Whether or not you’re utilizing a Raspberry Pi, Pico, Arduino or ESP32, there may be all the time a terrific choice of add ons and equipment on your favourite board. If you’d like to have the ability to connect sensors, motors, switches and lights to your microcontroller with minimal trouble, take into account getting parts that join by way of the Stemma QT (aka Qwiic or QW / ST) or Grove requirements.
In case your microcontroller / SBC has a connector for certainly one of these two requirements, you should utilize a 4-pin cable to connect with add-ons, with no soldering or tweaking required. And in case your board doesn’t assist certainly one of these connections out of the field, an add-on / HAT is out there to offer the connectivity.
What Are Stemma QT, Qwiic and Grove?
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Stemma QT is from Adafruit and it shrinks its Stemma interface, used on boards such because the PyPortal, to be used with smaller boards or when a number of connections are wanted. Stemma QT, is for I2C parts which use 4 pins for communication. StemmaQT is thought by one other couple of names: Qwiic by SparkFun and Qw/ST from Pimoroni. Boards from every vary are suitable with one another.
Grove connections are a 4 pin connection favored by Seeed Studio. The connections will be digital, analog, PWM, or I2C.
Connector Comparability
| Machine | Connector | Voltage / Logic | Protocols |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stemma | JST PH 3 / 4 Pin 2.0mm pin pitch | 3-5V DC | 4 Pin I2C, 3 Pin Analog / Digital / PWM |
| Stemma QT | JST SH 4 pin 1.0mm pin pitch | 3-5V DC | I2C |
| Qwiic | JST SH 4 pin 1.0mm pin pitch | 3V DC | I2C |
| Qw/ST | JST SH 4 pin 1.0mm pin pitch | 3V DC | I2C |
| Grove | Proprietary 4 pin 2.0mm pin pitch, Appropriate with Stemma I2C solely | 3-5V DC | 4 Pin I2C / Analog / Digital / PWM |
However which of those parts are the very best? The parts that may open up a world of cool initiatives and spark inventive concepts? That will help you select, we’ve listed the very best Stemma QT and Grove parts that we’ve utilized in initiatives.
Finest Stemma QT / Qwiic Parts
$13 will not be some huge cash for a sensor of this high quality. The MPU6050 can measure acceleration focus, detect which orientation it’s in (utilizing the Earth’s gravity) and provides us a temperature studying, all from one tiny board.
The board is nothing with out software program and Adafruit has actually stepped as much as the plate. CircuitPython assist is powerful, but easy. Dropping the right library file onto our Feather RP2040 and operating a fast check script and we had the acceleration forces and positional knowledge in only a few seconds.
The MPU6050 is made for initiatives that require steadiness or exact data of the forces appearing towards it. The small dimension and ease of use actually promote this board for a large number of initiatives. Assume robotics, comparable to steadiness bots and rocketry the place even a number of levels out of the norm can imply failure. While you want the sort of knowledge, that is the board to succeed in for.
The NeoKey brings 4 further keys to any mission. The Stemma QT connector means we will simply join the keys to many microcontrollers and use them to simulate keypresses in lots of working methods.
Designed to work with many various kinds of mechanical key switches, NeoKey makes use of a friction match to carry the change in place, meaning we will simply swap switches primarily based on our choice. On the highest facet of the PCB are NeoPixels (WS2812) for every key, able to gentle up your keypresses.
The great thing about this board is the simplicity. No soldering, simple to construct and, due to CircuitPython, it’s simple so as to add your individual private shortcut keys on your setup.
RGB LEDs are the sweet that makers love and the head of the expertise are NeoPixels however they don’t seem to be the one scrumptious beads of sunshine Adafruit’s IS31FL3741 RGB Matrix has a collection of RGB LEDs managed from a single chip, the IS31FL3741.
The 13 x 9 LED matrix has stunning, saturated colours that leap from the board. The additional Stemma QT connector means we will join one other suitable gadget after which use the LED matrix as a visible means to output the information. Join a temperature sensor and set the LEDs to show totally different shades of blue because the room will get colder.
Utilizing this board isn’t as simple as NeoPixels or DotStar however the CircuitPython library provides a straightforward to make use of means to make the LEDs any coloration that you just want, and to scroll textual content throughout the matrix.
Interest temperature sensors run the total spectrum of worth and reliability. You should purchase low cost and doubt the values, or spend huge and get dependable knowledge. However what if we might compromise and get the very best of each worlds? Properly the HTU31D is simply that.
The HTU31D has nice accuracy, so long as we preserve contained in the temperature vary. Ought to we stray exterior the vary, then issues turn into somewhat unreliable however 70 levels Celsius is lots for many hobbyists. The onboard heater signifies that condensation will be eradicated, simply issue that into your readings.
