linux-drivers/
drivers/iio/imu/inv_icm42600

TDK InvenSense ICM-426xx 6-axis motion sensors

A family of TDK InvenSense 6-axis inertial measurement units (3-axis accelerometer plus 3-axis gyroscope) connected over I2C or SPI, including the ICM-42688-P and related parts. They are widely used in robotics, drones, IoT devices, wearables, and industrial motion-sensing applications, and remain in active production.

keep conf=0.93 deploy=medium replacement=none subsystem=iio category=sensor-iio
93%

recommendation

It should stay because the hardware is current: TDK still sells the ICM-42688-P as an active SmartMotion product, Mouser still stocks it, and TDK featured it in a new reference design announced in October 2025. The kernel driver is also actively maintained, with refactoring work and new chip support (ICM-42607) landing in 2026.

repository signals

12 files
4,589 source lines
52 commits, 5y
+1,346 / −814 lines added / removed, 5y
16 authors, 5y
monthly commits · 2021-04-21 → 2026-04-21 · 52 total · active in 26/61 months
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sources

  1. lore.kernel.org

    Upstream activity is current: the driver saw a refactor patch on 2026-04-23.

  2. lore.kernel.org

    The driver is still gaining new hardware support: a 2026 patch adds support for icm42607.

  3. invensense.tdk.com

    TDK InvenSense still markets ICM-42688-P as a current SmartMotion 6-axis IMU product.

  4. mouser.com

    A mainstream distributor lists ICM-42688-P for purchase/backorder with current ordering data, indicating ongoing commercial availability.

  5. invensense.tdk.com

    TDK referenced ICM-42688-P in a new reference-design announcement published on 2025-10-13, showing continued use in new designs.

codex reasoning notes (technical)

Keep: local shell inspection of the driver shows active I2C/SPI IDs for multiple ICM-426xx parts and no in-tree successor driver covering the same devices. Lore evidence came from `lore_file_timeline` on inv_icm42600_core.c, which shows heavy recent activity and feature work, including 2026 refactoring and new chip support; an attempted `lore_regex` removal scan timed out, and the visible recent lore subjects showed maintenance/expansion rather than retirement. Web evidence came from `web.search_query`: the official TDK product page still lists ICM-42688-P, Mouser still sells it, and a 2025 TDK news page shows it in a new reference design. That combination argues against deprecation or removal and supports ongoing embedded/industrial/robotics deployments.