RoadTest: Freescale Xtrinsic Accelerometer Cube Demo
Author: Jencen
Creation date:
Evaluation Type: Evaluation Boards
Did you receive all parts the manufacturer stated would be included in the package?: True
What other parts do you consider comparable to this product?:
What were the biggest problems encountered?: Accessibility on the board is poor and getting datasheets is a PITA.
Detailed Review:
The Freescale Mbed accelerometer cube demo is precisely what it says.
It's a nice demo package though don't get me wrong.
It arrived to me in what looks like an old CD case. The big thick chunky multi CD ones.
Upon opening I found 2 anti static bags and a few leaflets on a nice little ring binder affair.
Top marks for presentation.
One bag held the cube and one the battery.
The leaflets briefly explain the functions of the cube a link for more info and a bit of advertising for Freescale.
There are no data sheets or schematics othe box though the schematics are easily found on the site.... The datasheet for the Mbed however isn't. That you have to scour the site for the Chip itself rather than the cube.
The cube itself is about 1 inch each axis. Though most of that is for the included battery and holder.
The board itself is FULL of all manner of fun things.
There's a RGB LED with controllers, a voltage regulator for the Mbed chip and a voltage doubler for the LEDs.
Finally there's a 6 way unpopulated header for programming.
Actually finally there's a switch. This is nice slide switch to cut power fully to the board.
Upon flicking that switch the board powers up, flashes a nice lightshow and then settles into it's main mode.
The LEDs flash based on which axis it is sensing I.E. which way up it is. And if it's sensing movement or not. Slow blink for steady, no movement and fast blink for moving.
It also has a couple of other pre-programmed functions.
On shaking rapidly it activates it's high G filter and shows a steady green.
It also has a low G drop sensor and in free fall it will show a red LED..... Possibly showing it's impending doom on the floor below..
The unpopulated headers 'supposedly' allow access to solder on a set of header pins to allow for reprogramming....
To do this however you have to desolder the battery AND remove the double sided adhesive foam pad sticking the 2 together.
If supplying a board for demo purposes and expecting people to reprogram it I'd have spent an extra few pence to solder on a header too.
I don't think there's any way to get the chip to output anything else other than the LED. Unless buried in the spec sheet is a hidden set of pins. Or it can be told to output on it's programming pins.
Overall it's a nice little demo kit. It shows what the accellerometer chip can do.
I'd improve the availability of the specsheets though. having to search the website from a non relevant link in the brochure is a bit off putting.
