Pimoroni love the little SN3218A chip they used to make PiGlow so much that they've decided to turn it into a handy little breakout module. This is a super low-cost way to drive 18 LEDs at constant current up to 34mA per channel. Simply hook up the cathode of your LEDs to the channel and provide a common 5V supply for the anodes and away you go!

2.75 - 5.5V supply and logic voltage

Up to 34mA per channel constant current sinking (adjustable)

Bread-board compatible format

I2C interface (address 0x54)

Supplied with 0.1" headers to solder yourself

The I2C interface is very simple to use and works with Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and most other platforms - the device address is 0x54. With the Raspberry Pi you can use the 3V3 supply to power the chip (via the VCC pin on the breakout board) and the 5V supply to power the LEDs. There is also an Arduino library available

For those of us who are maybe a little tired of rainbows, we now have 'smart LEDs' in monochrome! Make your own smart Cool White LED arrangement with the same integrated LED dr that is used in our new fancy DotStar strips.  Unlit, the color resembles a yellow Starburst. Lit up these are insanely bright (like ow my eye hurts) and can be controlled with 24 bit high-frequency PWM. The phosphor helps diffuse the 3 white dies inside together for a very bright but consistant light, compared to what you get by trying to mix RGB to make white (which never quite looks right)

This tiny 5050 (5mm x 5mm) SMD LED is fairly easy to solder and is the most compact way possible to integrate multiple bright LEDs to a design. If you want to prototype with these, we recommend our 5050-size LED breakout PCBs, solder them on for a breadboard-friendly package

They're also a great upgrade for people who have loved and used NeoPixels for a few years but want to use the same kind of technology for monochromatic lighting. DotStar LEDs use generic 2-wire SPI, so you can push data much faster than with the NeoPixel 800 KHz protocol and there's no specific timing required. They also have much higher PWM refresh rates, so you can do Persistence-of-Vision (POV) and have less flickering, particularly at low brightness levels.

Like NeoPixels, DotStar LEDs are 5050-sized LEDs with an embedded microcontroller inside the LED. You can set the brightness of each of 3 individual cool white dies epoxied into the case. Each LED acts like a shift register, reading incoming data on the input pins, and then shifting the previous data out on the output pin. By sending a long string of data, you can control an infinite number of LEDs, just tack on more or disconnect unwanted LEDs at the end. The PWM is built into each LED-chip so once you set the brightness you can stop talking to the strip and it will continue to PWM all the LEDs for you.

Another nice thing about DotStars is their high PWM rate. You only have to set the brightness data for each pixel LED once, and then the LED+built-in-chip will handle the PWMing. On NeoPixels, this PWM rate happens 400 Hz, which works well but is noticably at lower brightnesses and if the strip is moving in any way.  DotStars have a 20 KHz PWM rate, so even when moving the LED around, you won't see the pixelation, the blending is very smooth.

Comes in a package with 10 individual LEDs.

We have a tutorial showing wiring, power usage calculations, example code for usage, etc. for DotStars Please check it out! Please note that the tutorial and code talk about RGB, but of course, this LED is just WWW, three individual white LEDs instead.

For those of us who are maybe a little tired of rainbows, we now have 'smart LEDs' in monochrome! Make your own smart Cool White LED arrangement with the same integrated LED driver that is used in our NeoPixel LED strips.  Unlit, the color resembles a yellow Starburst. Lit up these are insanely bright (like ow my eye hurts) and can be controlled with 24 bit high-frequency PWM. The phosphor helps diffuse the 3 white dies inside together for a very bright but consistant light, compared to what you get by trying to mix RGB to make white (which never quite looks right)

This tiny 5050 (5mm x 5mm) SMD LED is fairly easy to solder and is the most compact way possible to integrate multiple bright LEDs to a design. If you want to prototype with these, we recommend our 5050-size LED breakout PCBs, solder them on for a breadboard-friendly package

NeoPixel LEDs use 800 KHz protocol so specific timing is required. On NeoPixels, the PWM rate is 400 Hz, which works well but is noticable if the LED is moving. In comparison, DotStars have a 20 KHz PWM rate, so even when moving the LED around, you won't see the pixelation, the blending is very smooth. (we recommend DotStars if you can use them!)

