Arduino Strain Gauge Shield with AD8426 Amplifier

The Arduino Strain Gauge Shield is designed for precise amplification of weak millivolt signals from strain gauges and bridge sensors. Featuring the AD8426 instrumentation amplifier, it scales small sensor readings to levels easily detected by standard microcontroller analogue-to-digital converters. It is ideal for engineering students, makers, and educators building force, load, and instrumentation projects.

Precision instrumentation amplification

Equipped with an AD8426 amplifier, the shield provides gain ranging from 1 to 1000 depending on the RGAIN resistor value. An on-board reference adjustment allows the output voltage reference to be tailored specifically for single power supply ADCs.

Integrated noise filtering

The board includes a second-order Bessel low-pass filter tuned to 1 kHz to smooth out unwanted noise and interference. The filter frequency can be modified or adapted into a high-pass filter by replacing the relevant resistors and capacitors.

Wheatstone bridge compatibility

Designed to interface directly with Wheatstone bridge circuits, the shield amplifies the minute resistance changes produced by strain gauges and alternative sensor elements. This configuration helps balance initial circuit offsets and reduces the effects of external factors such as temperature.

Typical applications

The shield is well suited for measuring linear, axial, compression, and expansion forces applied to materials. It is also suitable for prototyping medical instrumentation and industrial process control setups.

Downloads

• Datasheet
• Strain Gauge Shield Arduino Code v1
• Applying the Wheatstone Bridge Circuit - w1569