Gravity: RS485 IO ExpansionShield for Arduino

Jargon buster

Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.

RS485

RS485 is a robust differential serial communication standard often used in factories, farms and buildings where cables may be long or electrically noisy, and it can link many devices on a single pair of wires. When a product lists RS485, it can communicate with industrial sensors, meters and control equipment over longer distances than typical hobby serial wiring.

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.

Shield

An add-on board that plugs into a main controller board to give it extra features such as sensing, motor control or communication. Knowing a product supports shields helps you judge whether it can connect neatly into an existing maker-board setup.