so very questionable whether the IMU readings match original specifications.

[PaddyB]

Never had a problem with icm 20948 from here.
https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/icm20...3993960531

Lots stuff I get from from aliexpress but important bits are from more reliable sources. Still doesn't cost much. Think afafruit do them as well? Still seem plenty around even if they are being phased out.

[Adrian]

ICM-20948 is end-of-life, and the part is no longer available from western distributors. It is only a question of time until these modules will also no longer be available from Pimoroni et al.

So my question still is: Are there any newer IMUs that are supported by Pypilot?

[PaddyB]

ICM-20948 is end-of-life, and the part is no longer available from western distributors. It is only a question of time until these modules will also no longer be available from Pimoroni et al.

So my question still is: Are there any newer IMUs that are supported by Pypilot?

Sorry for the distraction 

& Thnx, must remember to buy another spare or 2 :thumb:

[Jean-Marc Douroux]

Are you referring to the modules or the chips?
Regarding the ICM20948 chip manufactured by TDK, there is no indication from this Western manufacturer of its end-of-life status.

https://product.tdk.com/en/search/sensor...=ICM-20948

Don't wait until the last minute if you want chips, because this is a very high-quality IMU that's in high demand from many major manufacturers because it's the most energy-efficient.

However, while this chip can be powered by 3.3V, it has a 1.8V I2C bus with a separate power pin for this interface, which does not support 3.3V.
Unfortunately, there are ICM20948 modules on the market that are incompatible with the I2C bus of the PI (3.3V) and Arduino (5V) without this being clearly indicated by the sellers.

You need to verify that the ICM20948 module you intend to purchase has a 1.8V regulator for powering the I2C port, as well as components to adapt the ICM20948's 1.8V I2C bus to a 3.3V I2C bus on a Raspberry Pi or a 5V I2C bus on an Arduino.

I integrate the TDK ICM20948 chip directly onto the PCB of Navitop computers and I have no availability problems by ordering this chip in advance.

[PaddyB]

Regarding the ICM20948 chip manufactured by TDK, there is no indication from this Western manufacturer of its end-of-life status.

Have a look here >

https://mm.digikey.com/Volume0/opasdata/...000570.pdf

Something to do with the wafer used in the chip no longer being made istr.

Edit - looks like it
https://mm.digikey.com/Volume0/opasdata/...000570.pdf

Adrians question is a valid concern

[Adrian]

Are you referring to the modules or the chips?
Regarding the ICM20948 chip manufactured by TDK, there is no indication from this Western manufacturer of its end-of-life status.

https://product.tdk.com/en/search/sensor...=ICM-20948

Don't wait until the last minute if you want chips, because this is a very high-quality IMU that's in high demand from many major manufacturers because it's the most energy-efficient.

However, while this chip can be powered by 3.3V, it has a 1.8V I2C bus with a separate power pin for this interface, which does not support 3.3V.
Unfortunately, there are ICM20948 modules on the market that are incompatible with the I2C bus of the PI (3.3V) and Arduino (5V) without this being clearly indicated by the sellers.

You need to verify that the ICM20948 module you intend to purchase has a 1.8V regulator for powering the I2C port, as well as components to adapt the ICM20948's 1.8V I2C bus to a 3.3V I2C bus on a Raspberry Pi or a 5V I2C bus on an Arduino.

I integrate the TDK ICM20948 chip directly onto the PCB of Navitop computers and I have no availability problems by ordering this chip in advance.

I wasn't aware that VDDIO is only 1.8V. That might explain some of the issues I've been seeing with the modules. 

TDK's website is a mess. The page you've linked says NRND though. And this page says EOL:
invensense.tdk.com/en-us/products/9-axis/icm-20948

I was considering directly integrating the IMU into the MacArthur HAT, or have our own module built by a CM. But prices for the ICM20948 on LCSC seem to be creeping up, and I don't want to spend the integration work and then have the chip disappear within a year.

I dug a bit into Pypilot, and it looks like it relies on RTIMU as hardware abstraction layer. From what I can find on Github, that project seems to be dormant, with no support for new sensors added for the past decade or so. One reason may be, that 9-axis IMUs are getting rare, so a new design may have to be composed of a 6-axis accelerometer/gyro and a separate magnetometer.

[Jean-Marc Douroux]

With current GPS systems, fewer and fewer electronic devices need a compass, and many manufacturers are primarily focused on reducing power consumption.

If current conflicts are degrading the performance of GPS systems, this trend may reverse.

[PaddyB]

With current GPS systems, fewer and fewer electronic devices need a compass, and many manufacturers are primarily focused on reducing power consumption.

If current conflicts are degrading the performance of GPS systems, this trend may reverse.

Though the 6dof market is colossal, mobiles use them for screen rotation, step counting etc etc. Massive. Phones, tablets, game controllers, drones, wearables... Billions of dollars. Looks like the 9dof icm20948 will be available somewhere for a while yet, think I should  grab another spare or 2 to keep  pypilot going for the foreseeable future.