diff --git a/mpu6050/mpu6050.py b/mpu6050/mpu6050.py
index 8257f72..8ab8b58 100644
--- a/mpu6050/mpu6050.py
+++ b/mpu6050/mpu6050.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 """
 
 import smbus
+import time
 
 class mpu6050:
 
@@ -58,6 +59,12 @@ def __init__(self, address, bus=1):
         self.bus = smbus.SMBus(bus)
         # Wake up the MPU-6050 since it starts in sleep mode
         self.bus.write_byte_data(self.address, self.PWR_MGMT_1, 0x00)
+        # Software Calibration to zero-mean.
+        # must run self.zero_mean_calibration() on level ground to properly calibrate.
+        self.use_calibrated_values = False
+        self.mean_calibrations = [0,0,0,0,0,0]
+        # if return_gravity == FALSE, then m/s^2 are returned
+        self.return_gravity = False
 
     # I2C communication methods
 
@@ -159,6 +166,12 @@ def get_accel_data(self, g = False):
         y = y / accel_scale_modifier
         z = z / accel_scale_modifier
 
+        if self.use_calibrated_values:
+            # zero-mean the data
+            x -= self.mean_calibrations[0]
+            y -= self.mean_calibrations[1]
+            z -= self.mean_calibrations[2]
+
         if g is True:
             return {'x': x, 'y': y, 'z': z}
         elif g is False:
@@ -231,16 +244,68 @@ def get_gyro_data(self):
         y = y / gyro_scale_modifier
         z = z / gyro_scale_modifier
 
+        if self.use_calibrated_values:
+            # zero mean the data. (Gyro scope seems to need calibration more than Accel)
+            x -= self.mean_calibrations[3]
+            y -= self.mean_calibrations[4]
+            z -= self.mean_calibrations[5]
+
         return {'x': x, 'y': y, 'z': z}
 
     def get_all_data(self):
         """Reads and returns all the available data."""
         temp = self.get_temp()
-        accel = self.get_accel_data()
+        accel = self.get_accel_data(g=self.return_gravity)
         gyro = self.get_gyro_data()
 
         return [accel, gyro, temp]
 
+    def set_calibrated_flag(self,value=True):
+        '''
+        Set to TRUE to used the calculated zero-mean calibration, FALSE
+        to use the default values. Is initialized to FALSE
+        :param value: boolean
+        '''
+        self.use_calibrated_values = value
+
+    def zero_mean_calibration(self):
+        print ("** Calibrating the IMU **")
+        print ("** Place on level ground. re-run is not level at start **")
+        # number of samples to collect. 200 == approx 5 seconds worth.
+        N = 200
+        # initialize the accumulators to 0
+        ax,ay,az,gx,gy,gz = [0]*6
+
+        for i in range(N):
+            # calibrate based on gravity, not m/s^2
+            accel = self.get_accel_data(g=True)
+            gyro  = self.get_gyro_data()
+            if (i % 25 == 0):
+                print ('.', end= '', flush=True)
+            ax += accel['x']
+            ay += accel['y']
+            az += accel['z']
+            gx += gyro['x']
+            gy += gyro['y']
+            gz += gyro['z']
+            # wait 10ms for next sample
+            time.sleep(10 / 1000.)
+        # calculate the mean of each reading.
+        ax /= float(N)
+        ay /= float(N)
+        az /= float(N)
+        gx /= float(N)
+        gy /= float(N)
+        gz /= float(N)
+        # compensate for 1g of gravity on 'z' axis.
+        az -= 1
+        # save the calibrations
+        self.mean_calibrations = [ax,ay,az,gx,gy,gz]
+        print ("\n** Calibration Complete **")
+
+        print ('** offsets: ',end='')
+        print(''.join('{:02.4f}  '.format(n) for n in self.mean_calibrations))
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     mpu = mpu6050(0x68)
     print(mpu.get_temp())