Discover endless creativity with the Universal Maker Sensor Kit, designed for use with Raspberry Pi, Pico W, Arduino, and ESP32. This versatile kit offers compatibility across popular development platforms, including Arduino Uno R4 Minima/WiFi, Uno R3, Mega 2560, Raspberry Pi 5, 4, 3B+, 3B, Zero, Pico W, and ESP32.
Featuring over 35 sensors, actuators, and displays, it's perfect for projects ranging from environmental monitoring and smart home automation to robotics and interactive gaming. Step-by-step tutorials in C/C++, Python, and MicroPython guide beginners and experienced makers alike through 169 exciting projects.
Features
Wide Compatibility: Fully supports Arduino (Uno R3, Uno R4 Minima/WiFi, Mega 2560), Raspberry Pi (5, 4, 3B+, 3B, Zero, Pico W), and ESP32, enabling extensive flexibility across numerous development platforms. Includes instructions for building 169 projects.
Comprehensive Components: Features more than 35 sensors, actuators, and display modules suitable for diverse projects such as environmental monitoring, smart home automation, robotics, and interactive game controllers.
Detailed Tutorials: Provides clear, step-by-step tutorials covering Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Pico W, ESP32, and each included component. Tutorials are available in C/C++, Python, and MicroPython, catering effectively to both beginners and experienced makers.
Suitable for All Skill Levels: Offers structured projects designed to guide users seamlessly from beginner to advanced proficiency in electronics and programming, enhancing creativity and technical expertise.
Included
Breadboard
Button Module
Capacitive Soil Moisture Module
Flame Sensor Module
Gas/Smoke Sensor Module (MQ2)
Gyroscope & Accelerometer Module (MPU6050)
Hall Sensor Module
Infrared Speed Sensor Module
IR Obstacle Avoidance Sensor Module
Joystick Module
PCF8591 ADC DAC Converter Module
Photoresistor Module
PIR Motion Module (HC-SR501)
Potentiometer Module
Pulse Oximeter and Heart Rate Sensor Module (MAX30102)
Raindrop Detection Module
Real Time Clock Module (DS1302)
Rotary Encoder Module
Temperature Sensor Module (DS18B20)
Temperature and Humidity Sensor Module (DHT11)
Temperature, Humidity & Pressure Sensor (BMP280)
Time of Flight Micro-LIDAR Distance Sensor (VL53L0X)
Touch Sensor Module
Ultrasonic Sensor Module (HC-SR04)
Vibration Sensor Module (SW-420)
Water Level Sensor Module
I²C LCD 1602
OLED Display Module (SSD1306)
RGB LED Module
Traffic Light Module
5 V Relay Module
Centrifugal Pump
L9110 Motor Driver Module
Passive Buzzer Module
Servo Motor (SG90)
TT Motor
ESP8266 Module
JDY-31 Bluetooth Module
Power Supply Module
Documentation
Online Tutorial
Cool Projects for Test, Measurement, and Control
The Raspberry Pi has dominated the maker scene for many years. Freely accessible I/O pins have made it one of the most popular processor boards of all time. However, the classic Raspberry Pi has no analog inputs. Direct measurement of analog values is therefore not possible. Consequently, photodiodes, NTCs, Hall sensors, etc. cannot be read directly. In addition, the pins are connected directly to the exposed contacts, i.e. without a driver or protection circuit. This can quickly destroy the central controller and thus the entire Raspberry Pi.
These problems can be elegantly solved with the Pico. As a front-end, it can easily handle a wide range of measurement tasks. In addition, the Pico is much cheaper than a classic Raspberry Pi 4 or 5. If a faulty circuit leads to the destruction of the Pico, this is relatively easy to handle. This makes the combination of a classic Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 and the Pico an ideal pair.
The book introduces the broad and highly topical field of modern controller technology using the combined force of a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 and a Raspberry Pi Pico. In addition to a detailed introduction to the operation and functionality of the controller boards themselves, the book also focuses on data acquisition and processing with digital processors. Especially the combination of both systems offers a wide range of interesting possibilities.