NeoPixels are 5050-sized LEDs with an embedded microcontroller inside the LED. You can set the brightness of each of 3 individual cool white dies epoxied into the case. Each LED acts like a shift register, reading incoming data on the input pins, and then shifting the previous data out on the output pin. By sending a long string of data, you can control an infinite number of LEDs, just tack on more or disconnect unwanted LEDs at the end. The PWM is built into each LED-chip so once you set the brightness you can stop talking to the strip and it will continue to PWM all the LEDs for you.

Comes in a package with 10 individual LEDs.

We have a tutorial showing wiring, power usage calculations, example code for usage, etc. for NeoPixel Please check it out! Please note that the tutorial and code talk about RGB, but of course, this LED is just WWW, three individual white LEDs instead.

For those of us who are maybe a little tired of rainbows, we now have 'smart LEDs' in monochrome! Make your own smart Warm White LED arrangement with the same integrated LED driver that is used in our new fancy DotStar strips.  Unlit, the color resembles an egg yolk. Lit up these are insanely bright (like ow my eye hurts) and can be controlled with 24 bit high-frequency PWM. The phosphor helps diffuse the 3 white dies inside together for a very bright but consistant light, compared to what you get by trying to mix RGB to make white (which never quite looks right)

This tiny 5050 (5mm x 5mm) SMD LED is fairly easy to solder and is the most compact way possible to integrate multiple bright LEDs to a design. If you want to prototype with these, we recommend our 5050-size LED breakout PCBs, solder them on for a breadboard-friendly package

They're also a great upgrade for people who have loved and used NeoPixels for a few years but want to use the same kind of technology for monochromatic lighting. DotStar LEDs use generic 2-wire SPI, so you can push data much faster than with the NeoPixel 800 KHz protocol and there's no specific timing required. They also have much higher PWM refresh rates, so you can do Persistence-of-Vision (POV) and have less flickering, particularly at low brightness levels.

Like NeoPixels, DotStar LEDs are 5050-sized LEDs with an embedded microcontroller inside the LED. You can set the brightness of each of 3 individual cool white dies epoxied into the case. Each LED acts like a shift register, reading incoming data on the input pins, and then shifting the previous data out on the output pin. By sending a long string of data, you can control an infinite number of LEDs, just tack on more or disconnect unwanted LEDs at the end. The PWM is built into each LED-chip so once you set the brightness you can stop talking to the strip and it will continue to PWM all the LEDs for you.

Another nice thing about DotStars is their high PWM rate. You only have to set the brightness data for each pixel LED once, and then the LED+built-in-chip will handle the PWMing. On NeoPixels, this PWM rate happens 400 Hz, which works well but is noticably at lower brightnesses and if the strip is moving in any way.  DotStars have a 20 KHz PWM rate, so even when moving the LED around, you won't see the pixelation, the blending is very smooth.

Comes in a package with 10 individual LEDs.

We have a tutorial showing wiring, power usage calculations, example code for usage, etc. for DotStars Please check it out! Please note that the tutorial and code talk about RGB, but of course, this LED is just WWW, three individual white LEDs instead.

The SparkFun Touch Potentiometer, or Touch Pot for short, is an intelligent linear capacitive touch sensor that implements potentiometer functionality with 256 positions. It can operate as a peripheral to a computer or embedded microcontroller or in a stand-alone capacity. The Touch Potentiometer provides both a dual-channel analog and PWM output for direct control of other circuitry. Configurable analog and PWM transfer functions support a wide variety of applications such as volume control and LED dimming.

The Touch Potentiometer is controlled by a Microchip PIC16F1829 8-bit micro-controller that provides the host interface, LED control, capacitive sense and peripheral control functions. A built-in low-dropout voltage regulator allows operation over a range of input voltages up to 12V and breadboard friendly connectors make it easy to play with. A desktop application has been created by our collaborator, Dan Julio, that communicates with the Touch Pot over a serial connection. From this utility app you can change configuration settings, alter LED behavior, calibrate the capacitive touch sensor, view current readings in jabber mode, and much more.

Note: This product is a collaboration with danjuliodesigns. A portion of each sales goes back to them for product support and continued development.

