Working with low-cost sensors - the hardware issue

Connecting the INMP441 to the ESP32 is easy enough, as is installing the required Arduino packages and running a trial sketch. My biggest challenge has been figuring out whether the irregular readings (in my case 0,0,0 then 1,1,1 then -1,-1,-1) were caused by the wiring, the sketch, or the hardware itself.

A common issue with low-cost sensors is the likelihood of faults, and no matter how often you confirm that power is correctly connected to 3.3V, that the pins are properly wired, or that you’ve adjusted the sample rate, the problem can persist. Still, there’s value in that repetition: it helps build a deeper understanding of how hardware properties, wiring connections, sketches, and sampling rates interact.

My takeaway is that next time, I’ll have at least two sensor options available, because there’s always a chance one won’t be functional. My next step is to rerun the INMP441 with a different module, test the HKD MAX9814, and further explore the pros and cons of digital versus analog sound outputs.