Arduino: A Technical Reference

Chapter 9. Modules and I/O Components

While many of the shields available for the Arduino have a lot of interesting and useful functions already built in, they don’t have everything. Nor should they, given that there are a multitude of different types of sensors, controls, and actuator interfaces available that can be used with an Arduino. Many vendors offer single-function add-on sensor components and small PCB modules for the Arduino. These include temperature and humidity sensors, vibration detectors, photo detectors, keypads, joysticks, and even solid-state lasers.

Almost any sensor, control, or actuator device that can be used with a microcontroller can be used with an Arduino. There are some limitations in terms of DC supply voltage, depending on the type of microcontroller in the Arduino itself (3.3V versus 5V), but for the most part this is a relatively minor detail that can be resolved with simple interface electronics and an appropriate power supply.

This chapter looks at both I/O modules and individual components. I/O modules are small PCBs that perform a specific function and use only a few active components, if any at all. They are small, about the size of a postage stamp or less, and they use pins for the connections. They work well with female-to-male or female-to-female jumpers, and in some cases special multiwire cables can be used to connect modules to a shield made for just that purpose. The products from KEYES, SainSmart, and TinkerKit are featured here, primarily ...