FLEX Expansion Port

Archive
1

OK, here’s where you get to shape the final product! We have 24 pins left available to make an expansion port on the bottom of the FLEX.

We’ll be offering two 2x5 shrouded headers (same as Gadgeteer standard) and pins to support X, Y, I, P, and S type ports. Or we could go a non-Gadgeteer compliant route.

What would you like to see? Here’s what we’ve got available
1 I2C
1 SPI
2 Analog IN
2 PWM
15 IO (6 Interruptable) [excludes I2C, SPI, Analog & PWM]

2

no analog in?

3

Oops, that should have said 2 analog in not 2 analog out!
Corrected the original post.

4

Gadgeteer Standard ++1, more Fun for the beginners. :dance:

they are all good, :think: but if I got to go with one; I’ll go with PWM, guys like to play with things that move, like motors.

5

You can have TWO :smiley:

2 Gadgeteer Ports
2 Non-Gadgeteer Ports
Or 1 of each.

6

Can there be more than one port?

I’d say…

  • One on top - to put comms type modules (e.g. Zigbee) - I2C, SPI, IO
  • One on the bottom - to use Flex in a “docking station”, I2C, SPI, UART
  • One at the back - to add a backpack, extra battery, Analog pre-amp, motor control etc. Lots of pins - but STANDARD

I like the backpack because you can add a pretty big add-on module and still comfortably hold it in your hands without stuff sticking out all over the place.

Regarding the interface specification… I cry here about standards every second week. We really need a well thought-out interface standard (with connector) with a variety of supported modules. It needs to do what the shields did for Arduino. I guess the closest thing to a standard at the moment is Gadgeteer - but I’d argue that it too needs a bit more thought. Maybe a Gadgeteer+ connector? Something with the basic 10 pins but then expandable to include other important signals. I don’t want to promote what I’ve done with Smartiblox - but I would love someone else to crit it and give input. Maybe we can develop a new OSH standard.

7

[quote]Can there be more than one port?[/quote] Yeah…2 ports :wink:

8

Since I have to get this out to the hardware guys tonight, here’s what I’m going with.

Socket 1 will be Type Y
7 IO pins (1 interruptable)

Socket 2 will be Type Z (manufatcurer specific)
SPI (3 Pins)
2 PWM Pins
2 Analog In Pins (both interruptable)