The Electronic Spices KY-040 Rotary (360°) Encoder Module Brick Sensor is a versatile and widely used incremental rotary encoder designed for intuitive rotational input and user interface control in embedded electronics and robotics projects. This module provides quadrature digital outputs (CLK and DT) and a built-in push-button switch (SW), making it ideal for navigating menus, adjusting values, scrolling interfaces, and detecting rotational direction and speed.

Operating at a standard 3.3V to 5V DC, the KY-040 encoder outputs clean digital quadrature signals that represent rotation steps and direction, which can be easily decoded by popular microcontroller platforms such as Arduino, Raspberry Pi, AVR, PIC, ARM, and 8051 systems. The push-switch adds a tactile selection input, enhancing human-machine interaction without extra components.

The module is compatible with breadboards and development boards thanks to its standard header pins, making prototyping quick and organized. The encoder’s detented rotation gives tactile feedback at each step, improving control accuracy for adjustments like volume control, menu scrolling, position tuning, and parameter setting.

Common applications include robot controller interfaces, user input panels, digital instruments, automated control systems, and interactive displays. Whether you are building a robot dashboard, a smart home controller, an embedded user interface, or an industrial control panel, the KY-040 encoder module provides a reliable, compact, and responsive input solution.