PiRack connects multiple I/O boards to the Raspberry Pi
1 min read
element14 has announced the availability of PiRack, a carrier card that allows users to connect multiple I/O boards, including <a href="http://www.newelectronics.co.uk/electronics-news/embedded-pi-board-connects-raspberry-pi-arduino-and-32bit-arm-mcu/50080/">Embedded Pi</a> and <a href="http://www.newelectronics.co.uk/electronics-news/electronica-2012-i-o-expansion-board-available-for-raspberry-pi/46128/">PiFace Digital</a> to the <a href="http://www.newelectronics.co.uk/search/raspberry-pi/">Raspberry Pi</a>.
Developed in collaboration with Dr Andrew Robinson, creator of PiFace Digital, the low cost device can host up to four expansion boards, but can also be daisy chained to provide even more expansion.
By taking I/O expansion boards directly off the Raspberry Pi, PiRack also enables the Pi camera module to be easily used in parallel with expansion boards that control motors or host sensors.
Users can select which board they want to interface with and, as the PiRack can be powered separately using jumper selections, it doesn't have to draw power from the Raspberry Pi.
"The PiRack is a great new addition to the Raspberry Pi family as it makes development more flexible and increases the connections the Pi can have with the outside world", said Dr Robinson. "PiRack is ideal for the classroom where students can more easily move from developing basic applications to more advanced projects."
