Why can't we have instant grade data with zero lag?

If you have an iPhone, open the measure app, and choose level. See how quickly it responds to changes in angle.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iphbd435673d/ios#:~:text=Open%20Measure.,slope%20of%20the%20first%20object.

It does this by using its onboard gyroscope to measure the angle the device is at.

Since the 1040, 540 and 840 all have a gyroscope (unlike earlier devices), why don't they use this for the gradient calculation instead of the indirect and archaic method of measuring elevation using air pressure, vs distance?

The gyroscope appears to be available in ConnectIQ these days, maybe someone brighter than me could see if its usable in a data field for the X40 series?

https://developer.garmin.com/connect-iq/api-docs/Toybox/SensorLogging/SensorLogger.html

getStats2(sensor as Lang.Symbol or Null) as SensorLogging.SensorLoggingStats or { :accelerometer as SensorLogging.SensorLoggingStats, :gyroscope as SensorLogging.SensorLoggingStats, :magnetometer as SensorLogging.SensorLoggingStats }

While the spam appeal for my post with links is processed, heres a post without links

We should be able to have instant grade with zero lag. iPhone can do instant level calculations using its gyroscope, open the measure app and choose level and you'll see what i mean.

It does this using its onboard gyroscope

Unlike previous devices the Garmin 1040/540/840 series now all have gyroscopes, so why can't they be used like on the iPhone for instant grade calculation?

The ConnectIQ API appears to support gyroscopes under 

Class: Toybox.SensorLogging.SensorLogger

getStats2(sensor as Lang.Symbol or Null) as SensorLogging.SensorLoggingStats or { :accelerometer as SensorLogging.SensorLoggingStats, :gyroscope as SensorLogging.SensorLoggingStats, :magnetometer as SensorLogging.SensorLoggingStats }

Maybe someone with ConnectIQ skills could try creating a Grade data field using the gyroscope?

The gyroscope can tell you the inclination of the device... not of the slope you're on. Just rotate the device holder on the handlebars and the inclination will change.

I can imagine the number of support issues a process like that could generate. btw I never rotate it during a ride, but I can imagine the number of times the holder becomes loose and move a little, it happened to me multiple times, multiply that for thousands of users...

Workarounds I've tried so far

1. Winfield - Great field for other things but the gradient just matches the garmin gradient

2. Sensible Grade - Still no good even on the fast setting.  All over the place 

3. Climb Gauge - As with Winfield, great field but just matches the garmin gradient

I can't find any meaningful workarounds  

I still believe this is a hardware issue and garmin knows it, and it's why they refuse to fix it because it would mean a re-call.  They have clearly changed the hardware from the 1030 which worked fine    

If you live in an area like I do (Yorkshire Dales) where there are sharp inclines and declines the device is fundamentally useless as a gradient measure   

Maybe if you live in an area where the inclines are long and steady then this will not really show itself as acutely, but even in Mallorca this year and last year it wasn't accurate

There's a fundamental flaw with the device.  If it was s/w they'd have fixed it.  I've been on the beta program for a while in the hope that it would get resolved.  I'm currently on 17.23 and it's still no good

Those defending Garmin's position on this amaze me, surely everyone wants the product to both work and get better.  I'd also hope that Garmin as a company would feel the same

This is correct.  Why Garmin chooses not to use the accelerometer within the Edge units to give instantaneous gradient is beyond confounding.  I wanted accurate, instantaneous gradient so badly that I ended up spending the $300+ on a Aeropod sensor to simply get that data.  The Velocomp Aeropod actually uses a multi-axis accel to display gradient real time (you can stand there and tilt your bike, and it updates to show you the gradient).  This can be read into the data files using the ConnectIQ app associated with it.  

Garmin could EASILY do the same thing in their Edge units and make gradient accelerometer based, rather than barometric pressure sensor based.  If they can do the calculations with wrist units to know the difference between a bench press, pull up, and squat during a strength training exercise, then using the Edge accelerometers to determine gradient accurately while riding should be very, very simple!

If the unit is firmly mounted to your handlebars, the inclination of the device is the 'average gradient' across the wheelbase of you bike-so that's the average of the slope you're currently riding over, with the 'average distance' being about 1000mm (the general length of the wheelbase of road bikes.  I'm fine with this accuracy.

If you want a device to show it can be done, go get a Velocomp Aeropod (or PowerPod +) and just use it to read in the gradient (they port it as 'slope').

I have one and confirm it works, and works well-as it should.  Garmin could easily do the same thing by using the data from their included accelerometers / gyroscope but alas, they still choose to use the average of barometric pressure readings between two points-which yields laggy and inaccurate instantaneous gradient data.

I'm trying to convince Velocomp's owner to simply strip out the accelerometer portion of his Aeropod and make it available as a less expensive 'slope' sensor to port over the data to any ANT+ device.  

Hi, that's interesting. Does the PowerPod do an automatic calibration using the barometer as others are suggesting?