Get Started with the SparkFun Touch Potentiometer Guide

Features

Dual host interfaces: Logic-level serial and I2CTM

Dual 8-bit 20 k-ohm 3-terminal digitally controlled variable resistor outputs

PWM output

8 LED display with multiple display modes and intensity levels

Option for interpolated (soft) changes between touches

Configurable touch sensor parameters for a variety of PCB covers

Easily configurable I2C address to allow multiple devices on one bus

Configurable linear or non-linear PWM transfer function

Configurable linear or simulated logarithmic variable resistor transfer function

Variable resistor supports single- or dual-supply operation

Simple register interface with jabber option

Programmable power-on default operation

Built-in calibration procedure

User-accessible EEPROM data storage

Built-in 5V LDO voltage regulator

Through-hole and SMT connectors

The Intel® Edison is an ultra small computing platform that will change the way you look at embedded electronics. Each Edison is packed with a huge amount of tech goodies into a tiny package while still providing the same robust strength of your go-to single board computer. Powered by the Intel® Atom™ SoC dual-core CPU and including an integrated WiFi, Bluetooth LE, and a 70-pin connector to attach a veritable slew of shield-like “Blocks” which can be stacked on top of each other. It’s no wonder how this little guy is lowering the barrier of entry on the world of electronics!

This Block adds eight channels of PWM control to the Edison’s I2C bus. While the PWM output can be used for any generic PWM application, it is specifically intended to provide drive control for up to eight standard hobby-type servo motors. To that end, it has an independent input for supply voltage for the servos above the normal range of the Edison, and 8 connections that support the most common pinout of hobby servo motors. The PCA9685 equipped on this board has an independent clock that can be operated at 50Hz, for servo control; at that frequency, the 12-bit resolution of the device provides approximately 200 steps of resolution for a servo motor.

The PCA9685 can be used as an open collector current driver for LEDs up to 25mA as well. Six solder jumpers allow the user to attach up to 63 of these cards to a single Edison, or to adjust the address of the PCA9685 to avoid collision with other addresses on the bus.

If you are looking to add a little more stability to your Intel® Edison stack, check out this Hardware Pack. It will provide you with increased mechanical strength for stacking Blocks on your Edison!

Note: We are currently working on a Hookup Guide for this kit. Check back later for more updates.

A Feather board without ambition is a Feather board without FeatherWings! This is the 8-Channel PWM or Servo​ FeatherWing, you can add 8 x 12-bit PWM outputs to your Feather board. Using our Feather Stacking Headers or Feather Female Headers you can connect a FeatherWing on top or bottom of your Feather board and let the board take flight!

You want to make a cool robot, maybe a hexapod walker, or maybe just a piece of art with a lot of moving parts. Or maybe you want to drive a lot of LEDs with precise PWM output. What now? You could give up OR you could just get our handy PWM and Servo FeatherWing. It's a lot like our popular PWM/Servo Shield but with half the channels & squished into a nice small portable size and works with any of our Feather boards.

Since the FeatherWing only uses the I2C (SDA & SCL pins), it works with any and all Feathers! You can stack it with any other FeatherWing or with itself (just make sure you have each wing with a unique I2C address) Check out our range of Feather boards here.

Specs:

There's an I2C-controlled PWM driver with a built in clock. That means that, unlike the TLC5940 family, you do not need to continuously send it signal tying up your microcontroller, its completely free running!

It is 5V compliant, which means you can control it from a 3.3V Feather and still safely drive up to 6V outputs (this is good for when you want to control white or blue LEDs with 3.4+ forward voltages)

6 address select pins so you can stack up to 62 of these on a single i2c bus, a total of 992 outputs - that's a lot of servos or LEDs

Adjustable frequency PWM up to about 1.6 KHz

12-bit resolution for each output - for servos, that means about 4us resolution at 60Hz update rate

Configurable push-pull or open-drain output

We wrapped up this lovely chip into a FeatherWing with a couple nice extras:

Terminal block for power input (or you can use the 0.1" breakouts on the side)

Reverse polarity protection on the terminal block input

Green power-good LED

Two groups of 4 outputs on either side, 8 total.

Stackable design. You'll need to pick up stacking headers and right angle 3x4 headers in order to stack on top of this shield without the servo connections getting in the way.

