I recently bought an MTi-670 IMU. However, it does not have the cables to connect it to the computer.
Which cables should I buy and where can I find them?
I guess I will need the CA-MTI-FLAT cable and one that converts that to USB.
Or I am obliged by the development Kit to use the sensor? That would not make that much sense to me.
Thank you in advance for your advice.
Welcome to the Digi-Key TechForum miguel.vega.
The CA-MTI-FLAT cable is the only one listed for the MTi-600 series products. The Manufacture’s Website, says it is Easy to integrate, and has this statement:
It’s lightweight and robust, as well as cost-effective and easy to integrate in your choice of two ways: either with the header facing down, directly mounted on a PCB, or as a standalone, with a flat cable for communication. The MTi-670 is part of the MTi 600-series and allows seamless integration with your application, with native CAN support.
I do not see a cable designed to connect the sensor directly to a computer, like a USB cable.
Thanks, David, for your answer.
The situation is that it seems that the only way to use the sensor is with the PCB the manufactures produced, which is the one that comes only with the complete development kit, which you can see on page 17 of the corresponding datasheet (look for MTi600-series_DK_Usermanual).
There is called UART to USB converter.
I haven’t found any similar converter in the market, nonetheless googling, I found this interesting website: Xsens Knowledge base
from Xsense, in which they say that in fact besides the Development kits, there is no additionally separated converter they sell to use the sensor.
They say they have tested and recommend the MIKROE-483, which I also found in Digikey Germany here.
However, it is not clear how I am supposed to connect the IMU sensor to that converter since the abbreviations in the datasheet of the sensor and the converter do not match either the number of ports.
Do you know how I should connect that sensor to that converter?
I believe the sensor should come with all the respective cables to be usable. Anyway, it seems I am forced to buy them separately and make some connections by myself.
Miguel.vega,
I’m sorry, but I’m not an engineer, and I’m not familiar with this device.
So I do not know how this board would have to be wired up.
You should try contacting Xsens for more information on how it was hooked up.
Please be aware that the sensor in question is is not a finished-goods consumer product, but rather a component product designed for incorporation into a larger system.
It is expected that users of the device will be familiar with common embedded interface protocols such as CAN, RS232, UART, USB, etc. and comfortable with choosing and using one of the several interface options provided, using the information in the datasheet. The pin diagram in figure 12 is a good starting point.
RS232 is more or less what was used in place of USB, before USB was invented. A UART is something like a low-voltage version of RS232, used for on-board low-speed communication between embedded devices because of its simplicity compared to USB. There are numerous online materials available that discus these topics.
Thanks a lot, Rick, for the explanation.
I think I know better what I need now.
However, I will need some time to learn about all the different protocols and do the connection properly.
I am wondering about the possibility of buying only the development board for the MTi-670 DK without the sensor itself. I haven’t found this possibility on the Digikey website, but perhaps I am not searching well.
Otherwise, the other possibility for me would be to return the sensor and buy the complete development kit, which implies more (unneeded) administrative procedures.
Do you think there is a chance to buy only the development board (with the respective cables)?
I am sorry. I am not finding anything either. It does not appear we have it.
The development board does not appear to be sold separately, since the need for one is generally understood in advance by those who are interested. One’s only looking at 4-5 connections for UART communications however, so communication via a less-costly USB-UART converter is not a terribly complex thing to figure out.
The manufacturer has links to software and documentation here which might be useful.
