The TrafficHAT from RyanTeck is a simple-to-use add-on board for later models of the Raspberry Pi. It plugs into the 40-pin GPIO header and gives you access to 3 large LEDs, a button and a buzzer. It sounds simple, and it is, and that’s the beauty of it. The kit comes in a bag:

and contains all the bits you’ll need to solder onto the circuit board. The GPIO header and the resistors are pre-soldered surface-mount components so all that’s left is to solder the LEDs, buzzer and switch. For the experienced solderer, this will take less than 10 minutes. For a beginner, it will obviously take longer than that but it is excellent for teaching you the basics of soldering because of the large components.

Programming it is very easy and can be accomplished using both ScratchGPIO (which Ryan has personally modded) and, of course, Python. I knocked up a quick Python script just to test the board out and the results can be seen in the short video below:

The TrafficHAT is the natural successor to the Pibrella, although it doesn’t have the protected inputs and outputs of the older board. It also doesn’t break out the unused GPIO pins, which means it’s use is limited. But that is its charm – it’s simple. It’s simple enough to put together and simple enough to program and is ideal for anyone who wants to learn how to program real-world electronics from the Raspberry Pi.

Rating: 9/10

The TrafficHAT will soon be available directly from RyanTeck for £7.75 plus postage (£1.50), and as an introduction to programming and soldering I believe it’s well worth the money.