A spot to place a big capacitor on the V+ line (in case you need it)

220 ohm series resistors on all the output lines to protect them, and to make driving LEDs trivial

Solder jumpers for the 6 address select pins

This product comes with a fully tested and assembled wing as well as 2 pieces of 3x4 male straight header (for servo/LED plugs), a 2-pin terminal block (for power) and a stick of 0.1" header so you can plug into a Feather. A little light soldering will be required to assemble and customize the board by attaching the desired headers but it is a 15 minute task that even a beginner can do.

If you want to use right-angle 3x4 headers, we also carry a 4 pack in the shop. Servos and Feather not included, but we have lots of servos in the shop.

Note: The terminal blocks included with your product may be blue or black.

For additional information see our tutorial where you can get our documented Arduino and CircuitPython library with has both PWM and Servo examples!

You want to make a cool robot, maybe a hexapod walker, or maybe just a piece of art with a lot of moving parts. Or maybe you want to drive a lot of LEDs with precise PWM output. Then you realize that your microcontroller has a limited number of PWM outputs! What now? You could give up OR you could just get this handy PWM and Servo driver breakout.When we saw this chip, we quickly realized what an excellent add-on this would be. Using only two pins, control 16 free-running PWM outputs! You can even chain up 62 breakouts to control up to 992 PWM outputs (which we would really like to see since it would be glorious)

It's an i2c-controlled PWM driver with a built in clock. That means that, unlike the TLC5940 family, you do not need to continuously send it signal tying up your microcontroller, its completely free running!

It is 5V compliant, which means you can control it from a 3.3V microcontroller and still safely drive up to 6V outputs (this is good for when you want to control white or blue LEDs with 3.4+ forward voltages)

6 address select pins so you can wire up to 62 of these on a single i2c bus, a total of 992 outputs - that's a lot of servos or LEDs

Adjustable frequency PWM up to about 1.6 KHz

12-bit resolution for each output - for servos, that means about 4us resolution at 60Hz update rate

Configurable push-pull or open-drain output

Output enable pin to quickly disable all the outputs

We wrapped up this lovely chip into a breakout board with a couple nice extras

Terminal block for power input (or you can use the 0.1" breakouts on the side)

Reverse polarity protection on the terminal block input. The terminal block included with your product may be blue or black.

Green power-good LED

3 pin connectors in groups of 4 so you can plug in 16 servos at once (Servo plugs are slightly wider than 0.1" so you can only stack 4 next to each other on 0.1" header

"Chain-able" design

A spot to place a big capacitor on the V+ line (in case you need it)

220 ohm series resistors on all the output lines to protect them, and to make driving LEDs trivial

Solder jumpers for the 6 address select pins

This product comes with a fully tested and assembled breakout as well as 4 pieces of 3x4 male straight header (for servo/LED plugs), a 2-pin terminal block (for power) and a piece of 6-pin 0.1" header (to plug into a breadboard). A little light soldering will be required to assemble and customize the board by attaching the desired headers but it is a 15 minute task that even a beginner can do. If you want to use right-angle 3x4 headers, we also carry a 4 pack in the shop.Check out our tutorial with CircuitPython & Arduino libraries/examples, wiring diagrams, schematics, Fritzing and more!

LV-EZ4 Maxbotix Ultrasonic Rangefinder provides very short to long-range detection and ranging, in an incredibly small package. It can detect objects from 0-inches to 254-inches (6.45-meters) and provides sonar range information from 6-inches out to 254-inches with 1-inch resolution. (Objects from 0 inches to 6-inches range as 6-inches.) The interface output formats included are pulse width output (PWM), analog voltage output (Vcc/512 volts per inch), and serial digital output (9600 baud).

A good sensor for when a Sharp IR distance sensor won't cut it. For example of using this with an Arduino, see the Halloween Pumpkin project.

Many applications require a narrower beam or lower sensitivity than the LV MaxSonar EZ1. Consequently, MaxBotix is offering the EZ2, EZ3, & EZ4 with progressively narrower beam angles allowing the sensor to match the application.

LV-EZ4 Data Sheet / Product Information Guide is available here.

The different LV models have different beam width patterns, check this image for a comparison of all the LV model beam patterns.For higher sensitivity, check out the HR-LV models - they have up to 1mm sensitivity and 5 meter range!

