Digital Hardware Skills #3:
Working with Arduino, Sensors & Actuators
Embedded Files
Here, you can learn what electronic sensors, actuators and micro-controllers are, and how to program Arduino micro-controller to build interesting digital hardware applications using do-it-yourself Electronic devices. You can even learn how to simulate Arduino-based electronic circuits in software.
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
1. What is Arduino?
1. What is Arduino?
Arduino is an open-source computer platform used for building electronics projects.
Arduino consists of both a physical programmable circuit board (often referred to as a micro-controller) and a piece of software, or IDE (Integrated Development Environment) that runs on your computer, used to write and upload the software code to the physical Arduino board.
Arduino uses a simplified version of 'C' programming language, making it easier to learn to program.
Over the years Arduino has been the brain of thousands of projects, from everyday objects to complex scientific instruments.
2. Who can use Arduino?
2. Who can use Arduino?
The Arduino platform has become quite popular with people just starting out with electronics. The Arduino hardware and software has been designed for students, artists, designers, musicians, hobbyists, hackers, newbies, and anyone interested in creating and interactive projects.
3. What can Arduino be used for?
3. What can Arduino be used for?
Everything from robots and a heating-pad hand-warming blanket to honest fortune-telling machines, and even a Dungeons and Dragons dice-throwing gauntlet, the Arduino can be used as the brains behind almost any electronics project. Arduino can interact with buttons, LEDs, motors, speakers, GPS units, cameras, the Internet, and even your smart-phone or your TV. This flexibility combined with the fact that the Arduino software is free, the hardware boards are pretty cheap, and both the software and hardware are easy to learn has led to a large community of users (including school and college students) who have contributed code and released instructions for a huge variety of Arduino-based projects.
4. How can I get started with programming the Arduino?
4. How can I get started with programming the Arduino?
Check out the below slides to get started with Arduino programming. The slides show you how to connect the Arduino board to your computer, how to download and install Arduino IDE, and how to configure the same. Finally, it will also show you how to write your first Arduino program to blink an on-board LED.
5. What is a Sensor?
5. What is a Sensor?
A sensor is an electronic device that measures a physical parameter in its surrounding environment and converts it into an electrical signal. For e.g.,
A temperature sensor measures the hotness or coldness of the physical object to which it is attached to, and converts the measured value into an electrical signal.
Similarly, a motion sensor is one that detect if there any movement in its vicinity and reports the same in the form of an electrical signal.
6. What is an Actuator?
6. What is an Actuator?
An actuator is an electrical or electronic device that triggers an action in response to an input signal. It takes an electrical input and turns it into physical action or another form of energy. Here are a few examples of actuators:
A light bulb is an actuator that turns the input electrical signal into light energy.
A motor is also an actuator that turns the input electrical signal into rotary (rotational) movement.
A door-opener is another actuator that turns the input electrical signal into linear (forward & backward) movement.
7. What kind of applications can I build with Arduino, Sensors & Actuators?
7. What kind of applications can I build with Arduino, Sensors & Actuators?
There is no limit to the number and type of practical applications you can build with arduino, sensors and actuators. To start with, you can build simple home automation and home security applications. Here are a few examples to get you started:
A home security or surveillance application that uses motion sensor to detect an intruder at your home and raise an alarm.
A garden watering application that measures moisture-level of the soil in the flower-pot, and turns on a water-pump to water the flower plant.
A rain-detection application that triggers an alarm to alert you when it starts raining so that you can remove all the clothes you have hung for drying in the sun.
A fire-detection application that triggers an alarm to alert you in case there is a fire incident in your house due to an accident, or electrical short-circuit.
A gas-leakage detection application that triggers an alarm to alert you in case the gas-cylinder or gas-stove in the kitchen is leaking LPG gas.
A camera that can take photos or record video to identify who was at the front door of your house when you were away.
9. I do not have Arduino, Sensors or Actuators with me. What can I do?
9. I do not have Arduino, Sensors or Actuators with me. What can I do?
If you do not have arduino micro-controller, sensors or actuators, worry not. You can use TinkerCAD Circuits, an online tool to simulate electronic circuits without using any physical electronic components, arduino micro-controller board, sensors or actuators. To know more about TinkerCAD Circuits, click here. You can just drag-n-drop the arduino board, various sensor & actuator blocks in the tool, and connect them with each other to form a virtual circuit. You can then click "Start Simulation" to simulate the circuit and observe the output.
assignment work:
assignment work:
You have two options:
Option 1: If you have physical Arduino Uno board, sensors & actuators, you can integrate any one sensor and any one actuator with Arduino Uno board and demonstrate its working. Refer to the slide deck on the left that illustrates how to integrate a variety of sensors and actuators with the Arduino Uno board individually.
Option 2: If you don't have physical Arduino Uno board, or sensors or actuators, you can use TinkerCAD Circuits tool to simulate any one Arduino-based electronic circuit involving sensors & actuators. Refer to the slide deck on the right that illustrates how to simulate a variety of Arduino-based circuits involving sensors and actuators individually.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse