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Ingredients

Every BeeHive build is made from ingredients: a mainboard that carries the microcontroller, plus daughter boards that each do one job — drive an actuator or read a sensor. Combine them like a recipe to build an application. Each board follows the same 4-pin connector (two data lines, power, ground), so they mix and match freely.

Categories

  • Mainboards — The mainboard carries the microcontroller and breaks out every pin. Most builds need exactly one. (2 boards)
  • Power management — Power-management boards distribute and convert the 12 V supply so each part of a build gets the voltage and current it needs. (3 boards)
  • Actuators — Actuator boards make things happen in the world — drive motors, solenoids, Peltier elements, and LEDs. (5 boards)
  • Sensors — Sensor boards read the world — gas, humidity, temperature, and infrared. (3 boards)
  • Utilities — Utility boards condition or translate signals rather than driving an actuator or reading a sensor — the glue between other boards. (1 board)
  • Training — The Training board is for learning, not for a build — a testbed that gathers common components so you can master electronics and MicroPython one concept at a time. See the Intro to Electronics course. (1 board)

At a glance

Board Category Function
ESP32 BeeHive mainboard Mainboards Carries the ESP32 microcontroller and breaks out every pin.
MikroBUS-compatible BeeHive mainboard Mainboards ESP32 mainboard with added MikroBUS / Click Board compatibility.
12V5A breakout Power management Distributes 12 V / 5 A to other boards.
5V3A breakout Power management Steps 12 V / 5 A down to 5 V / 3 A.
12V/24V boost converter Power management Boosts 12 V / 5 A up to 24 V / 1 A.
H-bridge driver Actuators Drives DC motors and Peltier elements.
Switch array Actuators Switches many low-power loads (e.g. LEDs) over few pins.
High-power switch array Actuators Switches power-demanding loads (e.g. high-power LEDs).
Solenoid control board Actuators Controls solenoid valves (standard speed).
Spike & Hold board Actuators Drives solenoids in "Spike & Hold" mode for fast opening.
Gas sensor Sensors Detects gas-related environmental variables.
Humidity & temperature sensor Sensors Monitors humidity and temperature.
IR sensor array Sensors Hosts paired IR LEDs and phototransistors (e.g. nose-poke ports).
Level shifter Utilities Bi-directional 5 V ↔ 3.3 V logic level translation.
Training board Training A teaching board covering the core electronic building blocks.