First there was the ButtonShield, which let you turn the Arduino into an OpenBerry, for instance Now, the ButtonShield has a miniature version, specifically meant for the Arduino Mega-plus-TouchShield Slide.

The ButtonPad is a mini-shield for the Arduino Mega. It is specifically designed to turn the Arduino Mega into a portable gadget, when combined with a TouchShield Slide.

You know that scene at the end of Star Wars, where the spirits of Obi Wan, Anakin Skywalker, and Yoda appear altogether to Luke? In case you forgot, it’s this one… it’s when the eerie theme music plays and you realize Luke has all along just been part of the bigger plan…?

The ButtonShield is like Anakin… tons of power, features, and more midichlorians – er buttons – than you know what to do with. The InputShield is like Obi Wan. The X-Y force is strong with him, but more in an analog sense if you know what I mean. That leaves only one. The ButtonPad is like the Yoda of input shields for the Arduino gadget platform. Small in stature he may be, but powerful his API is.

Arduino Interface

The ButtonPad uses Arduino Mega pins as the inputs from the ButtonPad.

Data Pins (Arduino Mega)

These pins are used for data transmission. The pins are interpreted at binary, with values corresponding to the button pressed.

• Pin 64 – Data 0
• Pin 65 – Data 1
• Pin 66 – Data 2
• Pin 67 – Data 3
• Pin 68 – Data 4
• Pin 69 – Data 5

Power Pins (Arduino Mega)

Set these pins to output to power the ButtonPad.

• Pin 62 – Power (set high output)
• Pin 63 – Ground (set low )

LED Pins (Arduino Mega)

• Pin 16 – LED
• Pin 17 – LED
• Pin 18 – LED
• Pin 19 – LED
• Pin 20 – LED
• Pin 21 – LED

Specs

• 18 key buttons
• Silkscreen layout for A & B buttons
• Silkscreen layout for up-down-left-right selector
• 6 front edge white LEDs, individually addressable
• Fits squarely on top of Arduino Mega, with plenty of room for the TouchShield Slide

Tutorials

Up and running on the ButtonShield (and the ButtonPad)

Made possible by the Open Source Hardware Bank