What is better than smart RGB LEDs? Smart RGB+White LEDs! These NeoPixels now have 4 LEDs in them (red, green, blue and white) for excellent lighting effects. Round and round and round they go!  

This is the NeoPixel 1/4 60 LED Ring in Cool White. We have a ton of other NeoPixel rings in the store to check out!

With four of these you can make a huge ring with 60 ultra bright smart LED NeoPixels are arranged in a circle with a 6.2" diameter. Each order comes with just the quarter ring. Four of this item are required to make a large ring. You will have to solder them together as well, so for the full ring of 60 LEDs, buy four and solder them together!

The rings are 'chainable' - connect the output pin of one to the input pin of another. Use only one microcontroller pin to control as many as you can chain together! Each LED is addressable as the driver chip is inside the LED. Each one has ~18mA constant current drive so the color will be very consistent even if the voltage varies, and no external choke resistors are required making the design slim. Power the whole thing with 5VDC and you're ready to rock.

The NeoPixel is 'split', one half is the RGB you know and love, the other half is a white LED with a yellow phosphor. Unlit, it resembles an egg yolk. Lit up these are insanely bright (like ow my eye hurts) and can be controlled with 8-bit PWM per channel (8 x 4 channels = 32-bit color overall). Great for adding lots of colorful + white dots to your project!

NeoPixel LEDs use 800 KHz protocol so specific timing is required. On NeoPixels, the PWM rate is ~400 Hz, which works well but is noticable if the LED is moving. In comparison, DotStars have a 20 KHz PWM rate, so even when moving the LED around, you won't see the pixelation, the blending is very smooth. (we recommend DotStars if you can use them)

NeoPixels are 5050-sized LEDs with an embedded microcontroller inside the LED. You can set the brightness and color of each R/G/B/W with 8-bit PWM precision (so 32-bit color per pixel). The LEDs are controlled by shift-registers and only 1 digital output pin are required to send data down. The PWM is built into each LED-chip so once you set the color you can stop talking to the ring and it will continue to PWM all the LEDs for you.

We have a tutorial showing wiring, power usage calculations, example code for usage, etc. for NeoPixel Please check it out! Please note you will need a NeoPixel library with RGBW support which is not always available. If you try to control these with a plain 'RGB' NeoPixel library, you'll get very weird results. Our Adafruit NeoPixel library does support RGBW but if you're using something else, just be aware that it might require some hacking.

Our detailed NeoPixel Uberguide has everything you need to use NeoPixels in any shape and size. Including ready-to-go library & example code for the Arduino UNO/Duemilanove/Diecimila, Flora/Micro/Leonardo, Trinket/Gemma, Arduino Due & Arduino Mega/ADK (all versions)

Comes with one quarter ring of 15 x individually addressable RGB LEDs assembled and tested. We recommend you buy four to build the full circle as this is just the 1/4 of the circle.

What is better than smart RGB LEDs? Smart RGB+White LEDs! These NeoPixel rings now have 4 LEDs in them (red, green, blue and white) for excellent lighting effects. Round and round and round they go!  

This is the 24 LED RGBW NeoPixel Ring in Cool White. We have a ton of other NeoPixel rings in the store to check out!

24 ultra bright smart LED NeoPixels are arranged in a circle with 2.58" (65.5mm) outer diameter. The rings are 'chainable' - connect the output pin of one to the input pin of another. Use only one microcontroller pin to control as many as you can chain together! Each LED is addressable as the driver chip is inside the LED. Each one has ~18mA constant current drive so the color will be very consistent even if the voltage varies, and no external choke resistors are required making the design slim. Power the whole thing with 5VDC and you're ready to rock.

The NeoPixel is 'split', one half is the RGB you know and love, the other half is a white LED with a yellow phosphor. Unlit, it resembles an egg yolk. Lit up these are insanely bright (like ow my eye hurts) and can be controlled with 8-bit PWM per channel (8 x 4 channels = 32-bit color overall). Great for adding lots of colorful + white dots to your project!

