Arduino quartet hits right note with makers

Featuring embedded connectivity and extremely low power consumption, the open source Arduino accessories are suitable for a range of battery powered IoT edge applications.

All three MKR Shields combine a standardised, modular form factor with the power of a 32-bit Arm microcontroller and the choice of integrated Wi-Fi, GSM, NB-IoT, SigFox or LoRa connectivity.

The line-up of new products includes the Arduino MKR Motor Carrier which allows users to rapidly prototype and build projects.

With the MKR Motor Carrier users can connect several motors and sensors to their mechatronic project and control servo, DC, and stepper motors. The Carrier can also be used to connect other actuators and sensors via a series of 3-pin male headers.

The Arduino MKR ENV Shield comes in a compact 61mm x 25mm design, 32g weight and an input voltage of 3.3V.

It allows an MKR board to easily gather and store environmental data collected by a range of sensors. Sensors monitor atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity, light intensity (LUX) and ultraviolet intensity (UVA and UVB).

The shield is equipped with a microSD card reader and features a ready-to-use library, programmed to read values from different sensors to ensure smooth integration and data collection.

Users of the Arduino MKR RGB Shield can now write messages and add graphics to show values from an MKR board using the RGB Shield. The RGB Shield is controlled from the Arduino IoT cloud and features 84 dense and bright-mounted LEDs offering full RGB colour.

With its simplistic design, the RGB Shield can be easily plugged onto an MKR board with no need for soldering or special adaptors. This powerful 61.5mm shield x 27mm shield has an input voltage of 5V, a maximum current of 2.5V and weighs 32g.

The Arduino MKR Therm Shield has an input voltage of 3.3V and the ability to work in temperatures ranging from 200^oC to 700^oC. It allows an MKR board to deliver highly accurate and an extended range of temperature measurements from a Type K thermocouple and a DS18Bxx digital one wire sensor.

Two connectors on the shield enable the Type K thermocouple to be used with or without a plug attached to the metal wires while the unit takes advantage of the MAX31855 thermocouple digital interface. The MKR Therm Shield has the same footprint as the ENV Shield.

“The addition of Arduino’s new MKR Shields to our portfolio helps extend the capabilities of the MKR boards for our customers.”  says Hari Kalyanaraman, Global Head of Single Board Computers for Farnell. “With a versatile mix of wireless connectivity and sensor options, the MKR series provides flexibility for engineers and makers looking to develop and deploy IoT applications easily using the Arduino ecosystem.”