SparkFun
SparkFun LumiDrive LED Driver
The LumiDrive LED Driver is SparkFun’s foray into all things Python on micro-controllers. With the SparkFun LumiDrive you will be able to control and persona...
The LumiDrive LED Driver is SparkFun’s foray into all things Python on micro-controllers. With the SparkFun LumiDrive you will be able to control and personalize a whole strand of APA102s directly from the board itself. We’ve broken out a number of analog and digital pins from the on board SAMD21G-AU microcontroller to incorporate your own external buttons, switches, and other interfaces to interact with your addressable LED strip.
It feels like Arduino, but without the need to upload and compile code. Because the LumiDrive opens up like a USB drive on your computer when you plug it in and the code you write lives directly inside the drive it feels very much like an Arduino-device. The fact that you don’t need to upload and compile code makes it a great transitionary LED driver from your traditional Arduino!
The SparkFun LumiDrive has been equipped with a USB-C connector which is capable enough to supply up to 1.5 Amps from a 3.1 USB port, a LiPo connector and charge circuit for portable power, as well as two poke-home connectors to allow you to plug in wires without the need for solder.
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- 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.
- LED driver
- An LED driver is a control chip or circuit that supplies and switches power to LEDs. For a display board, it reduces the number of microcontroller pins needed and handles tasks like lighting the right segments and adjusting brightness.
- LiPo
- A lithium polymer rechargeable battery commonly used in portable electronics projects. It matters because LiPo batteries need correct charging circuitry and care, and this board includes hardware intended for that battery type.
- microcontroller
- A microcontroller is a small computer on a chip that runs your program and controls connected inputs and outputs. For this product, it is the part that reads buttons and sensors, drives the display and speaker, and communicates over Bluetooth.
- 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.
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Microcontrollers
LumiDrive Schematic
Schematic · 85.6 KB · Click any page to view full size
LumiDrive Current Draw Statistics
Test Report · 29.1 KB · Click any page to view full size
Supplier page — sparkfun.com
Supplier Description · 545.1 KB · Click any page to view full size
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