ChApTEr 2 ■ hArdwArE for IoT SoluTIonS
Figure 2-7 shows four modules (also called boards or core modules); from left to right on the top row is a
USB shield used to program the TinyDuino, a MicroSD card reader, and a prototyping board. The module in
the center bottom is the main processor module.
The TinyDuino is compatible with the Arduino Uno with the same processor, memory, pins, and so
on. There are some minor differences but nothing that is of any concern. In fact, the TinyDuino will run all
of your sketches and can be programmed as if it were an Arduino Uno. You just cannot use Arduino shields
with the TinyDuino.
Aside from the small size, the TinyDuino processor board has a battery holder that uses a CR1632 coin
cell battery to power the board. This allows you to keep your Arduino solution very small and even run on
battery power! Better still, there are additional versions of the main processor board that have a Lithium
battery connector and even one without battery support that you can use to hardwire a power source.
The boards connect via a microconnector that permits you to stack them on top of one another. They
can be stacked in any order with some exceptions. The processor board does not have a connector on the
bottom, and the prototype boards do not have a connector on top. Regardless, even if you stack all four
boards as shown, the TinyDuino stack is only about 20mm tall.
■Tip You must have the uSB board in order to program the Tinyduino, but once it’s programmed, you can
remove the board.
There is one other board that I consider a must-have if you need to use more than a few pins. The
prototype boards have a number of pins broken out, but not all of them. The terminal module shown in
Figure 2-8 allows access to all the Arduino pins and comes complete with screw terminals for every pin!
That’s cool. While it is a bit larger than the core processor module, it is still very small.
Figure 2-7. TinyDuino