Some practical projects from the contents:
USB between Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 and Pico
I²C Communication and Pico as an I²C device
Voltmeter and Computer Thermometer
Pico W as a Web Server and WLAN Scanner
Frequency Meters and Generators
OLED Displays on Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 and Pico
Energy Saving Monitor
Which Astronauts are in Orbit?
Mini Monitor for Current Bitcoin Exchange Rate
World’s Most Popular ROS Platform TurtleBot is the most popular open source robot for education and research. The new generation TurtleBot3 is a small, low cost, fully programmable, ROS based mobile robot. It is intended to be used for education, research, hobby and product prototyping. Affordable Cost TurtleBot was developed to meet the cost-conscious needs of schools, laboratories and companies. TurtleBot3 is the most affordable robot among the SLAM-able mobile robots equipped with a 360° Laser Distance Sensor LDS-01. ROS Standard The TurtleBot brand is managed by Open Robotics, which develops and maintains ROS. Nowadays, ROS has become the go-to platform for all the roboticists around the world. TurtleBot can be integrated with existing ROS-based robot components, but TurtleBot3 can be an affordable platform for whom want to get started learning ROS. Extensibility TurtleBot3 encourages users to customize its mechanical structure with some alternative options: open source embedded board (as a control board), computer and sensors. TurtleBot3 Waffle Pi is a two-wheeled differential drive type platform but it is able to be structurally and mechanically customized in many ways: Cars, Bikes, Trailers and so on. Extend your ideas beyond imagination with various SBC, sensors and motors on a scalable structure. Modular Actuator for Mobile Robot TurtleBot3 is able to get a precise spatial data by using 2 DYNAMIXEL’s in the wheel joints. DYNAMIXEL XM series can be operated by one of 6 operating modes (XL series: 4 operating modes): Velocity control mode for wheels, Torque control mode or Position control mode for joint, etc. DYNAMIXEL can be used even to make a mobile manipulator which is light but can be precisely controlled with velocity, torque and position control. DYNAMIXEL is a core component that makes TurtleBot3 perfect. It is easy to assemble, maintain, replace and reconfigure. Open Control Board for ROS The control board is open-sourced in hardware wise and in software wise for ROS communication. The open source control board OpenCR1.0 is powerful enough to control not only DYNAMIXEL’s but also ROBOTIS sensors that are frequently being used for basic recognition tasks in cost effective way. Various sensors such as Touch sensor, Infrared sensor, Color sensor and a handful more are available. The OpenCR1.0 has an IMU sensor inside the board so that it can enhance precise control for countless applications. The board has 3.3 V, 5 V, 12 V power supplies to reinforce the available computer device lineups. Open Source The hardware, firmware and software of TurtleBot3 are open source which means that users are welcomed to download, modify and share source codes. All components of TurtleBot3 are manufactured with injection molded plastic to achieve low cost, however, the 3D CAD data is also available for 3D printing. Specifications Maximum translational velocity 0.26 m/s Maximum rotational velocity 1.82 rad/s (104.27 deg/s) Maximum payload 30 kg Size (L x W x H) 281 x 306 x 141 mm Weight (+ SBC + Battery + Sensors) 1.8 kg Threshold of climbing 10 mm or lower Expected operating time 2h Expected charging time 2h 30m SBC (Single Board Computers) Raspberry Pi 4 (2 GB RAM) MCU 32-bit ARM Cortex-M7 with FPU (216 MHz, 462 DMIPS) Remote Controller RC-100B + BT-410 Set (Bluetooth 4, BLE) Actuator XL430-W210 LDS (Laser Distance Sensor) 360 Laser Distance Sensor LDS-01 or LDS-02
Camera Raspberry Pi Camera Module v2.1 IMU Gyroscope 3 AxisAccelerometer 3 Axis Power connectors 3.3 V/800 mA5 V/4 A12 V/1 A Expansion pins GPIO 18 pinsArduino 32 pin Peripheral 3x UART, 1x CAN, 1x SPI, 1x I²C, 5x ADC, 4x 5-pin OLLO DYNAMIXEL ports 3x RS485, 3x TTL Audio Several programmable beep sequences Programmable LEDs 4x User LED Status LEDs 1x Board status LED1x Arduino LED1x Power LED Buttons and Switches 2x Push buttons, 1x Reset button, 2x Dip switch Battery Lithium polymer 11.1 V 1800 mAh / 19.98 Wh 5C PC connection USB Firmware upgrade via USB / via JTAG Power adapter (SMPS) Input: 100-240 VAC 50/60 Hz, 1.5 A @maxOutput: 12 VDC, 5 A Downloads ROS Robot Programming GitHub E-Manual Community
For a limited time, the Joy-Pi Advanced is available in a great-value bundle with a Raspberry Pi 4 (8 GB)!
