Accessories have been flooding the market ever since the release of the tiny Single Board Computer Raspberry Pi (RBPi). Some of them merit a closer look because they can take your RBPi to the next level.
MotorPiTX board
For people interested in projects that need to run motors such as in robotics, the MotorPiTX board is a great accessory. It fits on top of the SBC and comes packed with some interesting features such as its own power supply (four AA batteries). This is enough to run the RBPi along with attached motors and servos. Full ATX style power controls are available, such as two 5V outputs (for LEDs), two bi-directional DC motor connectors, two servo connectors, two 3.3V inputs, one I2C breakout board and a micro-USB port.
A Smart IO Expansion Card
You can stack this add-on device atop the RBPi. As this is a super IO port, you can connect just about anything to it. There are 13 inputs for analog, pulse and digital signals, two analog outputs, eight digital outputs capable of 1A and ports for AHRS, CAN, RS485 and RS232. Apart from using it as an electronic test platform, the card can also be used for home automation, machine control, UAVs and robotics navigation.
The Pi Crust
This breakout board sits on top of the RBPi like a crust, allowing users to connect a multitude of devices easily. Rising only a scant 2mm above the RBPi base, the crust does not interfere with any other device connected to the RBPi. Pins are clearly labeled together, grouped logically together and include power, UART, SPI, I2C and GPIO. Female headers allow ease of connection along with plenty of GND and 5V pins.
SweetBox, Heat Sinks and ScorPi
SweetBox is a minimalistic approach to an enclosure for the RBPi and the smallest one in the market. It comes with a removable, flexible GPIO cap, allowing access to plug-in components. The SweetBox also has a set of anodized aluminum heat sinks that aid in extra heat dissipation. ScorPi is a flexible mount allowing the user to mount an RBPi camera, with direct plugin into the RBPi’s RCA port.
Power Supply Ignition Switch
This attachment allows using the RBPi with vehicles. It allows powering the RBPi through the electrical system of the vehicle. As you engage the vehicle’s ignition or turn it off, the attachment senses and powers the RBPi on or off safely. The built-in converter takes in 12/14V from the vehicle and provides 5V to the RBPi. Its ignition sensing talks to the SBC through two of its GPIO pins. The attachment retains power for the RBPi for 20 minutes after switch off. That means frequent stops will not repeatedly boot your RBPi. Additionally, if you left the RBPi running in the vehicle, the automatic shutdown feature will shut it off after four-hours to no-user activity.
HDMIPi HD Screen Prototypes
These are 1290×800 displays, which are not too expensive, portable and only 9-inch in size. You can watch movies comfortably, or incorporate into whatever project that needs a display. The cost-to-size ratio is perfect, competing successfully with the other portable screens in the market.
