1Sheeld Arduino Shield Leverages Your Android Smartphone Hardware

To get started with Arduino, a simple board is enough, with soon, you’ll need to add shields for Wi-Fi, sensors, maybe a small display, etc.. and costs add up. Integreight, an Egyptian startup, had to idea to create a simple shield called 1Sheeld that can leverage your smartphone hardware assets such as Wi-Fi, LEDs, sensors, the display, the speaker, etc.., so you don’t have to spend extra money on shields.

Technical Specifications:

Runs on an ATmega162 @ 16 MHz
Uses a standard HC-06 adapter (Bluetooth 2.0) providing up to 30 feet range (about 9 meters)
Uses a modified version of the Firmata protocol
Can communicate with Arduino using UART
50mA current draw

That’s for the hardware, and there’s also a software platform and Android app to manages the communication between the shield and the smartphone, and select different shields options. You’d have to write your sketch using the company’s library, upload it to Arduino, connect 1Sheeld to Arduino, and pair it with your Android smartphone via Bluetooth. Everything is configurable in the app, so you don’t need to have any Android development experience, and you currently select among a variety of shields namely Led, Toggle Button, Buzzer, Slider, LCD, 7-Segment, Keypad, Music Player, Game Pad, Speaker, Notifications, Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Gyroscope, LCD, SMS, Flashlight and Mic.

Example applications include: controlling an RC car, getting notifications from external sensors, unlock the door with a keypad on your screen, use the phone as a game controller, etc… There’s also a plugin for Tasker to help with home automation.

The project will be open source, and open hardware with all hardware design files (schematic, board design, and bill of materials), the firmware and the Android app becoming available once the project is complete.

You can watch the video below for an introduction, and see different use cases for the shield.

That’s another Kickstarter campaign, where the company looks funds (and got them after 5 hours) to complete development, and manufacture the shield at low cost. A $49 pledge will get you on 1Sheeld. Free shipping to the US and Egypt (and maybe China), and $10 for the rest of the world. Other pledges are also available, and delivery is expected for May 2014.

Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)

Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.