LilyPad Arduino USB - ATmega32U4 Board

Product Overview

Streamline your wearable electronics with this easy-to-use microcontroller. The LilyPad Arduino USB runs on the ATmega32U4 with the Arduino bootloader and built-in USB support. This means you can program your e-textile projects directly using a standard micro-USB cable! This completely eliminates the need for bulky FTDI headers or easily misplaced external programmers. The LilyPad Arduino USB was designed to streamline your next sewable project by keeping things simple and giving you more room to work while eliminating the need to sew a power supply.

Integrated Power and Charging

Managing power in wearable projects is usually a hassle, but this board handles it all internally! Operating at 3.3V, the LilyPad Arduino USB features a built-in JST socket so you can plug a standard 3.7V LiPo battery right into the board for easy, on-the-go power. Even better, you can recharge the battery directly through the USB port, eliminating the need for special external LiPo chargers. An onboard power switch lets you easily shut off your project when you are done, saving battery life and freeing up space by eliminating the need to sew in a separate power supply circuit.

Sewable E-Textile Design

LilyPad is a wearable e-textile technology developed by Leah Buechley and cooperatively designed by Leah and SparkFun. To ensure these components integrate seamlessly into your wardrobe (no pun intended), LilyPad boards rely on some specific hardware choices:

• Sewable Tabs: The LilyPad Arduino USB features 11 large, conductive connecting pads and a micro USB connector that let you communicate with and power the board so you can stitch it directly into fabric using conductive thread.
• Streamlined I/O: Provides nine digital I/O pins (including four PWM channels) and four analog inputs for connecting a variety of lights and sensors, providing 40mA per pin.
• Low-Profile Build: Measures 50mm in outer diameter on a thin 0.8mm PCB, this board can be sewn to lay on or inside of your garments.
• Washable Hardware: Built to survive real-world use, your finished clothing can be carefully washed without ruining the electronics.

Packing direct USB programming and built-in battery management into a single board, this microcontroller gives you everything you need to build interactive, sensor-driven garments effortlessly.