Manufacturing or processing industries, like textile, chemical, pharmaceutical, and others, have many continuous processes that require monitoring and keeping a record of different physical parameters like temperature, humidity, pH, moisture, flow, viscosity, etc. So, all such parameters are continuously displayed and stored in mainframe computers. Modern industries have DCS and SCADA systems to monitor, store…
VHDL Tutorial 1: Introduction to VHDL
What is VHDL? VHDL is a short form of VHSlC Hardware Description Language where VHSIC stands for Very High Speed Integrated Circuits It’s a hardware description language – means it describes the behavior of a digital circuit, and also it can be used to derive or implement a digital circuit/system hardware It can be used…
VHDL Tutorial 2: VHDL programs
In the previous tutorial on the basics of VHSlC Hardware Description Language or VHDL, we discussed the VHDL design flow and program structure. Now, it’s time to learn about the VHDL programs. However, please note, the prerequisite for VHDL programming are the fundamentals of digital electronics and digital circuit design. To fully understand these programs,…
VHDL Tutorial 3: Using MAX+II to compile, simulate & verify a VHDL program
In the previous two tutorials, we learned about VHDL basics and programs. Next, we’ll simulate and verify the VHDL programs. To edit, compile, execute (simulate), or verify a VHDL program, there are requirements including software tools, such as: ISE from XILINX ModelSim from Mentor Graphics Riviera from Aldec Quartus-II from Altera etc. All of these…
VHDL Tutorial – 4: design, simulate and verify all digital GATE (AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR, XOR & XNOR) in VHDL
In previous tutorial VHDL tutorial 3, we have learned how to design, simulate, and verify any digital circuit in VHDL using Altera’s MAX+II VHDL simulator software. (If you are not following this VHDL tutorial series one by one, you are requested to go through all previous tutorials of these series before going ahead in this…
VHDL Tutorial – 5: Design, simulate and verify NAND, NOR, XOR and XNOR gates using AND-OR-NOT gates in VHDL
In the previous VHDL tutorial 4, we designed and simulated all seven logic gates (AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR, XOR, and XNOR) in VHDL. (If you are not following this VHDL tutorial series one by one, please go through all previous tutorials of these series before going ahead in this tutorial) In this tutorial, We…
VHDL Tutorial 6: Design and verify De Morgan’s Theorem using VHDL
In previous tutorial VHDL tutorial 5, we built NAND, NOR, XOR, and XNOR gates using AND-OR-NOT gates in VHDL. (If you are not following this VHDL tutorial series one by one, please go through all previous tutorials of these series before going ahead in this tutorial) In this tutorial, We shall write a VHDL program…
How to design a DC-to-DC buck converter
Most appliances require 5Vs for operation. In this experiment, we’ll design a DC-to-DC buck converter that provides 5Vs of the regulated output. We’ll use an Adjustable AP65111AWU-7 switch-mode IC for the DC voltage conversion and analyze its performance. Specification of the IC: A step-down 12V DC to 0.8V to 6V DC An output current of…
Sensor value (data) display on TFT LCD using Arduino – Part III
Contactless body temperature measurement using MLX90614 sensor In the previous two articles of this tutorial series, I demonstrated how to display analog sensor data (like POT, LM35, soil moisture sensor, etc.) or smart digital sensor (DHT11) data on TFT LCD. In this third article, I will explain how to display body temperature on TFT LCD. It…
How to display sensor values on a TFT LCD using Arduino: Part II
In Part I of this series, we demonstrated how to display analog sensor data (value), such as POT or LM35, on a TFT LCD. A TFT is a thin-film transistor display (typically, a television screen or computer monitor) that’s of much higher quality than a regular LCD display. In this article, we’ll explain how to display…
Sensor value display on TFT LCD using Arduino: Part I
Displaying potentiometer value and temperature using LM35 In my previous tutorial series on displaying sensor data (value) on OLED display, I have explained how to display values of different sensors like a potentiometer, LM35, soil moisture sensor, DHT, HC SR04, etc. on a tiny 1” OLED display. This time, I will demonstrate and explain how…
How to design a smart, contactless temperature-measurement gun
Contactless temperature-measurement guns became popular during the Covid pandemic. Several places used this device to ensure safety protocols. However, one of the drawbacks of the contactless temperature measurement guns available today is that they measure body temperature — not the distance of the body (object) from the sensor. The body’s distance from the sensor is…
WhatsApp-based home automation: Protocol bridging with MQTT
In this article, we will be controlling devices that do not support WhatsApp but support other communication protocols like MQTT, TCP, IMAP, etc. If a house is installed with home automation devices that do not support Whatsapp, we will communicate with these devices (controllers) using protocols supported by these devices. Thus, we will be able…
WhatsApp-based home automation
In this article, we will learn how to control our IoT home appliances using the messaging app WhatsApp to easily and effectively communicatie with those devices. So we will be sending WhatsApp messages to a number of “lights on,” and lights at our house will turn ON. Components required Tools Required/ libraries required: WhatsApp API…
How to display data from an ultrasonic distance-measurement sensor on an OLED
In Part 1 of this series, we learned how to interface an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, using analog voltage (a potentiometer), with Arduino. In Part 2, we covered how to present data from an analog sensor — specifically, a light-dependent resistor (LDR) and soil moisture sensor — on an OLED display. In Part 3,…
How to use a DHT sensor to show humidity and temperature values on an OLED display
In Part I and Part II of this series, we learned how to use an analog sensor — including a potentiometer (POT), a light-dependent resistor (LDR), and a soil-moisture sensor — to present values on an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display. In Part III, we’ll also present data on an OLED display, but this time…
How to display LDR and soil-moisture sensor values using an OLED
In Part I of this tutorial, we learned how to present data (or values) using a potentiometer (POT) and an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display. For this project, the POT was an analog sensor (potentiometers can also be digital), which acts as a resistor to control the flow of an electric current. The OLED technology…
How to program an OLED display with Arduino
Sensors are used to convert a physical quantity, such as light intensity or temperature, into an electrical one. There are several types of sensors that can easily be used with an Arduino board, which is an advantage. For example, any analog or digital sensor easily interfaces with Arduino as the board offers both analog and…
Microcontroller-based city locator using GPS and LCD
The GPS receiver is used to get accurate geographical location by receiving information from satellites. It receives information from satellites and gives location information in terms of latitude and longitude. It gives latitude and longitudes with accuracy of degree-minute-second. Using this latitude and longitude co-ordinates one can easily trace out the location on entire globe. The GPS receivers have enormous applications.The GPS receiver gives output serially in form of strings with NMEA 0183 protocol. These strings are received serially by host computer or host processor/controller for display or to take any decision or action. The following figure shows the output of GPS receiver on hyper terminal of desktop computer.
RGB Bulb using NE555
RGB bulb means bulb made up of three LEDs – RED, GREEN and BLUE. It generates light of many different colours. As we all know RED, GREEN and BLUE are three primary colours and all other colours can be generated by mixing these 3 colours in different amount. So in RGB bulb the intensity of RED, GREEN and BLUE LEDs are varied – means the amount of RED, GREEN and BLUE colours are varied to generate different colour or shade of different colour.The intensity of LED is varied using PWM generated by NE555 IC. NE555 chip generates PWM when it is connected in astable mode. So three NE555 ICs are used to vary the intensity of three LEDs – RED, GREEN and BLUE.