This article will provide a list of practical Arduino shields and specialised hardware that is placed on top of Arduino and enhances its functionality. I compiled a list of interesting and practical Arduino Shields, most of which work with the Arduino UNO.
What is Arduino Shield?
Shields for Arduino boards are add-on boards that may be inserted on top of an Arduino board to give it further features and functionality. They are typically created to implement a certain function and have the same pin position as an Arduino Board.
Why Do We need Arduino Shields?
Placing components on a breadboard makes it simple to experiment with Arduino, but designing a whole product using breadboards is not recommended.
The complexity of the circuit wiring can be greatly reduced, as well as the build time and construction process, with the aid of Arduino Shields, Sensor Boards, and other expansion boards.
PLEASE NOTE: The pictures provided are merely for reference. The final product may differ. Additionally, several shield manufacturers exist. As a result, characteristics may differ between shields made by various manufacturers.
Prototype Shield
The Prototype Shield is arguably the most basic Arduino shield. It includes a prototyping space where, if necessary, you can solder the components.
Don’t worry if you don’t want to solder. Additionally, the shield includes a 170 Pin Mini breadboard that can be mounted with double-sided tape to the prototyping area.
Prototype Shield
Along with all of the Arduino pin connectors, the board also has a few buttons and LEDs.
IO Expansion Shield
There is also a specific Xbee connector with buttons for EASYLINK and RESET. I2C (I2C) and SPI connectors are also available. Each pin header is properly coloured coded to make identification simple.
IO Expansion Shield
Additionally, there is a dedicated Xbee connector with EASYLINK and RESET buttons. There are also connectors for both I2C (I2C) and SPI. All the pin headers are neatly colour coded for easy identification.
Multifunction Shield
If you’re a newbie and want to rapidly begin programming without worrying about wiring the circuits, the Multifunction Shield is an expansion board for Arduino that you just must have. The fundamental IO devices are 4 LEDs, 3 Push Buttons, a 10 k Potentiometer, and a Piezo Buzzer.
Multifunction Shield
Additionally, two 74HC595 ICs are used to connect a built-in 4-digit 7-segment display so that it may be driven via serial connection. Additionally, connections are available for the IR Receiver, DS18B20 and LM35 temperature sensors.
For attaching serial modules like Bluetooth, voice recognition, wireless, voice, etc., there is also a serial interface header.
LCD Shield
The LCD Shield is one of the most well-liked Arduino shields. The renowned 1602 Character LCD (162 LCD Module) serves as its foundation. It has a 162 LCD display with blue lighting and white text. The shield also has six pushbuttons, one of which is a reset button and the other five of which are for user applications like LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN, and SELECT.
LCD Shield
The LCD Shield is one of the most well-liked Arduino shields. The renowned 1602 Character LCD (162 LCD Module) serves as its foundation. It has a 162 LCD display with blue lighting and white text. The shield also has six pushbuttons, one of which is a reset button and the other five of which are for user applications like LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN, and SELECT.
Motor Driver Shield
A Motor Driver is a crucial part if you want to use Arduino to build automobiles and robots. Fortunately, there are a number of Arduino Motor Driver Shields available to cut down on complexity and design time. The L293D Motor Shield is the most well-liked. As implied by the name, it includes the well-known L293D Motor Driver IC.
Motor Shield
You can connect 4 DC Motors (up to 12V) and 2 Servo Motors (5V) simultaneously using the expansion board, which is made up of two L293D ICs and a 74HC595 Shift Register IC. There is a connector for an external power source to power the motors.
Joystick Shield
A fun little project all by itself is using a joystick to control robots and remote-control cars. A problematic one is a joystick module because it is not suitable for breadboarding. Therefore, placing a Joystick Shield on top of your Arduino Board completely alters the “game” (pun intended). There are many different kinds of joystick shields, but the one I’m presenting here comes with everything you need.
Joystick Shield
It has a 2-Axis Joystick Module, six push buttons, a dedicated nRF25L01 Module Connector, and serial and I2C interface connectors.
Relay Shield
You must incorporate a Relay Module into your project if you wish to utilise Arduino to control mains-powered devices. An Arduino Expansion Board with 4 Mechanical Relay Modules and 4 Specific Terminal Connectors for Each Relay makes up a Relay Shield.
Relay Shield
Four LEDs are also included in the Relay Shield to show the Relay’s status (NO or NC).
4×4 Keypad Shield
16 Push Buttons are arranged in a matrix of 4 Rows and 4 Columns to make up a 44 Keypad Matrix. It is possible to bind each button to a character or a value. Use the 44 Keypad Shield to make the interface easier.
4×4 Keypad Shield
The 4*4 Keypad Shield also includes a header for connecting a Nokia 5110 LCD Module in addition to the keypad matrix.
