This article is part of the TechXchange: PCB Tools and Technology.
What you’ll learn:
- Gain insight into Digi-Key’s latest board guide.
- Notable features and app functions.
Digi-Key and Make Magazine released an updated Guide to Boards (2022) with an augmented-reality (AR) app. The guide breaks down into sections for different board types, including those with microcontrollers (MCUs), single-board computers (SBCs) and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The guide provides essential data for students, makers, and engineers to help identify the latest boards and technologies to spark project innovation.
In addition, Digi-Key introduced an AR app that leverages cameras, displays, and sensors found with today’s mobile devices to accompany the guide. The app contains more than 50 interactive boards that users can engage in, which can be used as a standalone application or along with the guide.
Over 150 Boards
The guide itself boasts detailed comparisons of over 150 boards that help users gain insight into the best board for any given project. Those entries are garnered from the latest vendors, including Adafruit, Arduino, BeagleBone, DFRobot, Espressif, Micro:bit, Raspberry Pi, Seeed Studio, SparkFun, and others. It also includes articles that detail the rise of new boards, such as Raspberry Pi’s RP2040 and Espressif’s ESP32 microcontroller.
The app also has an exclusive video that discusses the details of some of the boards and the selection process by Make’s David Groom.
“We are excited to launch the new Boards Guide inside the Digi-Key AR app,” stated Digi-Key Marketing Manager Kevin Walseth. “Being able to scan the boards and get an up-close look in AR is an experience you must see to appreciate. The ability to rotate, zoom and see all angles of the new boards is a great visualization tool for students, makers, and engineers wanting to take their projects from ideation to a useful design or project.”
The Boards Guide 2022 has been updated to include the latest SBCs, microcontrollers, and FPGAs for any number of projects. It even includes top trends and insights to notable boards within the app. PDF versions of the guide can be found on Digi-Key’s website with links to download the app for iOS and Android.
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