Newark element14 in collaboration with Dr. Andrew Robinson, creator of PiFace Digital, have launched the PiRack, an exclusive carrier card allowing users to connect multiple I/O boards, including Embedded Pi and PiFace Digital, to the Raspberry Pi. PiRack’s ability to connect up to four expansion boards makes it ideal for the classroom and offers users increased flexibility in their development projects. A single PiRack can host four expansion boards, but can also be “daisy chained” to provide even more expansion.
The low cost and flexibility of PiRack is directed towards educational use as well developer projects. The ability to work with multiple boards allows teachers to move through the learning journey from beginner, intermediate to advanced projects.
PiRack is part of the PiFace Series of products and can be used with most I/O expansion boards compatible with the Raspberry Pi I/O header. By taking I/O expansion boards directly off the Raspberry Pi, PiRack also enables the massively popular Pi Camera module to be easily used in parallel with expansion boards that control motors or host sensors. Users can easily select which board they want to interface with and, as the PiRack can be powered separately using jumper selections, it doesn’t have to draw power from the Raspberry Pi.
