BMI160 6-Axis IMU Module — Accelerometer and Gyroscope (I2C/SPI)
The BMI160 is a compact 6-axis inertial measurement unit combining a 3-axis accelerometer and 3-axis gyroscope in a single chip. It measures acceleration up to +/-16g and angular rate up to +/-2000 degrees per second, outputs over I2C or SPI, and draws as little as 950 microamps in full operation — making it suitable for battery-powered wearables and drones. An onboard step counter and motion detection interrupt reduce the need for continuous MCU polling.
- 3-axis accelerometer — +/-2g to +/-16g, selectable range
- 3-axis gyroscope — +/-125 to +/-2000 deg/s, selectable range
- I2C and SPI interface — configurable via the PS pin
- 950 microamp typical current — suitable for battery applications
- Onboard step counter and motion interrupt
- 3.3V supply — direct ESP32 connection
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Sensor IC | BMI160 (Bosch) |
| Accel range | +/-2g, +/-4g, +/-8g, +/-16g |
| Gyro range | +/-125 to +/-2000 deg/s |
| Interface | I2C (0x68/0x69) or SPI |
| Supply voltage | 3.3V (1.71V–3.6V) |
| Current (full op) | 950 microamps |
How does the BMI160 compare to the MPU-6050?
The BMI160 draws roughly half the current of the MPU-6050 (950uA vs 3.9mA) and operates at 3.3V without an onboard regulator — better for battery-powered designs. The MPU-6050 includes a DMP (digital motion processor) and is better supported by ready-made Arduino libraries. For new designs prioritising low power, the BMI160 is the stronger choice; for breadboard prototyping with ready-made code examples, the MPU-6050 has the larger ecosystem.
Best for
Drone flight stabilisation, wearable step counting, gesture recognition, RC vehicle IMU, tilt-compensated compasses, robotics orientation sensing, and battery-powered motion logging applications.
Why Kunkune
Shipped from UK stock. 60-day returns, no minimum order. Fast Royal Mail delivery.
For the largest library ecosystem and built-in DMP quaternion output, the MPU-6050 is the most widely supported IMU in the Arduino community.
Buying in bulk? For orders of 10+ units, contact us for trade pricing.