Capacitive Touchpad Shield
Use the Capacitive Touch Pad Shield to add a touchpad to your Arduino project. It has an MPR121 IC, a proximity capacitive touch sensor controller, which connects 9 capacitive touch pads.
Capacitive Touchpad Shield
Because there is an on-board logic level converter, working with both 3.3V and 5V logic is simple.
Servo Motor Shield
The next Arduino Shield is ideal for anyone developing a robotic arm or hexapod robot with numerous servo motors. It is an Arduino 16-Channel, 12-bit PWM Servo Shield.
Servo Shield
This shield is built around the I2C-based PWM LED controller PCA9685. Consequently, using PWM signals, you may drive LEDs in addition to controlling servos.
GSM/GPRS Shield
You may link your Arduino Board to a GSM Network using a GSM/GPRS Shield. You can make and take calls, send and receive SMS messages, and connect to the internet with the GSM/GPRS Shield.
GSM GPRS Shield
Home automation, industrial automation, agriculture/irrigation automation, vehicle tracking, remote monitoring, and control are some of the popular uses of GSM/GPRS Shield.
Bluetooth Shield
One of the most well-liked connectivity modules for Arduino is the HC-05 Bluetooth Module. To enable Bluetooth Communication through serial interface, Arduino Shields with Bluetooth Modules attached are available.
Bluetooth Shield
AT commands can be used to operate the Bluetooth Shield, and certain modules let you re-flash the firmware to add new functionality.
Ethernet Shield
The Ethernet Shield is a further well-liked shield in the Arduino community. Based on the Wiznet W5100 Ethernet Controller, this specific Ethernet Shield. You can control Arduino via the internet if you connect an ethernet wire to the RJ-45 Jack.
Ethernet Shield
It is possible to connect at rates of up to 100 Mbps. Additionally, a microSD Card slot is built inside the device so that you can use any real-time data logging programmes or weather stations.
Wi-Fi Shield
The ESP8266 has had an enormous influence on the DIY community. It is a little Wi-Fi module that enables Arduino to connect wirelessly. ESP8266 and Arduino together play a significant role in DIY IoT projects. The ESP2666 (or any other Wi-Fi Controller) may be simply integrated with an Arduino Board thanks to Wi-Fi shields for Arduino.
Wi-Fi Shield
This Wi-Fi Shield simply fits into an existing Arduino Board and communicates over Serial Interface, eliminating the need for soldering or breadboarding. Additionally, there is an onboard microSD Card slot for data storage.
MP3 Player Shield
The MP3 Shields for Arduino that are based on the VS1053 MP3 Decoder are a fantastic way to bring music to your DIY projects. Ogg Vorbis, MP3, AAC, WMA, and MIDI are just a few of the audio formats that the VS1053 MP3 Decoder IC can decode.
MP3 Player Shield
In order to make it simple to store and play audio from an SD Card, the VS1053 MP3 Player Shield now includes a microSD Card Slot. The shield connects to Arduino through the SPI Interface and has a 3.5mm headphone port.
Colour TFT Shield with Joystick
This is a cute shield for an Arduino that connects to a tiny colour display. A 1.8″ TFT LCD panel with a 160128 pixel resolution makes up the Colour TFT Shield. The ST7735 TFT Driver IC, which can show 18-bit colours, controls this particular display.
Colour TFT Shield with Joystick
Two additional practical features are included in addition to the TFT Display. They are a 5-way navigation Joystick and a microSD card slot.
TFT Touchscreen LCD Shield
Your Arduino project would benefit greatly from a touchscreen module. The simplest way to get started with a touch screen is using a TFT Touchscreen LCD Shield. Even though touch screen modules are available in a variety of sizes, a 2.4″ LCD is relatively common.
TFT Touchscreen LCD Shield
320 x 240 pixel resolution is supported by this LCD. Although there are several LCD controllers, SPFD5408 is a well-known model. A microSD card slot is also located on the shield.
microSD Shield
Data logging and other similar applications might benefit greatly from the addition of a microSD Card to your Arduino project. You may connect a microSD card to your Arduino Board using a microSD shield.
microSD Shield
Through the SPI interface, Arduino can communicate with a microSD card. In order to implement a FAT FS, Arduino also supports FAT libraries.
CAN-Bus Shield
CAN bus is an industrial bus used for long-distance, the slow data transfer that is frequently utilised in autos. The MCP2515 CAN Bus Controller with SPI Interface serves as the foundation of the CAN-Bus Shield.
CAN-Bus Shield
A CAN Transceiver is necessary for every CAN Controller in order to transform single-ended data lines into differential data lines. The MCP2551 CAN Transceiver IC is used in this specific CAN-Bus Shield.