NeoPixel LEDs use 800 KHz protocol so specific timing is required. On NeoPixels, the PWM rate is ~400 Hz, which works well but is noticable if the LED is moving. In comparison, DotStars have a 20 KHz PWM rate, so even when moving the LED around, you won't see the pixelation, the blending is very smooth. (we recommend DotStars if you can use them)

NeoPixels are 5050-sized LEDs with an embedded microcontroller inside the LED. You can set the brightness and color of each R/G/B/W with 8-bit PWM precision (so 32-bit color per pixel). The LEDs are controlled by shift-registers and only 1 digital output pin are required to send data down. The PWM is built into each LED-chip so once you set the color you can stop talking to the ring and it will continue to PWM all the LEDs for you.

We have a tutorial showing wiring, power usage calculations, example code for usage, etc. for NeoPixel Please check it out! Please note you will need a NeoPixel library with RGBW support which is not always available. If you try to control these with a plain 'RGB' NeoPixel library, you'll get very weird results. Our Adafruit NeoPixel library does support RGBW but if you're using something else, just be aware that it might require some hacking.

Our detailed NeoPixel Uberguide has everything you need to use NeoPixels in any shape and size. Including ready-to-go library & example code for the Arduino UNO/Duemilanove/Diecimila, Flora/Micro/Leonardo, Trinket/Gemma, Arduino Due & Arduino Mega/ADK (all versions)

Comes as a single ring with 24 individually addressable RGBW LEDs assembled and tested.

This is the LIDAR Lite, a compact high performance optical distance measurement sensor from PulsedLight. The LIDAR Lite is ideal when used in drone, robot, or unmanned vehicle situations where you need a reliable and powerful proximity sensor but don’t possess a lot of space. All you need to communicate with this sensor is a standard I2C or PWM interface and the LIDAR Lite, with its range of up to 40 meters, will be yours to command!

Each LIDAR Lite features an edge emitting, 905nm (75um, 1 watt, 4 mrad, 14mm optic), single stripe laser transmitter and a surface mount PIN, 3° FOV with 14mm optics receiver. The LIDAR Lite operates between 4.7 - 5.5VDC with a max of 6V DC and has a current consumption rate of <100mA at continuous operation. On top of everything else, the LIDAR Lite has an acquisition time of only 0.02 seconds or less and can be interfaced via I2C or PWM.

Note: The LIDAR Lite is designated as Class 1 during all procedures of operation, however operating the sensor without its optics or housing or making modifications to the housing can result in direct exposure to laser radiation and the risk of permanent eye damage. Direct eye contact should be avoided and under no circumstances should you ever stare straight into the emitter.

This is the LIDAR-Lite v2, a compact high performance optical distance measurement sensor from PulsedLight. The LIDAR-Lite “Blue Label” is ideal when used in drone, robot, or unmanned vehicle situations where you need a reliable and powerful proximity sensor but don’t possess a lot of space. All you need to communicate with this sensor is a standard I2C or PWM interface. With everything connected the LIDAR-Lite v2, with its range of up to 40 meters, will be yours to command!

Each LIDAR-Lite v2 features an edge emitting, 905nm (75um, 1 watt, 4 mrad, 14mm optic), single stripe laser transmitter and a surface mount PIN, 3° FOV with 14mm optics receiver. The second version of the LIDAR-Lite still operates at 5V DC with a current consumption rate of <100mA at continuous operation. On top of everything else, the LIDAR-Lite has an acquisition time of only 0.02 seconds or less and can be interfaced via I2C or PWM.

The LIDAR-Lite v2 has received a number of upgrades from the previous version. With the implementation of a new signal processing architecture, LIDAR-Lite v2 can operate at measurement speeds of up to 500 readings per second offering greater resolution for scanning applications. Additionally, the LIDAR-Lite v2 has had its I2C communications improved to operate at 100 kbits/s or 400 kbits/s with you, the user, able to assign your own addressing! Just in case you are wondering: yes, the LIDAR-Lite v2 is compatible with its previous version in all primary functions and their compatibility will extend into the next version and beyond.

Note: With Garmin® recently acquiring PulsedLight® the LIDAR-Lite v2 has been marked EOL. We are currently waiting on word about the next exciting product these two companies create. We will come back with additional information once we obtain it.

Note: The LIDAR Lite is designated as Class 1 during all procedures of operation, however operating the sensor without its optics or housing or making modifications to the housing can result in direct exposure to laser radiation and the risk of permanent eye damage. Direct eye contact should be avoided and under no circumstances should you ever stare straight into the emitter.