Small organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays are commonly used in embedded devices. This is because OLEDs generally cost the same as character LCDs but feature a better user interface (UI) and user experience (UX).  Typically, embedded OLED screens are used to display textual messages, but what about videos? For example, is it possible to playback…

Organic light-emitting diode or OLED displays have become essential for many embedded devices. OLEDs are considered one of the highest-quality displays to showcase device information.  Typically, embedded devices use single-screen graphics, but complex interfaces are required when there are several user interactions. For example, such interfaces might use menus or other graphical navigation. Adding a…

You’ve likely heard about SSD1306 or SSD1315 organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays. These monochrome screens are typically in a similar price range as character displays, providing a more aesthetic appeal. More significantly, they provide a truly graphical interface for an embedded device. The OLED displays are available in ready-to-use breakout boards that can easily push…

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,…

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…

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…

Digital compasses are electronic devices that use sensors to determine the magnetic field, displaying the navigational direction numerically. These types of compasses typically use a magnetometer sensor to measure the strength of the magnetic field to detect the direction. One low-cost, three-axis digital magnetometer is the HMC5883L. It measures the value of the magnetic field…

In this article, we will make a device that will monitor liquid levels in water/oil or any tank. The monitored level information will be sent to a monitoring station. This can be helpful to monitor some water tanks installed at a place where humans cannot frequently reach and at places that are toxic, like labs…

Melexis, a global microelectronics engineering company, has introduced the MLX81130, a highly integrated, intelligent controller allowing both LEDs and OLEDs to be driven by a single device. Designed to support ASIL B system integration, the MLX81130 in a QFN 5×5 package features 25 programmable constant-current sources. It has been designed to operate in single-master, multiple-slave…

During the last two decades, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have attracted considerable interest owing to their promising applications. They have already made inroads into the displays used for mobiles, PDAs and OLED TVs are also available in the market. Soon, OLEDs will be replacing incandescent and fluorescent lamps.      Fig. 1: Image Showing a Regular…

A computer monitor, technically termed as visual display unit is an output device that presents the information from the CPU on the screen working as an interface between CPU and the user. A cable connects the monitor to a video adaptor or video card which is set up on the motherboard of the computer. The CPU (Central Processing Unit) sends instruction to the video adaptor telling what needs to be displayed on the screen. The video adaptor converts the instructions into a set of corresponding signals and sends to the monitor. Monitor contains a circuitry that generates the picture on the screen from the set of signals.  The major parameters that measure the performance of a monitor are luminance, contrast ratio, resolution, dot pitch, response time, refresh rate and power consumption. The common problem that arises in monitors is dead pixels, blurred screen, phosphor-burn, etc.