Product Overview
IdeaSense is an educational expansion board designed to work seamlessly with our IdeaBoard, providing an all-in-one platform for STEM education, embedded systems, robotics, and IoT projects. It integrates a 5×5 LED matrix, three programmable push buttons, an ambient light sensor, a temperature and humidity sensor, and a 6-axis inertial measurement unit (accelerometer and gyroscope) with advanced motion detection features such as tilt, free-fall, step counting, wake-up, and orientation detection. Two QWIIC-compatible I²C connectors allow users to easily expand the system by connecting additional sensors and peripherals without soldering, making it ideal for prototyping and classroom applications.
IdeaSense is fully supported by CRCibernetica's development ecosystem, enabling users to start with IdeaScratch, a Scratch-based block programming environment, and seamlessly transition to IdeaCode, a CircuitPython IDE inspired by Thonny. This dual-programming approach allows beginners to learn programming concepts using graphical blocks while providing a clear path toward text-based Python programming, making the IdeaSense an ideal platform for learners of all skill levels, from introductory STEM education to advanced embedded system development.
Specifications:
- 2 QWIIC I2C communication connectors
- 3 push buttons
- Ambient light sensor
- Measurement range: 0.01 lux to 64k lux
- Configurable gain: 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x, 48x, 96x
- I2C communication up to 400 kbit/s
- Internal temperature compensation circuit
- IR and UV light immunity
- 16-bit effective resolution
- RoHS compliant and halogen-free
- Smart temperature and humidity sensor capable of measuring temperature directly in degrees Celsius
- Temperature measurement range:
- -20°C to 80°C @ ±1°C
- 10°C to 55°C @ ±0.3°C
- Humidity measurement range: 0% to 80% RH @ ±2% RH
- I2C communication up to 1 Mbit/s
- 5×5 LED matrix
- Integrated accelerometer and gyroscope
- Pedometer, step detection, and step counting
- Significant motion detection and tilt function
- Free-fall detection, wake-up, and 6D/4D orientation detection
- Single-click and double-click recognition
- ECOPACK and RoHS compliant
- Accelerometer (full scale): Selectable between ±2, ±4, ±8, and ±16 g
- Gyroscope (full scale): Selectable between ±125, ±250, ±500, ±1000, and ±2000 dps
- Accelerometer sensitivity: From 0.061 mg/LSB (at ±2 g) to 0.488 mg/LSB (at ±16 g)
- Gyroscope sensitivity: From 4.375 mdps/LSB (at ±125 dps) to 70 mdps/LSB (at ±2000 dps)
- Mechanical shock resistance: High robustness, withstanding up to 10,000 g for 0.2 ms
- ESD protection: Up to 2 kV (HBM)
- Magnetic calibration support: Supports hard-iron and soft-iron compensation for external magnetic sensors
