The SparkFun LSM303C Breakout is a compact 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DOF) inertial measurement unit combining a 3-axis accelerometer and 3-axis magnetometer in a single IC. Designed as an eCompass, it's ideal for orientation sensing, motion detection, and magnetic field measurement.

The board communicates via I2C or SPI and breaks out all 10 pins including power, data, and interrupt outputs. The accelerometer scale is selectable (±2g/±4g/±8g) and the magnetometer provides ±16 gauss full-scale range, with 16-bit data output for precise measurements.

Key Features

• 6DOF Sensing – 3-axis accelerometer + 3-axis magnetometer in one IC
• Configurable Accelerometer – ±2g, ±4g, or ±8g selectable full scale
• ±16 Gauss Magnetometer – Full-scale magnetic field sensing
• 16-Bit Output – High-resolution data from both sensors
• I2C & SPI – Dual communication interface support
• Programmable Interrupts – Free-fall, motion, and magnetic field detection
• Embedded Temperature Sensor – On-chip temperature reading
• FIFO Buffer – Built-in data buffering for efficient processing
• Low-Power Modes – Power-down and low-power options for battery operation

Specifications

• IC – STMicroelectronics LSM303C
• Supply Voltage – 1.9–3.6V (do not exceed ~4.8V)
• Interfaces – I2C, SPI
• Breakout Pins – 10 plated through-hole connections

Ideal For

• Electronic compass (eCompass) applications
• Motion and orientation detection
• Free-fall and impact sensing
• Robotics and drone navigation

Package Contents

• 1× SparkFun LSM303C 6DOF Breakout Board

Resources

• LSM303C Hookup Guide
• LSM303C Datasheet (PDF)
• Schematic (PDF)
• Eagle Design Files (ZIP)
• Arduino Library (GitHub)
• Hardware Design Files (GitHub)