missing-user / py-DWL5500XY

Inofficial Python module to use the Digipass DWL5500XY inclinometer in Python

Description

Python library and a small recording script for the Digipass DWL5500XY inclinometer, which fixes a few minor in Stormholt's implementation. For further details regarding the sensor, please read the instruction manual.

The DWL5500-XY is an inclinometer (sensor that measures the angle against gravity) with an accuracy and precision of 0.001 deg. It internally uses a high precision accelerometer and therefore uses strong filtering to get rid of the noise. Measurements therefore need some time to settle (up to 5 minutes after sharp movements. Settling time is lower for small movements).

Installation

Important

Both the libraries serial and pyserial can be imported as import serial. This module expects a pyserial installation, and will not work with the incorrect library!

git clone https://github.com/missing-user/py-DWL5500XY.git
pip install DWL5500XY

Quickstart

1. Place the sensor according to one of the graphics below. Dual axis angle measurement is only available when oriented as in Figure 32
2. Let the sensor warm up and settle in for 15 minutes after connecting it to power to get the full measurement accuracy.
3. Run python inclinometer_gui.py from your terminal to open the recording tool.
4. It will ask you for the serial port your device is connected to. Type it into the terminal and press enter.

Usage

1. Open the serial connection. On Windows you can find the port by opening Windows Key > Device Manager > COM Devices and identifying the COM port that appears when plugging in the USB to serial converter of your sensor. On Linux, you can list connected serial devices using ls /sys/class/tty/ttyUSB*. Replace the port name in the code by the one you identified.

import os
import DWL5500XY
sc = DWL5500XY.Sensor(True) # The argument controls Logging level
if os.name == 'nt':
  sc.open_connection("COM5") # Windows style serial port
else:
  sc.open_connection('/dev/ttyUSB0') # Linux style serial port

2. Initialize the sensor and set the location you are operating in (county codes can be found starting on page 60 of the instruction manual). The location dependent gravitational acceleration constant g is internally used for filtering.

sc.initialize_sensor()
sc.set_location_code(0x17, 0x0E) # Germany, Munich
sc.set_mode(sc.LOCATION_MODE) # Call after setting the location code

3. Switch the sensor into the correct measurement mode. It supports dual axis angle measurement (in degrees) (default), single axis angle measurement (in degrees), vibration measurement (in multiples of g).

sc.set_mode(sc.DUAL_MODE)
# sc.set_mode(sc.SINGLE_MODE)
# sc.set_mode(sc.VIBRO_MODE)

4. Periodically read data from the sensor.

sc.read_response() # Blocking function, sensor returns measurements at a rate of 10Hz 

Re-Calibration

Connect to the sensor as usual, then call sc.calibration() and follow the instructions from the terminal.

Caution

Calling the calibration function will overwrite the factory settings!

If you have purchased a new DWL5500XY sensor, i suggest to NOT PERFORM A NEW CALIBRATION! The sensor should be calibrated at the factory, and will most probably be better than what you can achieve, unless you really know what you're doing. You have been warned.