This platform is extremely versatile, which is proven by the fact that it is a fundamental building block for projects such as building automation systems, game consoles, telephone and radio communication devices, measurement systems, and interactive toys.
This article reviews expansion modules in the form of shields with compatible pins.
Communication module - a module that allows Arduino to be connected via MIDI - the iconic serial interface used in electronic musical instruments from the first half of the 1980s to the present day.
With this interface, you can control synthesizers, sequencers, drum machines, and other musical instruments.
Since MIDI is a protocol that shares many features with standard asynchronous serial interfaces, you can use the Arduino UART pins to send and receive MIDI messages, for example, such as pressing or releasing a key on the keyboard, or changing the position of the modulation wheel.
MIDI control signals are sent through optocouplers.
The MIDI KIT Shield module can be plugged directly into the Arduino baseboard - the MIDI-IN connector will be connected to the Rx pin, while the MIDI-OUT connector will stay connected to the Tx pin, and the potentiometers on the MIDI KIT Shield board - to the A1 and A2 pins in the section of analog pins.
In this way, they can be controlled by adjusting the instrument’s output volume, retuning, timbre, or other parameters assigned by the user.
In addition, the board has three momentary buttons connected to the Arduino digital pins 2-4, with which you can transpose the keyboard, change presets, and other user-assigned functions.
The Spectrum Shield enriches the Arduino baseboard with the ability to split the stereo audio signal fed to the input of the system into seven frequency bands for each channel.
As a result, using an analog-to-digital converter in the Arduino (analog pins 0-5), you can control any external object (e.g. a motor, lighting, or a buzzer) by detecting the sound in a programmed frequency band of the input signal (e.g. using prescaler), and examine its frequency spectrum as well.
The sound is fed to the stereo 3.5 TRS input - with the same connector at the output of the system.
The shield can also be used to build sound responsive illumination to create colorful animations for music, as well as sound activation of other devices.
Forbot Robot Shield Arduino
The expansion shield from Forbot, compatible with Arduino, is a versatile electronic module with which you can add many interesting, useful functions to your robot.
On a small PCB, apart from the connectors with a pin layout compatible with Arduino UNO R3, there is a two-channel driver for DC motors, which allows you to control their speed and direction of rotation.
The 8-channel pin expander for the input/output ports allows you to connect more external devices.
Besides, the board has a slide switch, an LED that indicates that the module is on, a polymer fuse, and protection against voltage with reverse polarity.
November 2020
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