Arduino. 65 practical projects

About the book

Arduino is a platform thanks to which the world of electronics has gained many new, interesting solutions and possibilities. The simplicity of use, great documentation and a specially designed environment for software development have made this project won thousands of supporters. Such success has translated into the number of available accessories and instructions, thanks to which you can build any electronic system.

In this book, 65 interesting projects with varying degrees of difficulty were collected. Thanks to them, you will quickly master the principles of using the platform and build devices that will be useful in everyday use. The first projects will allow you to get acquainted with Arduino - one of them is for example creating a wave of flashing LEDs. Performing more will allow you to achieve a higher degree of initiation: car traffic control, battery testing, electronic dice, temperature measurement or use of the GPS system are just some of them. This book is a must-read for everyone who wants to learn the secrets of the Arduino platform and build amazing electronic circuits.

Build your own:

• battery tester
• GPS receiver
• digital thermometer
• stopwatch
• RFID reader

Table of Contents

Thanks (17)
1. Introduction (19)

• Unlimited possibilities (20)
• Popularity (24)
• Parts and accessories (24)
• Required software (25)
• Mac OS X (25)
• Windows XP and later (29)
• Ubuntu Linux 9.04 and later (33)
• Security (36)
• What's next? (36)

2. First look at the Arduino plate and IDE environment (37)

• Arduino plate (37)
• Introduction to the IDE environment (42)
• Command area (43)
• Text area (44)
• Area of messages (44)
• Creating the first sketch in an IDE environment (45)
• Comments (45)
• The setup () function (46)
• Hardware controls (46)
• Loop function () (47)
• Sketch verification (49)
• Sending and running a sketch (50)
• Modify a sketch (50)
• What's next? (50)

3. First steps (51)

• Project planning (52)
• A few words about electricity (53)
• Intensity (53)
• Voltage (53)
• Power (53)
• Electronic components (53)
• Resistor (54)
• LED (57)
• Universal tile (58)
• Project 1: creating a wave of flashing LEDs (61)
• Algorithm (61)
• Equipment (61)
• Sketch (61)
• Scheme (62)
• Running a sketch (63)
• Using variables (64)
• Project No. 2: Repeat instructions using the for loop (65)
• Changing the brightness of LEDs by pulse width modulation (66)
• Project No. 3: an example of the PWM method (67)
• Additional electronic components (68)
• Transistor (68)
• Rectifying diode (69)
• Relay (70)
• Circuits powered by higher voltage (71)
• What's next? (72)

4. Circuit components (73)

• The use of circuit diagrams (74)
• Component identification (75)
• Connections on the circuit diagram (77)
• Analysis of an exemplary scheme (77)
• Capacitor (78)
• Measuring the capacitance of the capacitor (78)
• Reading capacitor values (79)
• Types of capacitors (79)
• Digital input (80)
• Project 4: an example of using a digital input (82)
• Algorithm (82)
• Equipment (83)
• Circuit diagram (83)
• Sketch (87)
• Modifying a sketch (87)
• Explanation of the sketch (87)
• Creating constants with the expression #define (88)
• Reading digital pins (88)
• Making decisions using the if expression (88)
• Making additional decisions using the if-then-else expressions (89)
• Logical variables (90)
• Comparison operators (90)
• Combining multiple comparison operations (91)
• Project No. 5: car traffic control (92)
• Purpose (92)
• Algorithm (93)
• Equipment (93)
• Diagram (93)
• Sketch (94)
• Running a sketch (97)
• Analog signals versus digital signals (98)
• Project No. 6: battery tester (99)
• Goal (99)
• Algorithm (99)
• Equipment (100)
• Diagram (100)
• Sketch (100)
• Arithmetic operations in the Arduino system (102)
• Float variables (102)
• Numeric comparison operators (103)
• Improving the precision of analog signal measurements using the reference voltage (103)
• Using an external reference voltage (103)
• Using the internal reference voltage (104)
• Adjustable resistor (105)
• Piezoelectric beaters (106)
• Diagram of the piezo element (107)
• Project No. 7: practical use of the piezo buzzer (107)
• Project No. 8: construction of a rapid thermometer (108)
• Goal (109)
• Equipment (109)
• Scheme (110)
• Sketch (110)
• Improving the sketch (112)
• What's next? (112)