The Joy-Pi Advanced is a compact and powerful device that allows you to realize your projects quickly and easily. Whether you already have a lot of experience, or next to none, the Joy-Pi Advanced lets you unleash your creativity. Thanks to its compatibility with a wide range of platforms, including Raspberry Pi, Raspberry Pi Pico, Arduino Nano, BBC micro:bit, and NodeMCU ESP32, you can easily and quickly access your preferred platform.
In addition, the Joy-Pi Advanced features more than 30 stations, lessons, and modules, giving you an unlimited variety of ways to get your projects done. With the self-developed learning center, you can not only improve your skills but also create new projects. The learning center offers a wealth of information and tutorials that will guide you step by step through your projects.
Joy-Pi Advanced is characterized in particular by its intelligent switch units, which allow an extended use of the available pins. A total of three switch units are integrated, each equipped with 12 individual switches that provide precise control of the connected sensors and modules. This system solves the well-known problem of limited pin count that occurs with conventional microcontrollers. The switch units allow you to operate a large number of sensors and modules in parallel by switching them on and off individually. This simulates multiple pin assignment, allowing you to exploit the full power of your projects without compromising functionality.
By combining innovative adapter boards and the micro:bit slot, you can achieve seamless compatibility with a wide range of microcontrollers such as Raspberry Pi Pico, NodeMCU ESP32, micro:mit and Arduino Nano. The specially developed adapter boards are designed to perfectly match the respective microcontroller. By plugging the microcontroller onto the appropriate adapter board and then plugging it into the micro:bit slot, the Joy-Pi Advanced quickly and easily becomes compatible with the different microcontrollers. This allows seamless integration of your preferred platform and the ability to combine the strengths of the different microcontrollers in your projects. This way, you can fully focus on your creative projects without worrying about the compatibility of different microcontrollers. The Joy-Pi Advanced simplifies the development process and gives you the possibility to design your projects flexibly and individually.
Features
Highly integrated development platform & learning center
Fast, easy & wireless combination of various sensors & actuators
Installation option for Raspberry Pi 4
Compatible with various microcontrollers
Self-developed, didactic learning platform for Raspberry Pi & Windows
Specifications
Compatible to
Raspberry Pi 4, Arduino Nano, NodeMCU ESP32, BBC micro:bit, Raspberry Pi Pico
Installed sensors, actuators & components
39
Learning platform
Over 40 entries in the know-ledge database, 10 projects, 10 learning tasks, 14 visions
Displays
7-segment display, 16x2 display, 1.8“ TFT display, 0.96" OLED display, 8x8 RGB matrix
Sensors
DS18B20, shock sensor, hall sensor, barometer, sound sensor, gyroscope, PIR sensor, Light barrier, NTC, Light sensor, 6x touch sensor, color sensor, ultrasonic distance sensor, DHT11 temperature & humidity sensor
Control
Joystick, 5x switches, potentiometer, rotary encoder, 4x4 button matrix, relays, PWM fan
Motors
Servo interface, Stepper motor interface, Vibration motor
Measuring & conversion modules
Analog-Digital Converter, Level converter, voltmeter, Variable voltage supply
Other components
RTC real time clock, buzzer, EEPROM memory, infrared receiver, breadboard, RFID reader
Adapter boards
Adapter for NodeMCU ESP32, Arduino Nano & Raspberry Pi Pico, Board connectors for Raspberry Pi & External Boards
Electronic components
Infrared remote control, RFID chip, RFID card, 6x alligator clips, microSD card reader, servo motor, stepper motor, 32 GB microSD card
Components
40x resistors, 3x green LEDs, 3x yellow LEDs, 3x red LEDs, 1x transistor, 5x buttons, 1x potentiometer, 2x capacitors
Other accessories
Screw assortment, screwdriver, accessory storage bag, power supply & power cable, servo mount
Power supply
Built-in power supply: 36 W, 12 V, 3 A Case connector: Small device plug C8
Voltage outputs
12 V, 5 V, 3.3 V, Variable voltage output (2-11 V)
Data buses & signal outputs
I²C, SPI, Analog to digital converter
Battery (RTC)
CR2032
Dimensions
327 x 200 x 52 mm
Included
Raspberry Pi 4 (8 GB RAM)
Downloads
Joy-Pi website
Datasheet
Manual
The Raspberry Pi 4 B is 3x faster than its 3 B+ predecessor and offers 4x faster multimedia performance (comparable to the desktop performance of an entry-level x86-based PC).
