If you’re the sort of geek who likes to tinker with all sorts of electronics products and projects, you may be familiar with the Raspberry Pi developer board. This little mini-computer/developer board sells for $35 and has basic hardware allowing you to create a huge number of different projects. The board features a 700 MHz processor, integrated GPU, and can boot from a SD card.
The model A the device features 256 MB of RAM while the newer model B features 512 MB. The little developer board also has a single USB 2.0 port and more. The problem some geeks who want to integrate the Pi into their projects run into is a lack of features to do the job they want.
The Raspberry Pi can be fitted with a wide array of new features via the RasPiComm extension board. The extension board adds additional ports, a real-time clock, and a five-way joystick input device. The new ports include a RS-485 port allowing for control of stepper motors and other objects. The extension board also has an RS-232 port as well as a real-time clock with a battery backup.
Other features of the board include a direct I2C connector allowing the user to directly connect a display or sensors. The five-way joystick input makes it easier to control the Raspberry Pi. All of those features are packed into a very small piggyback board requiring no additional cables. The extension board also has full API support including drivers for an OLED display, advanced stepper motor control, and a daemon mode allowing you to control the extension board via Ethernet or Wi-Fi. The extension board is available now for €43.69.
[via Amescon]
RasPiComm extension board adds new features to the cheap Raspberry Pi is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
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