Modular electronics is the focus of Elektor Lab Talk #50 on Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 16:00 CEST, as the Elektor team examines the boards, modules, connectors, and interfaces that make reusable hardware possible. The live discussion will cover processor and communication modules, carrier boards, expansion systems, USB-C, board-to-board and wire-to-board connections, and the practical problems that appear once supposedly compatible parts are connected. Viewers can register for the live session and submit questions during the show.

Lab Talk #50 thumbnail featuring Jens Nickel, Brian Tristam Williams and Saad Imtiaz alongside a selection of electronic connectors.

Register Now


We’ll have a technical discussion built around practical examples and hardware from the Elektor Lab. Connector choices will range from familiar pin headers and terminal blocks to locking wire connectors, board-to-board systems, USB-C, and compact module ecosystems used for sensors and peripherals.

Modular Electronics and Connector Choices

A modular design can make a prototype easier to modify, service, or reuse, but the interface between modules becomes part of the design. The discussion will look at carrier boards and plug-in processor, RF, and communication modules, along with expansion headers and standardized ecosystems such as Qwiic, Grove, and STEMMA QT. These systems reduce point-to-point wiring, but voltage levels, pinouts, connector families, mechanical strength, and current capacity still have to match the application.

USB-C brings its own set of choices because one connector can carry power, data, and alternate functions while the capabilities of cables and connected devices vary. Elektor recently covered the power side of the subject in Lab Talk #49.

Subscribe
Tag alert: Subscribe to the tag Elektor Lab Talk and you will receive an e-mail as soon as a new item about it is published on our website!