Description

The Pololu Wixel shield seamlessly enables a wireless link (with a typical range of ~50 feet) to duplicate the functionality of your Arduino’s USB interface, which means you can use the standard Arduino computer software to:

• wirelessly program the Arduino.
• wirelessly debug sketches with the Arduino serial monitor.
• wirelessly communicate with the Arduino from your computer’s virtual COM port.

More generally, the shield can also be used for wireless communication between an Arduino or Arduino clone and other embedded systems (including additional Arduinos). Alternatively, this board can also be used without an Arduino as a general-purpose Wixel prototyping board.

The Wixel shield does not interfere with the Arduino’s existing USB circuitry, so the Arduino’s traditional wired USB connection can still be used while the shield is connected.

Shield Features

• Prototyping space for easier/cleaner construction of custom circuits
• Shield-accessible Arduino reset button and pin 13 LED
• Four general-purpose 2/3 voltage dividers (can be used to safely connect 5V signals to 3.3V inputs)
• Two general-purpose MOSFETs (can be used as level-shifters or high-current outputs)
• Wixel socket allows the Wixel to be removed and used for other applications

Included Hardware
The Wixel shield ships with all of the surface-mount parts populated. However, soldering is required for assembly of the included through-hole parts. The following through-hole parts are included with the Wixel shield:

• two extended 1×8 female headers (for Arduino shields)
• two extended 1×6 female headers (for Arduino shields)
• one 1×12 female header (Wixel socket header)
• one 1×11 female header (Wixel socket header)
• one pushbutton (Arduino reset button)

This provides everything you need to plug an assembled Wixel into the shield and the shield into an Arduino.