Xbee Shield
Adding Xbee Modules to your Arduino Project may be made much easier with the help of the Xbee Shield for Arduino. These shields are made to handle a variety of wireless networks, including IEEE 802.15.4, Bluetooth Low Energy, and Zigbee.
Xbee Shield
You can build many wireless applications like walkie-talkies, data transfer, etc., using the Xbee Shield.
GPS Shield
There is a GPS Receiver Module and a microSD Card Slot built within a GPS Shield with Data Logger. While the microSD card is attached to the SPI Pins, the GPS Module communicates with Arduino using serial communication.
GPS Shield
Using a GPS Logger Shield and an Arduino UNO board, you may perform speed monitoring, position tracking, and other applications of a similar nature. Numerous GPS Modules exist, such as the GP3906, Neo-6M, REB-4216, and others.
NFC/RFID Shield
An ideal board for integrating 13.56 MHz RFID or NFC capability to your Arduino applications is the PN532 NFC Controller-based NFC/RFID Shield. SPI, I2C, and SPI Communication interfaces are all compatible with the shield.
NFC RFID Shield
It includes both an external antenna and an onboard antenna (any antenna can be selected with the help of jumpers). Another set of jumpers can be used to choose the communication interface.
USB Host Shield
A USB Host Shield, as the name suggests, adds USB Host functionality to your Arduino board. The whole digital and analogue circuitry required to enable full-speed USB peripheral/host with your Arduino UNO is built into this USB host shield.
USB Host Shield
The MAX3421 USB Peripheral/Host Controller with SPI Interface is the foundation of this USB Host Shield.
MQ2 Smoke Sensor Shield
A highly helpful module for implementing safety-related applications is the MQ2 Gas Sensor. Your Arduino Board will be ideal for detecting smoke, LPG, carbon monoxide, and other harmful gases when equipped with a MQ2 smoke sensor shield.
MQ2 Smoke Sensor Shield
FM Radio Shield
You may use your Arduino Board to listen to FM stations using the Digital FM Radio Shield for Arduino. Using this shield, you may read the signal strength, receive Radio data system (RDS) information including artist song information, and digitally control the stations.
FM Radio Shield
You get crystal-clear sounds over the headphones thanks to the on-board DSP Signal Conditioning technology. The volume and station buttons are also present.
RS485 Shield
RS484 is the ideal option if we want a long distance, no interference, and dependable connectivity, especially in a noisy industrial environment. Galvanic isolation between the RS485 Bus and the Arduino is provided by a fully isolated RS485 Shield for Arduino, allowing it to be used for professional applications.
RS485 Shield
A fully isolated RS485 transceiver called ISO3080 is the foundation of this shield. Both half-duplex RS-485 (2-wire) and full-duplex RS-422 (4-wire) data transfer are supported.
NeoPixel Shield
LEDs with addresses are fantastic. Adding LEDs with changeable colours to a project, whether it be an Arduino project or a new PC build, is always fun. Adafruit’s NeoPixel brand of addressable RGB LEDs, which are based on WS2812B, are among the most widely used on the market.
These NeoPixel LEDs are integrated into an Arduino Shield by a NeoPixel Shield for simple control.
NeoPixel Shield
It has 40 RGB LEDs set up in a 5 by 8 grid. You can daisy chain these shields, but keep in mind that a UNO board might only have enough RAM to support a few addressable LEDs.
MIDI Shield
The MIDI Communication Technology, despite being a dated protocol, allows you to control music synthesisers, sequencers, samplers, and other musical instruments. You may create an Arduino-based MIDI Interface System using a MIDI Shield.
MIDI Shield
There are MIDI IN and MIDI OUT connections on the shield. There are two potentiometers that may be set up to adjust tone, pitch, and loudness, among other things. Three push buttons are also included on the shield for additional functionality.
Energy Shield
Energy Shield is the solution if you want to add power backup to your Arduino project. This shield is based on the LiPo Battery Power Shield, which charges the battery when external power is present but switches to battery power if the external power source is cut off.
Energy Shield
The shield can be powered in a variety of ways, including through USB, DC Jack, and solar panels. Through the USB connector, the shield also functions as a power bank to recharge other 5V devices like mobile phones, MP3 players, and so forth.
Camera Shield
Since the camera is a memory-intensive module, connecting it to a microcontroller board like an Arduino is never an easy operation. However, the Camera Shield for Arduino by ArduCam makes this work easier thanks to an intuitive camera and user interface.
Camera Shield
A 3.2″ touch screen and a microSD Card slot are also included with this Camera Shield. Through SPI, it is connected to Arduino.
Conclusion
I hope this article helps you to understand an overview of some of the commonly used Arduino Shields in the DIY community. We MATHA ELECTRONICS will be back soon with more information soon.