CrowPi3 - Al Learning and Development Station - Basic Kit

Jargon buster

Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.

BLE

BLE stands for Bluetooth Low Energy, a Bluetooth mode designed for lower power use and modern phone compatibility. It matters because BLE support can make the module easier to use with Apple devices and battery-powered projects, though it may behave differently from classic serial Bluetooth.

encoder

A device attached to a motor or shaft that reports movement, such as rotation steps or position. In a pump system, an encoder can help measure or control how much the motor has turned, which affects how repeatable the watering amount can be.

GPIO

General-purpose input/output pins are microcontroller pins you can set in software to read signals, switch devices on and off, or connect to peripherals. The number of GPIO pins matters because it limits how many buttons, LEDs, sensors, and other parts you can wire directly to the board.

Gyroscope

A gyroscope measures rotation, such as how fast a board is turning around its X, Y, and Z axes. This matters for projects like gesture controls, balancing robots, and motion tracking where tilt or rotation changes need to be detected.

HDMI

HDMI is a common digital video and audio connection used by computers, media players, and many displays. If a display kit has HDMI input, it is usually much easier to test with a single-board computer because it can act like a normal monitor.

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.

IoT

Short for Internet of Things, meaning physical devices that connect to networks or the internet to send data or be controlled remotely. It matters if you want projects such as connected sensors, remote controls or classroom data-logging activities.

IPS

IPS is a type of LCD panel that keeps colours and contrast more consistent when viewed from an angle. This matters for small displays that may be mounted in a dashboard, handheld project, or enclosure where the viewer is not always looking straight on.

LCD

LCD stands for liquid crystal display, a screen technology that uses a backlight and liquid crystals to show images or text. It matters because LCD modules usually need a display driver and enough controller pins or a bus interface to send image data.

LED

A light-emitting diode is a small electronic component that lights up when current flows through it in the correct direction. In this kit, LEDs create the flashing effect, so polarity and correct soldering matter for the project to work.

RGB

Short for red, green and blue, usually referring to an LED that can mix those three colours. It matters because controlling an RGB LED teaches how separate outputs combine to create different colours.

servo

A servo is a motor with built-in position control, usually told to move to a specific angle by a control signal. It matters when you need repeatable movement, such as steering, arms, flaps, or linkages, rather than continuous spinning.

UART

UART is a simple serial connection that sends data over separate transmit and receive wires, often labelled TX and RX. It matters because this module is designed to replace a wired UART cable with a wireless link while keeping the same serial data format.

USB-C

A modern reversible USB connector used for power and data connections. On this product it matters because it can connect directly to a computer as well as to a microcontroller project.