5. Working with functions (113)

• Project No. 9: creating a function that repeats a specific action (114)
• Project No. 10: creating a function that sets the number of diode switching cycles (115)
• Creating a function that returns a value (116)
• Project No. 11: construction of a rapid thermometer with flashing LED diodes (117)
• Equipment (117)
• Scheme (118)
• Sketch (118)
• Display of data received from the Arduino board in the serial port monitor window (120)
• Serial port monitor (120)
• Project No. 12: temperature display in the serial port monitor window (122)
• Diagnosing systems using a serial port monitor (123)
• Making decisions using while expressions (124)
• Do-while design (125)
• Sending data from the serial port monitor to the Arduino system (125)
• Project No. 13: multiplying the number by two (126)
• Long variables (127)
• Project No. 14: use of long variables (128)
• What's next? (129)

6. Numbers, variables and arithmetic operations (131)

• Generating random numbers (132)
• Generating random numbers based on free voltage (132)
• Project No. 15: creation of electronic dice (134)
• Equipment (134)
• Scheme (134)
• Sketch (134)
• Modifying a sketch (137)
• A short introduction to the world of binary numbers (137)
• Byte variables (137)
• Increasing the number of available digital pins by means of shift registers (138)
• Project No. 16: creating a display of binary numbers consisting of LEDs (140)
• Equipment (140)
• Joining shift register 74HC595 (140)
• Sketch (142)
• Project No. 17: implementation of the binary quiz (143)
• Algorithm (143)
• Sketch (143)
• Arrays (146)
• Defining an array (146)
• Referring to a value in an array (147)
• Saving and reading data stored in tables (147)
• Seven Segment LED Displays (148)
• Control of the LED display (150)
• Project No. 18: creating a one-digit display (151)
• Equipment (151)
• Scheme (151)
• Sketch (151)
• Displaying two numbers (153)
• Project No. 19: control of two modules of seven segment LED displays (154)
• Equipment (154)
• Scheme (154)
• Modulo (155)
• Project No. 20: construction of a digital thermometer (156)
• Equipment (157)
• Sketch (157)
• LED matrix display modules (158)
• Diagram of the LED matrix display circuit (159)
• Connecting the circuit (161)
• Bit arithmetic (161)
• Bit conjunction operator (162)
• Bit Alternate Operator (162)
• Bit Exclusion Option Operator (163)
• Bit negation operator (163)
• Bitwise left and right bitrate operators (163)
• Project No. 21: creating an LED matrix display (164)
• Project No. 22: displaying images on the LED matrix display (165)
• Project No. 23: displaying the image on the LED matrix display (167)
• Project No. 24: presentation of animations on LED matrix display (169)
• Sketch (169)
• What's next? (170)

7. Liquid crystal displays (171)

• Character LCD modules (172)
• Support for the character LCD module in the sketch (173)
• Displaying text (174)
• Displaying variables and numbers (175)
• Project No. 25: defining custom characters (176)
• Graphic LCD modules (178)
• Connecting a graphic LCD module (179)
• Using the LCD module (179)
• Display control (180)
• Project No. 26: text functions in practice (180)
• Creating complex visual effects (181)
• Project No. 27: construction of a fast thermometer with a displayed history (183)
• Algorithm (183)
• Equipment (183)
• Sketch (184)
• Result (185)
• Modifying a sketch (186)
• What's next? (186)

