Hi to everybody.
I’m Simon, and I’m a fan of the Arduino.
Over time I play with different type of Arduino boards like Uno, Mini, Pro Mini, Nano, Micro and other derivative boards.
Base on experience with Arduino boards some few things bother me and few other buddys.
Base on this I came up with an idea of shield called ArduSHIELD.
This project is still under construction, so I am willing to listening your voice, what bother you mostly, what can be improve, what can be done in easier.
ArduShield it is versatile development shield for most popular Arduino boards like a
Arduino UNO R3, Mini, Pro Mini V5, Nano V3, MicroR3, Leonardo, Yun, Zero, Galileo Gen2 and many other derivative boards.
http://www.awesomepcb.com/wp-content/up … orks_1.gif
Generaly idea for ArduShield was born out of the problem that hit several Arduino fans.
First we found that we had many shields that fit only to Arduino UNO, but they don’t fit to Arduino Mini, Pro Mini, Nano and other type of smaller Arduino board.
Smaller Arduino boards are much more cost effective then Arduino UNO, and we want to use them to.
Example of Ethernet shield drive by Arduino Micro.
http://www.awesomepcb.com/wp-content/up … 24x576.jpg
Example of 2×16 LED display shield drive by Arduino Pro Mini.
http://www.awesomepcb.com/wp-content/up … Shield.gif
Second thing what most bother us over time, was when we have to start one more time re-wiring Arduino and bread board because of some small mistake which cannot be find.
Idea was to shrink down amount of the cable between Arduino UNO and Bread Board minimum by half.
http://www.awesomepcb.com/wp-content/up … -cable.gif
Another things about ArduShield is that you can have access for all pins of Arduino on bread board instantly.
http://www.awesomepcb.com/wp-content/up … 24x576.jpg
Another useful thing about ArduShield is that you can have power supply to your bread board.
You can also use VCC or GND signal separately if you want just by cutting narrow trace on BR1 or BR2.
If you want to go back with this connection just place a drop of tin between cuted trace.
http://www.awesomepcb.com/wp-content/up … 24x576.jpg
ArduShield can be use like a programing tool for Arduino mini and Arduino Pro Mini. This board require external programmer.
Now if you have Arduino UNO board you can connect Arduino Mini or Arduino Pro Mini instantly to ArduShield and play with them via Arduino IDE.
http://www.awesomepcb.com/wp-content/up … n_tool.gif
With ArduShield we can get access for all of the pins Arduino Mini and Pro Mini on bread board.
Till now when you need to use pins A4, A5, A6, A7 with Arduino Mini there where make short cut with pin 8 and 9 on bread board.
With Arduino Pro Mini pins were not place in the 0.1inch (2.54mm) raster. They had this weird spacing.
http://www.awesomepcb.com/wp-content/up … 24x835.jpg
ArduShield provide access for all 4 holes from each side of bread board.
Comparing with Arduino Micro and Nano we have access for 2 and 3 pins after assembly PCB on bread board.
Access for 4 holes on each side give us possibility to place more components around the same pin.
http://www.awesomepcb.com/wp-content/up … 24x576.jpg
The nice thing about this shield is that you can develope even 2 prototype at the one time on one bread board, without the need to disconnect everything.
How it is frustrated when you need to jump shortly to another prototype and check some new idea. Now this changed a bit.
Just flip side of the AdruShield on bread board and you are ready to go with your second idea.
http://www.awesomepcb.com/wp-content/up … type_1.gif
What is the ArduShield compatible with?
Already Tested:
Arduino UNO R3
Arduino Micro R3
Arduino Nano V3
Arduino Mini V5
Arduino Mini Pro
Intel Galileo
Arduino Nano V3 - clon
Compatibility based on schematic analysis:
ArduinoYun
Arduino Zero
Arduino Leonardo
Plan to expand ArduShield about new functions
http://www.awesomepcb.com/wp-content/up … S2812B.jpg
If you like ArduShield idea and you would like to be with all update you can make it here http://www.awesomepcb.com/ardushield.
Thank you for your time to look on this idea, and let me know what do you think.
Like I mentioned at the beginning there is a chance for improvement.
Thank you for your feedback,
Simon.