Beetle CM-32U4 - Compatible with Arduino Leonardo - ATmega32U4

Jargon buster

Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.

DC

DC means direct current, where electricity flows in one constant direction, as supplied by batteries, USB ports and many plug-pack power supplies. When a product specifies DC, it runs from a DC supply rather than mains AC, so you need to provide the correct voltage and polarity.

e-textiles

Electronic textiles are fabrics or clothing that include electrical parts such as conductive thread, sensors, LEDs, or small controllers. This matters because parts for e-textiles need to survive bending, sewing, and sometimes washing.

GND

GND is the ground or reference connection (0 V) for a circuit. When connecting two devices together, their grounds must be joined so both agree on what counts as a low or high signal.

I2C

I2C is a two-wire communication bus used by many sensors and small modules. It matters because several I2C devices can share the same two wires, but each device needs a compatible address and your controller must support I2C.

IDE

Short for Integrated Development Environment, a program used to write, run and manage code. It matters because some learners prefer a traditional coding workspace instead of a guided notebook-style lesson.

SPI

A fast serial communication bus often used for displays, memory cards, and sensors. It matters because SPI devices need specific pins for clock and data, plus a separate chip-select line for each device.

UART

UART is a simple asynchronous serial interface that sends data over separate transmit and receive wires, usually labelled TX and RX, with both ends set to the same baud rate. It is a common way for microcontrollers and other serial devices to exchange data.

UPS

An uninterruptible power supply is a battery-backed power system that keeps a device running when external power is unplugged or fails. For an embedded computer, it helps prevent sudden shutdowns that can corrupt files or interrupt a project.