8. Extending the capabilities of the Arduino platform (187)

• Modules (188)
• ProtoShield prototype board (190)
• Project No. 28: creation of a custom module with eight LEDs (191)
• Equipment (192)
• Scheme (192)
• ProtoShield prototype circuit board (192)
• Project (193)
• Brazing components (194)
• Modification of the custom module (195)
• Extending sketches with libraries (196)
• Importing libraries for modules (196)
• MicroSD memory cards (201)
• Testing a microSD card (201)
• Project No. 29: saving data to the memory card (202)
• Project No. 30: construction of a temperature recording device (205)
• Equipment (205)
• Sketch (205)
• Time management of application execution using the millis () and micros () functions (208)
• Project No. 31: construction of the stopwatch (210)
• Equipment (210)
• Circuit diagram (210)
• Sketch (210)
• Interrupts (213)
• Interrupt modes (213)
• Configuration of interrupts (214)
• Activating and deactivating interrupts (214)
• Project No. 32: using interrupts (214)
• Sketch (214)
• What's next? (216)

9. Numeric keyboards (217)

• Applying the numeric keypad (217)
• Connecting the numeric keypad (218)
• Programming of the numeric keypad (219)
• Sketch testing (220)
• Making decisions using the switch-case design (220)
• Project No. 33: creating a lock controlled by a numeric keypad (221)
• Sketch (221)
• Sketch action (223)
• Sketch testing (223)
• What's next? (224)

10. Reading user input data via touch screens (225)

• Touch screens (226)
• Connecting the touch screen (226)
• Project 34: addressing areas on the touch screen (227)
• Equipment (227)
• Sketch (227)
• Sketch testing (229)
• Mapping Touch Screen Points (229)
• Project No. 35: construction of a two-state touch switch (230)
• Sketch (231)
• Sketch action (232)
• Sketch testing (233)
• Project No. 36: construction of a touch switch divided into three areas (233)
• Touch screen map (233)
• Sketch (234)
• Sketch action (235)
• What's next? (236)

11. The Arduino product family (237)

• Project No. 37: building your own Arduino platform on a universal board (238)
• Equipment (238)
• Circuit diagram (241)
• Running a test sketch (244)
• A rich family of Arduino tiles (247)
• Arduino Uno tile (249)
• Freetronics Eleven tile (249)
• Freeduino tile (250)
• Boarduino tile (250)
• Arduino Nano tile (251)
• Arduino LilyPad (251)
• Arduino Mega 2560 tile (252)
• Freetronics EtherMega (253) board
• Arduino Due tile (253)
• What's next? (254)

12. Engines and movement (255)

• Putting devices into motion with the help of performance motors (256)
• Selecting the execution engine (256)
• Connecting the runtime engine (257)
• Starting the executive engine (257)
• Project No. 38: construction of an analog thermometer (259)
• Equipment (259)
• Diagram (259)
• Sketch (260)
• The use of electric motors (261)
• Darlington Transistor TIP120 (262)
• Project No. 39: motor control (262)
• Equipment (262)
• Scheme (263)
• Sketch (264)
• Project No. 40: construction of a crawler robot and control of this robot (265)
• Equipment (265)
• Scheme (267)
• Sketch (270)
• Collision detection (272)
• Project No. 41: robot collision detection using a microswitch (272)
• Diagram (273)
• Sketch (273)
• Infrared distance sensors (276)
• Connecting the circuit (276)
• Testing an infrared distance sensor (276)
• Project No. 42: robot collision detection using an infrared distance sensor (279)
• Ultrasonic distance sensors (281)
• Connecting an ultrasonic sensor (282)
• Using an ultrasonic sensor (282)
• Testing the ultrasonic distance sensor (282)
• Project No. 43: robot collision detection using an ultrasonic distance sensor (284)
• Sketch (284)
• What's next? (287)

13. Use of the GPS system on the Arduino platform (289)

• What is GPS? (290)
• Testing the GPS module (291)
• Project No. 44: construction of a simple GPS receiver (293)
• Equipment (293)
• Sketch (294)
• Displaying the position on the LCD screen (295)
• Project No. 45: construction of a precise clock using a GPS system (296)
• Equipment (296)
• Sketch (296)
• Project No. 46: recording the position of a moving object in time (298)
• Equipment (298)
• Sketch (298)
• Displaying registered locations on the map (300)
• What's next? (302)

