SmartElex LIS3DH Triple Axis Accelerometer Breakout

Overview

The module is based on the LIS3DH 3-axis accelerometer IC, a low-power MEMS digital accelerometer.

• Measures acceleration along:

  • X-axis

  • Y-axis

  • Z-axis

   

• Detects:

  • Motion

  • Tilt

  • Orientation

  • Vibration

   

It is a 3-axis motion sensing device widely used in embedded systems.

Working Principle

MEMS Capacitive Sensing

• Inside the sensor is a microscopic mechanical structure (mass + springs)

• When acceleration occurs:

  • The mass shifts slightly

  • This changes capacitance between electrodes

   

Signal Conversion

Internal ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter) converts it to digital data

Output represents acceleration in g (gravity units).

Measurement Characteristics

Acceleration Range (Selectable)

• 2g

• 4g

• 8g

• 16g

Configurable depending on application.

Resolution

• Up to 16-bit (high-resolution mode)

• Typical sensitivity:

  • ~1 mg per LSB (varies with range)

   

Output Data

• 3-axis digital values:

  • X, Y, Z acceleration

   

Electrical Characteristics

• Supply voltage: 1.71V to 3.6V

• Very low power consu'A (low-power mode)

Suitable for battery-powered and wearable devices.

Communication Interface

• I2C interface

• SPI interface (3-wire / 4-wire)

Flexible integration with microcontrollers.

Internal Features

Built-in FIFO Buffer

• Stores multiple samples

• Reduces processor load

Interrupt System

• Generates interrupts for:

  • Motion detection

  • Free-fall detection

  • Click/tap detection

   

Orientation Detection

• Detects:

  • Tilt

  • Position change

   

High-Pass / Low-Pass Filters

• Removes noise

• Improves signal quality

Low Power Modes

• Multiple operating modes:

  • Power-down

  • Low-power

  • Normal

  • High-resolution

   

Operating Behavior

Acceleration Measurement

• Measures:

  • Static acceleration (gravity tilt)

  • Dynamic acceleration (movement, vibration)

   

Tilt Detection

• Uses gravity vector (~1g)

• Determines orientation relative to Earth

Motion Detection

• Detects sudden or continuous movement

Environmental Characteristics

• Operating temperature: 40C to +85C

• Stable under varying conditions

Limitations

• Cannot measure:

  • Absolute position

   

• Drift may occur over time (especially for integration-based motio/li

• Mechanical vibration

Typical Pin Configuration

• VCC Power supply

• GND Ground

• SDA / MOSI Data

• SCL / SCK Clock

• CS Chip select (SPI mode)

• INT1 / INT2 Interrupt outputs

Functional Role

The module acts as a:

• Motion sensor

• Tilt/orientation detector

• Vibration sensor

• Inertial measurement component

Summary

The SmartElex LIS3DH Accelerometer Breakout is a compact, low-power motion sensing module that:

• Measures 3-axis acceleration (X, Y, Z)

• Provides digital output via I2C/SPI

• Supports multiple ranges (2g to 16g)

• Includes FIFO, interrupts, and filtering features

• Is optimized for motion detection and orientation sensing applications