Adafruit Adds CAN Bus to the Raspberry Pi Pico, Updates Its "Ultimate" GPS Module, and More
A new entry in the PiCowbell range is joined by an updated GPS receiver, RGB LED matrix driver, and a highly sensitive color sensor.
Adafruit has announced a new batch of product launches, including an updated "ultimate" GPS receiver, and RGB LED matrix add-on for Arduino UNO-format boards, and a new "PiCowbell" add-on which gives Raspberry Pi Pico and Pico W users access to Controller Area Network (CAN) bus connectivity.
Adafruit signaled its desire to switch people on to the CAN bus standard, originally developed for low-bandwidth two-wire differential signalling in automotive electronics, back in March with the launch of the CAN Bus FeatherWing and the CAN PAL — the former bundling a full CAN controller and transceiver system and the latter offering only the transceiver for devices which already include an integrated controller.
For those who haven't entered the Feather ecosystem, Adafruit now has an alternative designed specifically for use with the Raspberry Pi Pico, Raspberry Pi Pico W, and compatible microcontroller boards — and becoming the latest entry in the growing "PiCowbell" family of add-ons. Like the Feather version, the PiCowbell CAN Bus board is based on the Microchip MCP2515 controller with 5V charge-pump voltage generator, 3.5mm terminal block, and a 120-ohm termination resistor — removable by cutting a jumper.
Elsewhere in Adafruit's latest product launches is what the company proclaims as the "Ultimate USB GPS module." Offering updates at a 10Hz rate, 99 search channels and 33-satellite tracking with -165dBm sensitivity, and with support for GPS and GLONASS constellations, the receiver is built around the MediaTek MTK3333 chipset. It's not strictly speaking a new design, but rather an update which works around the discontinuation of the original GNSS module — a change which, the company notes, means breaking changes in the command set which will require updated firmware for projects built around the original model.
Adafruit has also launched a new controller shield for its RGB LED matrices, designed for use with the Arduino UNO and pin-compatible microcontroller boards. "Plug it onto your microcontroller board," the company says, "and you'll be able to attach any RGB matrix with ease. This shield just takes care of the wiring for you!" For anyone looking to absorb light rather than create it, the company has also released a new STEMMA QT-connected breakout for the AMS AS7341 multi-spectral color sensor, offering high accuracy and ten light channels plus flicker detection.
All the parts are now available on the Adafruit store, priced at $12.50 for the PiCowbell CAN Bus, $29.95 for the updated Ultimate GPS Module, $5.95 for the RGB Matrix Shield for Arduino, and $15.95 for the AS7341 Color Sensor Breakout, all before volume discounts.