The supporting CiruitPython library makes extremely quick work of utilizing the board. The library abstracts away the complexities and returns the information with minimal fuss. If this sensor have been accessible in a water-proof package deal, then it might dethrone the DS18B20 as our favourite temperature sensor.
Capacitive enter is throughout us. Our smartphones, tablets, microwave ovens all have it, so why can’t our Raspberry Pi or Arduino? Properly, you’ll be able to! The MPR121 breakout board provides 12 capacitive contact inputs. Of the 2 board fashions we will have both header pin breakouts, or croc / alligator clips. Regardless of your selection, all it is advisable do is join the board to a variety of conductive objects (foil, metals, fruit) after which use them as inputs.
The supporting CircuitPython library is exceptionally simple to make use of, making the method so simple as doable. No, severely you should have a fruit piano inside a couple of minutes! The MPR121 is a enjoyable board, it shortly engages learners and it may be expanded upon to create a severe enter for
Finest Grove Parts
Getting began with Grove connectors is straightforward, however this package makes it even simpler. Coming as a pre-connected PCB, Seeed’s Grove Newbie Package affords us large scope for invention. The Grove parts are already related to the central Arduino Uno suitable due to some intelligent traces. This implies we don’t want to interrupt the parts from the sprue to get began. Once I examined it for our Seeed Studio Grove Newbie Package assessment, we discovered that programming the Arduino Uno suitable is straightforward, due to numerous software program libraries and useful documentation.
The parts will be damaged freed from the sprue and utilized in customized initiatives. Raspberry Pi customers can benefit from the parts with a HAT for his or her board.
If you happen to’re simply beginning your Grove obsession, then that is the package to purchase. There’s an Arduino model, additionally made by Seeed. That package brings an actual Arduino Uno and a Grove breakout. However the sensors are precisely the identical. Save your money and purchase this as a substitute.
Natural Mild Emitting Diode (OLED) screens provide excessive distinction, monochrome textual content and primary photos on a tiny display screen. This 0.96 inch display screen might not be the most important display screen, however we will simply use it to show knowledge. If you wish to present the temperature, gentle ranges or distance from a sensor, then this display screen is the one.
By way of the Grove connector, this show makes use of the I2C communication protocol to ship knowledge out of your chosen microcontroller (or single board pc). I2C could also be somewhat trickier to make use of that normal digital IO pins, however the useful software program libraries will summary the complexities.
Ultrasonic sensors, such because the HC-SR04 collection, are commonplace on the planet of robotics, and for good cause. These sensors are low cost, simple to make use of and pretty dependable.
An ultrasonic sensor with a Grove connector is the best means to introduce this sensor to a brand new learner. The sensor will settle for 3V and 5V logic ranges, which means it may be used with the Raspberry Pi and Arduino boards. Different fashions required a voltage / potential divider to drop the required 5V all the way down to 3V (until you buy the HC-SR04+ or HC-SR04P fashions). The sensor has a variety between 2 and 350 cm. In our exams we famous that distant readings turned barely unreliable until the sensor and goal have been stationary. Quick distances have been wonderful, and a robotic operating across the carpet was capable of dodge obstacles in its path.
The {hardware} is straightforward to make use of due to a superb library on your Arduino which abstracts the complexities away. Raspberry Pi customers will get the very best efficiency from GPIO Zero, which has an abstracted module that may simply measure distances.
Three-axis accelerometers measure forces alongside the X, Y and Z axes, within the case of this LIS3DHTR primarily based board it could actually measure as much as 16 Gs of drive. Why is this handy? In case you are out driving your bike, racing or launching mannequin rockets, this tiny board can detect the forces upon you. Slightly code and this knowledge will be logged to an SD card and used to find out essentially the most excessive components of your pastime.
The Grove connector is used to attach the sensor utilizing I2C to the board, after which the software program handles studying the information. On the wiki web page for this sensor there’s a primary instance of studying the sensor with abstracted code libraries for Arduino customers. Raspberry Pi and Python customers can use the wiki’s instance code, or you should utilize a CircuitPython library to make it simpler to make use of.
The Raspberry Pi Pico is a good $4 microcontroller, and with this defend we will simply use our assortment of Grove parts. The Pico is securely held within the heart of the board with a collection of white Grove connectors surrounding it. These connectors are related to particular GPIO pins, a limitation that’s essential given the small dimension of the defend.
The defend works with any Pico suitable programming language, all it actually does is present easier entry to the GPIO. In our assessment we actually preferred how simple it was to make use of, and the way it tidied up our mess of wires.
The low price and simple use make this board the best selection for utilizing Grove parts together with your Raspberry Pi Pico.
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