14. Wireless data transmission (303)

• Using inexpensive wireless communication modules (304)
• Project 47: remote, wireless device control (305)
• Equipment comprising a transmitter circuit (305)
• Diagram of the transmitter (306)
• Equipment comprising the receiver's circuit (306)
• Receiver diagram (306)
• Sketch of the transmitter (308)
• Sketch of the receiver (309)
• XBee wireless data transfer modules - longer range and faster transmission (310)
• Project No. 48: data transmission using XBee modules (312)
• Sketch (312)
• Computer configuration for receiving data (313)
• Project No. 49: construction of a remotely controlled thermometer (314)
• Equipment (314)
• Device layout (315)
• Sketch (315)
• Device operation (317)
• What's next? (317)

15. Remote control using infrared (319)

• What is infrared? (319)
• Preparation for using infrared (320)
• IR receiver (320)
• Pilot (321)
• Test sketch (321)
• System testing (322)
• Project No. 50: remote control of the Arduino infrared system (323)
• Equipment (323)
• Sketch (323)
• Extending the sketch (325)
• Project No. 51: construction of a remotely controlled robot (325)
• Equipment (325)
• Sketch (326)
• What's next? (328)

16. Reading RFID labels (329)

• Internal construction of RFID devices (330)
• Hardware testing (331)
• Scheme (331)
• Schema testing (331)
• Project No. 52: building a simple access control system based on RFID technology (333)
• Sketch (333)
• Sketch action (335)
• Saving data to Arduino's built-in EEPROM memory (336)
• Reading and writing data in the EEPROM memory (337)
• Project No. 53: construction of an RFID access control system with the "last action" memory (338)
• Sketch (338)
• Sketch action (341)
• What's next? (341)

17. Data buses (343)

• I2C Bus (344)
• Project No. 54: use of external EEPROM memory (346)
• Equipment (346)
• Scheme (346)
• Sketch (347)
• Result (349)
• Project No. 55: use of the port expander system (350)
• Equipment (350)
• Scheme (350)
• Sketch (352)
• SPI bus (353)
• Connecting pins (353)
• Implementation of SPI bus support (354)
• Sending data to SPI device (355)
• Project No. 56: use of a digital variable resistor (356)
• Equipment (356)
• Scheme (357)
• Sketch (357)
• What's next? (359)

18. Real-time clocks (361)

• Connecting the RTC module (362)
• Project No. 57: date and time display based on real-time clock (362)
• Equipment (363)
• Sketch (363)
• Sketch action (365)
• Project No. 58: creating a simple digital clock (367)
• Equipment (368)
• Sketch (368)
• Sketch action and generated results (371)
• Project No. 59: construction of a work time control system based on RFID technology (371)
• Equipment (372)
• Sketch (373)
• Sketch action (377)
• What's next? (377)

19. Internet (379)

• What do we need? (379)
• Project No. 60: construction of a remote monitoring station (381)
• Equipment (381)
• Sketch (381)
• Troubleshooting (384)
• Sketch action (385)
• Project No. 61: Arduino chirping (386)
• Equipment (386)
• Sketch (386)
• Controlling the Arduino system via the website (388)
• Project No. 62: configuration of the Teleduino service and remote control of the Arduino system (389)
• Equipment (389)
• Sketch (389)
• Remote control of the Arduino system (391)
• What's next? (392)

20. Communication in a mobile telephone network (393)

• Equipment (394)
• Preparation of the power module (395)
• Setting up and testing equipment (396)
• Changing the operating frequency (398)
• Project No. 63: construction of the caller Arduino (400)
• Equipment (400)
• Scheme (401)
• Sketch (401)
• Sketch action (402)
• Project No. 64: construction of the Arduino system sending text messages (403)
• Sketch (403)
• Sketch action (404)
• Project No. 65: configuration of the system controlled by SMS (405)
• Equipment (405)
• Diagram (405)
• Sketch (405)
• Sketch activity (408)
• What's next? (408)

Index (411)