Features
High-performance 64-bit quad-core processor
Dual-display support at resolutions up to 4K via a pair of micro-HDMI ports
Hardware video decode at up to 4Kp60
Up to 8 GB of RAM
Dual-band 2.4/5 GHz wireless LAN
Bluetooth 5.0
Gigabit Ethernet
USB 3.0
PoE capability (via a separate PoE HAT add-on)
Specifications
SoC
Broadcom BCM2711
CPU
64-bit ARM Cortex-A72 (4x 1.5 GHz)
GPU
Broadcom VideoCore VI
RAM
Up to 8 GB LPDDR4
Wireless LAN
2.4 GHz and 5 GHz IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ac wireless LAN
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.0, BLE
Ethernet
Gigabit Ethernet
USB
2x USB-A 3.02x USB-A 2.0
GPIO
Standard 40-pin GPIO header (fully backwards-compatible with previous boards)
Video
2x micro-HDMI ports (up to 4Kp60 supported)2-lane MIPI DSI port (display)2-lane MIPI CSI port (camera)
Audio
4-pole stereo audio and composite video port
Multimedia
H.265 (4Kp60 decode)H.264 (1080p60 decode, 1080p30 encode)OpenGL ES, 3.0 graphics
SD card
microSD (for operating system and storage)
Power
5 V | 3 A (via USB-C)5 V | 3 A (via GPIO)Power over Ethernet (PoE) enabled – (requires separate PoE HAT)
Raspberry Pi 4 B
1 GB RAM
2 GB RAM
8 GB RAM
The Raspberry Pi 4 B is 3x faster than its 3 B+ predecessor and offers 4x faster multimedia performance (comparable to the desktop performance of an entry-level x86-based PC).
Features
High-performance 64-bit quad-core processor
Dual-display support at resolutions up to 4K via a pair of micro-HDMI ports
Hardware video decode at up to 4Kp60
Up to 8 GB of RAM
Dual-band 2.4/5 GHz wireless LAN
Bluetooth 5.0
Gigabit Ethernet
USB 3.0
PoE capability (via a separate PoE HAT add-on)
Specifications
SoC
Broadcom BCM2711
CPU
64-bit ARM Cortex-A72 (4x 1.5 GHz)
GPU
Broadcom VideoCore VI
RAM
Up to 8 GB LPDDR4
Wireless LAN
2.4 GHz and 5 GHz IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ac wireless LAN
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.0, BLE
Ethernet
Gigabit Ethernet
USB
2x USB-A 3.02x USB-A 2.0
GPIO
Standard 40-pin GPIO header (fully backwards-compatible with previous boards)
Video
2x micro-HDMI ports (up to 4Kp60 supported)2-lane MIPI DSI port (display)2-lane MIPI CSI port (camera)
Audio
4-pole stereo audio and composite video port
Multimedia
H.265 (4Kp60 decode)H.264 (1080p60 decode, 1080p30 encode)OpenGL ES, 3.0 graphics
SD card
microSD (for operating system and storage)
Power
5 V | 3 A (via USB-C)5 V | 3 A (via GPIO)Power over Ethernet (PoE) enabled – (requires separate PoE HAT)
Raspberry Pi 4 B
1 GB RAM
4 GB RAM
8 GB RAM
The Raspberry Pi 4 B is 3x faster than its 3 B+ predecessor and offers 4x faster multimedia performance (comparable to the desktop performance of an entry-level x86-based PC).
