Digitalization has significantly shifted us toward a paperless society, impacting both personal and professional lives. Take restaurants, for example, where many establishments now offer digital menus. Providing a digital option offers several advantages to restaurant owners, their customers, and the environment. It reduces paper waste, allowing for an interactive experience and real-time updates for the…
How to build a paint application using Arduino
In this project, we’ll build a paint application on Arduino UNO/Arduino Mega that runs on a 3.5-inch TFT touchscreen display based on the ILI9486 driver. The ILI9486 touchscreen has a display resolution of 320×480 pixels. Using a stylus, you can draw, paint, and write on it (even in your own handwriting ). Required components Arduino…
How to build an Arduino-based biometric voting machine
Typical electronic voting machines require voters to push a button to cast their ballots. However, there have been security concerns with these devices and whether they’re at risk for tampering. One solution is to use biometric-based voting machines, which use fingerprint matching or a retina scan to verify an authorized voter. In this project, we’ll…
How to design a security system that sounds like a guard dog
It’s been said that one of the best home security systems is owning a dog. In this do-it-yourself (DIY) circuit, we’ll design a unique system that lets you take advantage of a guard dog for security without ever needing to walk or feed it. This DIY system “barks” like a dog whenever motion is detected…
IOT Building Blocks and Architecture: IOT Part 2
In the previous tutorial, a brief introduction of Internet of things was presented. The importance, challenges, applications and trends in IOT were discussed. Now, equipped with basic understanding of IOT, it’s time to investigate the building blocks of IOT. IOT is developed as a package with integration of various technologies. Each technology has its own principle role within the IOT system. In this tutorial, the basic building blocks of IOT and their place in an IOT infrastructure will be examined.
How to control LEDs using the MIT App Inventor and Bluetooth
In a previous tutorial, we discussed the MIT App Inventor, a popular online platform for building mobile applications using visual programming. The platform is helpful for quickly prototyping Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications and simple embedded systems that interact with mobile devices. We already reviewed the platform’s architecture and user interface. Its visual programming platform is ideal for…
Fingerprint-based access control system using Arduino and R307/Adafruit fingerprint sensor
Optical fingerprint scanners are prominent security devices nowadays. These scanners are low-cost and easy to use with any embedded hardware platform. The scanners have built-in memory and a controller to store and compare fingerprints. Usually, optical fingerprint scanners have a USB and/or UART port to communicate with external controllers or computers. The scanner handles enrollment…
How to design an Arduino library for an 8-bit IO port
In this project, we’ll create an 8-bit IO port Arduino library that reads and writes all eight bits in a single command by combining Arduino’s pins. This means sending and receiving the 8-bit data from a single pin will be possible. Arduino provides digital output using the digitalWrite() function and receives digital input via the…
How to use the TCS230/TCS3200 color-recognition sensor with Arduino
Color detection is the process of identifying and distinguishing colors within an image, video, scene, or object. Many embedded and robotic applications require this feature, as it’s useful for sorting, selection, test strip reading, path determination, and more. Two standard sensors used for color detection include TCS230 or TCS3200. TCS3200 recognizes various colors based on…
How to design a multi-use level indicator using Arduino
In this mini do-it-yourself (DIY) electronic project, we’ll design a multi-use level indicator that can measure multiple physical parameters like temperature, water, voltage, humidity, distance, and more. It consists of a bar-graph LED display that presents the measurements. Four main types of sensors are used to measure the different physical parameters, including the following LM35…
How to make HTTP requests using Arduino for the IoT
One essential step in developing Internet of Things (IoT) applications is setting up communication between the IoT devices and a web server or services. IoT devices communicate with a web server, service, or an API through HTTP requests. An HTTP request is a message sent by a client to a server in the context of…
How to convert Arduino into a Modbus device
Modbus is a widely used communication protocol and an open-source industrial networking standard. Developed in 1979 by Modicon (now Schneider Electric), Modbus has become a standard in the automation and industrial control systems (ICS) industries. The communication protocol is known for its simplicity and easy-to-follow troubleshooting feature. It uses a master-slave or client-server communication model,…
How LoRa can impact smart cities with parking sensors
In this article, we’ll configure a parking sensor using LoRa (long-range) devices. LoRa is a wireless communication technique derived from Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS) technology. For this project, Arduino Nano is connected to an ultrasonic sensor, detecting parking occupancy based on distance measurements. When a vehicle enters or leaves a parking space, the ultrasonic sensor…
How to use Arduino’s analog comparator
Arduino boards have a built-in analog comparator used for different applications. This is noteworthy because digital input/output and pulse width modulation (PWM) are typically used while analog comparators are not. A built-in analog comparator is useful in microcontrollers, providing voltage comparisons, digital-to-analog conversions, threshold detection, and PWM. Depending on the Arduino board (there are several…
Arduino-based portable pollution monitor with OLED display
A majority of middle-aged people suffer from health issues like asthma and breathing problems, particularly in cities. Air pollution is the major cause of it. In this project, we have designed a portable device that detects different air pollution metrics and displays them on a small OLED screen. People with respiratory issues can use the…
Arduino-based walking steps and distance calculator
A very common feature in Android and iOS fitness apps is calculating the number of steps the user walks and the distance he covers. These apps calculate the number of steps walked by the user either using GPS location and manipulating the geospatial data or by monitoring the acceleration vector of the device using an…
How to design an Arduino-based RLC metal detector using an RC-A-354 sensor
Metal detectors offer several useful applications. A few examples include: Security checks Positioning detection for production equipment Elevator floor control Mineral prospecting Unearthing relics and artifacts Collecting traffic statistics Metallic waste detection Game entertainment Each detection circuit employs different electronic components and designs. A simple metal detector can be constructed using an RLC circuit. In…
Arduino-based altitude meter using BMP180 sensor
BMP180 is a digital pressure sensor designed for low-power, low-voltage operation in mobile phones, navigation devices, and personal digital assistants. The sensor has an I2C interface to communicate sensor data. It can operate on 2.5~3.6V and consumes only 12 uA even in the ultra-high-resolution mode. The sensor can be used for several applications, including measuring…
How to design Arduino-based water temperature monitor using DS18B20 1-wire temperature sensor
Environment sensors are of great importance in embedded applications. Many temperature sensors measure the ambient temperature or temperature of a surface. For measuring water temperature and other fluids, waterproof temperature sensors are required. One of such temperature sensors is DS18B20. This sensor can measure the temperature of the air, liquids like water, and ground. The…
How to design a smartphone-operated door lock
In this project, we’ll design a unique door lock that can be operated without a keycard, input password, or biometric ID. A smartphone is the key to locking and unlocking the door via Bluetooth. This door uses a solenoid lock, which relies on a latch for electrical locking and unlocking. It also has LEDs to…