You're reading from Learn Robotics Programming - Second Edition

Product type Book

Published in Feb 2021

Publisher Packt

ISBN-13 9781839218804

Pages 602 pages

Edition 2nd Edition

Languages

Concepts

Robotics

Author (1):

Danny Staple

Table of Contents (25) Chapters

Preface

1. Section 1: The Basics – Preparing for Robotics

2. Chapter 1: Introduction to Robotics

3. Chapter 2: Exploring Robot Building Blocks – Code and Electronics

4. Chapter 3: Exploring the Raspberry Pi

5. Chapter 4: Preparing a Headless Raspberry Pi for a Robot

6. Chapter 5: Backing Up the Code with Git and SD Card Copies

7. Section 2: Building an Autonomous Robot – Connecting Sensors and Motors to a Raspberry Pi

8. Chapter 6: Building Robot Basics – Wheels, Power, and Wiring

9. Chapter 7: Drive and Turn – Moving Motors with Python

10. Chapter 8: Programming Distance Sensors with Python

11. Chapter 9: Programming RGB Strips in Python

12. Chapter 10: Using Python to Control Servo Motors

13. Chapter 11: Programming Encoders with Python

14. Chapter 12: IMU Programming with Python

15. Section 3: Hearing and Seeing – Giving a Robot Intelligent Sensors

16. Chapter 13: Robot Vision – Using a Pi Camera and OpenCV

17. Chapter 14: Line-Following with a Camera in Python

18. Chapter 15: Voice Communication with a Robot Using Mycroft

19. Chapter 16: Diving Deeper with the IMU

20. Chapter 17: Controlling the Robot with a Phone and Python

21. Section 4: Taking Robotics Further

22. Chapter 18: Taking Your Robot Programming Skills Further

23. Chapter 19: Planning Your Next Robot Project – Putting It All Together

24. Other Books You May Enjoy

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Working with the magnetometer

A magnetometer reads magnetic field strengths in 3D to produce a vector. Code you write can use this to find the magnetic north, in the same way as a compass. In this section, we'll look closer at the device, learn how to get a reading from it, and see what vectors it produces.

It may be useful to have a space with very few magnets present. Let's understand the magnetometer more.

Understanding the magnetometer

A compass measures a heading from the Earth's magnetic field by using a magnetized needle or disk. The following image is of a compass:

Figure 12.19 – A traditional compass

The compass shown in the preceding image has a rotating magnetized disk balanced on a center pin. This variety is a small button compass, which is about 25 mm in diameter.

Our chosen IMU contains a device known as a magnetometer. This electronically senses a magnetic field and can be used as a compass.

Most magnetometers...