Features
High-performance 64-bit quad-core processor
Dual-display support at resolutions up to 4K via a pair of micro-HDMI ports
Hardware video decode at up to 4Kp60
Up to 8 GB of RAM
Dual-band 2.4/5 GHz wireless LAN
Bluetooth 5.0
Gigabit Ethernet
USB 3.0
PoE capability (via a separate PoE HAT add-on)
Specifications
SoC
Broadcom BCM2711
CPU
64-bit ARM Cortex-A72 (4x 1.5 GHz)
GPU
Broadcom VideoCore VI
RAM
Up to 8 GB LPDDR4
Wireless LAN
2.4 GHz and 5 GHz IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ac wireless LAN
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.0, BLE
Ethernet
Gigabit Ethernet
USB
2x USB-A 3.02x USB-A 2.0
GPIO
Standard 40-pin GPIO header (fully backwards-compatible with previous boards)
Video
2x micro-HDMI ports (up to 4Kp60 supported)2-lane MIPI DSI port (display)2-lane MIPI CSI port (camera)
Audio
4-pole stereo audio and composite video port
Multimedia
H.265 (4Kp60 decode)H.264 (1080p60 decode, 1080p30 encode)OpenGL ES, 3.0 graphics
SD card
microSD (for operating system and storage)
Power
5 V | 3 A (via USB-C)5 V | 3 A (via GPIO)Power over Ethernet (PoE) enabled – (requires separate PoE HAT)
Raspberry Pi 4 B
2 GB RAM
4 GB RAM
8 GB RAM
The Raspberry Pi PoE+ HAT is an add-on board designed for Raspberry Pi 3 B+ and Raspberry Pi 4 equipped with PoE pins. It powers the Raspberry Pi through an Ethernet cable, provided that compatible Power-Sourcing Equipment (PSE) is present on the Ethernet network. Additionally, the HAT includes an integrated fan to cool the Raspberry Pi processor.
Specifications
Standard
IEEE 802.3at-2003 PoE
Input voltage
37-57 V DC, Class 4 device
Output voltage
5 V DC/4 A
Cooling
25 x 25 mm brushless fan delivering 2.2 CFM for processor cooling
Operating temperature
0°C to +50°C
Downloads
Datasheet
The Raspberry Pi USB-C power supply is designed specifically to power the Raspberry Pi 4.
The power supply features a USB-C cable and is available in four different models to suit different international power sockets, and in two colors.
Specifications
Output
Output voltage
+5.1 V DC
Minimum load current
0 A
Nominal load current
3.0 A
Maximum power
15.3 W
Load regulation
±5%
Line regulation
±2%
Ripple & noise
120 mVp-p
Rise time
100 ms maximum to regulation limits for DC outputs
Turn-on delay
3000 ms maximum at nominal input AC voltage and full load
Protection
Short circuit protectionOvercurrent protectionOver temperature protection
Efficiency
81% minimum (output current from 100%, 75%, 50%, 25%)72% minimum at 10% load
Output cable
1.5 m 18AWG
Output connector
USB-C
Input
Voltage range
100-240 V AC (rated)96-264 V AC (operating)
Frequency
50/60 Hz ±3 Hz
Current
0.5 A maximum
Power consumption (no load)
0.075 W maximum
Inrush current
No damage shall occur, and the input fuse shall not blow
Operating ambient temperature
0-40°C
,
by Udo Bormann
Is the Pironman 5 the Best Raspberry Pi 5 Case for Cooling and Performance? A Detailed Review
The Raspberry Pi 5 is a powerhouse in a tiny package, but as with any performance-driven board, cooling and expandability are key factors in unlocking its...