Misc ShieldsAwesome shields that just wouldn't fit anywhere else!
Overview
This list is composed of shields that do all kinds of things and were just too cool to leave out. Read on to see if any of them could be of use for your project!
Misc Shields
Image by Sparkfun (CC-BY-NC-SA)
Expansion Shield:
If you're running out of pins on your Arduino, use the Mux shield to give yourself up to 48 input/output pins. If you only want more PWM pins, you can use this specialized shield instead. Use these for giant projects when necessary!
Image by Adafruit
PowerBoost Shield:
Adding a rechargeable lithium battery to this shield allows you to recharge your Arduino on the go. You can buy the battery separately or with the shield from Adafruit. The battery's slimness allows you to stack it with other shields, and because it's rechargeable, you can run it out as many times as you want and recharge it right away.
USB Shield:
With the USB hub on this shield, your Arduino gains the capability to connect to any USB device. You can plug in a flash drive, upload images from a camera, or use a mouse/keyboard. Anything that will work in the USB port on your computer, will now work on your Arduino.
Image by Sparkfun (CC-BY-NC-SA)
Cellular Shield:
With this shield, you can connect to the cellular network, allowing you to send texts, receive calls, and more! You'll need to add a SIM card to make this shield work, and it has the same calling/data rates as any phone. You'll also need an antenna so you can actually receive messages. Then you can replace your phone with an Arduino!
Image by Sparkfun (CC-BY-NC-SA)
Image by Sparkfun (CC-BY-NC-SA
Weather Shield:
Add sensors to this shield to sense barometric pressure, relative humidity, luminosity, and temperature. It also includes places where you can connect more sensors for wind speed, direction, GPS, rain gauge, or more. If you'd like to upgrade your weather station to the next level, this shield is the one for you!
Image by Adafruit
Data Logger Shield:
This shield allows you to save your data to an attached SD card. You can save any data you're measuring so you can read/parse it later. Adafruit also sells a kit here that comes with a battery pack, light sensor, temperature sensor, and SD card so you can start logging data right away.
gShield:
If you need to control three axes, use this shield. It's built with three knobs to control the X, Y, and Z axes without any complicated hook-up. If you want to build a robot arm or a 3D printer, this shield could be perfect.
Image by Adafruit
Joystick Shield:
If you're trying to build a game, you'll need some sort of control. That's where this shield comes in. Using the kit, you'll build a shield that has five buttons and a joystick so you can move in every possible direction. It makes your Arduino into your own Nintendo game controller.
Image by Sparkfun (CC-BY-NC-SA)
Image by Adafruit
Gameduino Shield:
The ports on this shield allow you to connect to VGA and stereo speakers so you can play games from your Arduino. It's an adapter that acts as an interface between your Arduino and your gaming system. The Video Game Shield kit is similar, but acts more as a gaming platform than an adapter.
Image by Adafruit
DIY Gamer Kit:
This shield basically combines the LoL shield and the joystick shield in one. If you want to take Snake or Tetris to the next level, this is the shield for you. The screen can't display graphics outside of a simple grid, though - for more complicated images, you'll need to use one of the next two shields.
Color TFT Shield with Joystick:
This mini display comes with a joystick and microSD card slot so you can scroll through text, play simple games, display multiple pictures, or more. It's a full-color display - not touch-sensitive, but works well nonetheless. It's basically a fancy LCD with a joystick attached.
Image by Adafruit
Gameduino Shield:
This touch screen display comes with a headphone jack, accelerometer, and microSD card slot so you can play games right from your Arduino. The audio and video are high-quality enough that you can easily play games like chess or Nightstrike with no trouble. If you're a game developer looking to experiment with Arduino, you definitely need this shield.
