Arduino is very popular among all lovers of design. You should familiarize them with those who have never heard of him.
What is an Arduino?
How can you summarize Arduino? The best words would be: an
electronic constructor. Arduino is a tool with which you can create various electronic devices. In fact, this is a true universal computing hardware platform. It can be used both for the construction of simple schemes, and for the implementation of rather complex projects.
The designer is based on its hardware, which is an input-output board. For programming the board, languages that are based on C / C ++ are used. They received the name, respectively, Processing / Wiring. They inherited extreme simplicity from group C, due to which they are mastered very quickly by any person, and applying knowledge in practice is not a pretty significant problem. To make you understand the ease of operation, it is often said that Arduino is for beginner design wizards. Even children can deal with Arduino boards.
What can be assembled on it?
The use of Arduino is quite diverse, it can be used both for the simplest examples that will be recommended at the end of the article, and for rather complex mechanisms, including manipulators, robots or production machines. Some craftsmen manage to make tablets, telephones, home security and surveillance systems, smart home systems or just computers on the basis of such systems. Arduino-projects for beginners, which even those who have no experience can start with, are at the end of the article. They can even be used to create primitive virtual reality systems. All thanks to the content of the versatile hardware component and the capabilities that Arduino programming provides.
Where to get the components?
The components made in Italy are considered original. But the price of such sets is not low. Therefore, a number of companies, or even individuals, use the artisanal method to manufacture Arduino-compatible devices and components, which are jokingly called production clones. When buying such clones, you can’t say with confidence that they will work, but the desire to save takes its toll.
Components can be purchased either as part of sets, or individually. There are even pre-prepared kits to assemble cars, helicopters with various types of controls or ships. A set, as in the photo above, made in China, will cost $ 49.
Hardware Details
The Arduino board is a simple AVR microcontroller that has been flashed by a bootloader and has the minimum required minimum USB-UART port. There are still important components, but within the article it would be better to dwell only on these two components.
First, about the microcontroller, a mechanism built on one circuit, in which the developed program is located. The program may be affected by button presses, receiving signals from the components of creation (resistors, transistors, sensors, etc.), etc. Moreover, the sensors can be very different in their purpose: lighting, acceleration, temperature, distance, pressure, obstacles etc. As an indication device, simple parts can be used, from LEDs and tweeters to complex devices, such as graphic displays. As actuators , motors, valves, relays, servos, electromagnets and many others are considered, which are very, very long. MK works directly with one of these lists using connecting wires. Some mechanisms require transition devices. But if you start to design, it will be difficult for you to come off. Now let's talk about Arduino programming.
Details on the board programming process
A program that is already ready to work on the microcontroller is called firmware. There can be either one project or Arduino projects, so it would be advisable to store each firmware in a separate folder in order to speed up the process of finding the necessary files. It is flashed onto the MK crystal through specialized devices: programmers. And here "Arduino" has one advantage - it does not need a programmer. Everything is done so that programming Arduino for beginners is not difficult. The written code can be downloaded to the MK via a USB cable. This advantage is achieved not by some pre-programmer built-in already, but by special firmware - a bootloader. The bootloader is a special program that starts immediately after connecting and listens to whether there will be any commands, whether to flash the crystal, whether there are Arduino projects or not. From the use of the bootloader, several very attractive advantages come up:
- Using only one communication channel, which does not require additional time costs. So, Arduino projects do not require you to connect many different wires, and there was confusion when using them. For successful operation, one USB cable is enough.
- Protection against crooked hands. It is quite easy to bring the microcontroller to the state of a brick using direct firmware, you don’t need to strain too much. When working with a bootloader, you can’t get to potentially dangerous settings (with the help of a development program, of course, you can break everything). Therefore, Arduino for beginners is designed not only from the point of view that it is understandable and convenient, it will also allow you to avoid unwanted cash costs associated with the inexperience of the person working with them.
Projects to get you started
When you have acquired a kit, soldering iron, rosin and solder, you should not immediately sculpt very complex structures. Of course, they can be dazzled, but the chance of success in Arduino for beginners is rather low with complex projects. For training and “stuffing” your hands, you can try to implement several simpler ideas that will help to understand the interaction and work of “Arduino”. As such first steps in working with Arduino for beginners, you might be advised to consider:
- Create a flashing LED that will work thanks to the Arduino.
- Connect a separate button to the Arduino. At the same time, you can make the button so that it can control the LED glow from point 1.
- Potentiometer connection.
- Servo control.
- Connection and work with a three-color LED.
- Connection of a piezoelectric element.
- Connecting a photoresistor.
- Connection of the motion sensor and signals about its work.
- Connection of a humidity or temperature sensor.
Projects for the future
It is unlikely that you are interested in "Arduino" in order to connect individual LEDs. Most likely, you are attracted by the opportunity to create your own typewriter,
radio-controlled boat or flying turntable. Such projects are complex in their implementation, they will require a lot of time and perseverance, but by completing them, you will get what you wanted: valuable experience in constructing with Arduino for beginners.