Four Arduino projects for beginners!
What are Microprocessors?
Single-board computers, like the Raspberry Pi, have enough processing power to power some spectacular maker projects, but they’re also larger and more expensive than other options. Microprocessors are used for low-cost and real-time applications.
Microprocessors are little chips that can manage many sorts of input and output in real-time. There are many other types of microprocessors available, but AVR ATmega chips are among the most popular. Programming microprocessors might be a steep learning curve if you’re not used to working with them. Thankfully, manufacturers have built development boards such as the Arduino, which was invented by an Italian team of experts in 2005.
These boards connect the chip’s pins to headers, allowing prototyping to be done quickly. Furthermore, the required circuitry for using such pins, such as voltage regulators, pull-up resistors, diodes, etc, are already present. This implies that even someone with no prior experience with electronics may get started creating!
The Arduino Uno, Arduino Leonardo, and Arduino Micro are three of the most popular models. In this post, we’ll look at four great starter projects that use these very boards!
Arduino Uno Projects
The Arduino Uno is among the most famous development boards, and it’s often included in Arduino Starter Kits for novices.
It has a USB port for power and connectivity, as well as for transferring your program to the board. It runs at 16 MHz and is powered by the ATmega328P, an 8-bit processor with 2 KB of static random-access memory (SRAM) for storing program variables and 32 KB of flash memory for storing your sketches. USB communication is handled by a second chip.
This provides ample processing power and functionality for a variety of maker projects, including those listed below!
1. OLED Display
This project demonstrates how to use a low-power, brilliant, and small OLED display. The SSD1306 chip is used in these OLED display modules.
Connecting one of these screens is an excellent project for a novice, with lots of libraries available, such as Adafruit’s SSD1306 repository on GitHub.
2. Simple Clock
It can be intimidating to add many components when you’re just getting your mind around the Arduino platform. You may add a display to this project to make your clock!
However, just like with replacing a watch battery, you’ll have to reset the time every time you turn on this clock. Regardless, this is an enjoyable beginner’s project with a rewarding outcome. Or you could just take a glance at your phone…
3. Thermometer & Hygrometer
Let’s take it a step further now that you’ve mastered the fundamentals of using the SSD1306 OLED display. The display module is also compatible with the u8glib library, which supports a wide range of monochrome screens.
Why not make your thermometer and hygrometer instead of buying one? To complete your setup, simply add a DHT11 humidity and temperature sensor. You might study the fundamentals of physical computing and end up with a valuable addition to your home!
4. Mood Lamp
Envision a color-changing lantern that turns on when the room is sufficiently dark. You may make your smooth-changing mood lamp with an Arduino Uno.
This tutorial teaches you how to make a paper lamp as a prototype, but you could also use a 3D printed lampshade to finish the design.
Want to get into the amazing world of Arduino with the help of a professional? Perhaps maybe just hone your coding skills? Try our course here!
