Getting Started with Arduino Lab 1

Introduction to Arduino

Learn about Arduino and the Arduino UNO and how you can integrate this board into your makerspace and coding program. Make interactive makerspace projects while learning to code and problem solve.

The key features are:

 Arduino boards are able to read analog or digital input signals from different sensors
and turn it into an output such as activating a motor, turning LED on/off, connect to
the cloud and many other actions.

 You can control your board functions by sending a set of instructions to the
microcontroller on the board via Arduino IDE (referred to as uploading software).

 Unlike most previous programmable circuit boards, Arduino does not need an extra
piece of hardware (called a programmer) in order to load a new code onto the board.
You can simply use a USB cable.

 Additionally, the Arduino IDE uses a simplified version of C++, making it easier to
learn to program.

 Finally, Arduino provides a standard form factor that breaks the functions of the
micro-controller into a more accessible package.

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What Is Arduino?
Arduino is an open source programmable circuit board that can be integrated into a wide variety of
makerspace projects both simple and complex. This board contains amicrocontrollerwhich is able
to be programmed to sense and control objects in the physical world. By responding to sensors and
inputs, the Arduino is able to interact with a large array of outputs such as LEDs, motors and
displays. Because of it’sflexibility and low cost, Arduino has become a very popular choice for
makers and makerspaces looking to create interactive hardware projects.
History
Arduino was introduced back in 2005 in Italy by Massimo Banzi as a way for nonengineers to have
access to a low cost, simple tool for creating hardware projects. Since the board is open-source, it is
released under a Creative Commons license which allows anyone to produce their own board. If
you search the web, you will find there are hundreds of Arduino compatible clones and variations
available but the only official boards have Arduino in it’s name.
In the next section, we’re going to discuss a few of the Arduino boards available and how they
differ from each other.

Types of Arduino Boards

Arduino is a great platform for prototyping projects and inventions but can be confusing when
having to choose the right board. If you’re brand new to this, you might have always thought that
there was just one “Arduino” board and that’s it. In reality, there are many variations of the official
Arduino boards and then there are hundreds more from competitors who offer clones. But don’t
worry, we’re going to show you which one to start with later on in this tutorial.

Below are a few examples of the different types of Arduino boards out there. The boards with the
name Arduino on them are the official boards but there are also a lot of really great clones on the
market as well. One of the best reasons to buy a clone is the fact they are generally less expensive
than their official counterpart. Adafruit and Sparkfun for example, sell variations of the Arduino
boards which cost less but still have the same quality of the originals. One word of caution, be
careful when buying boards from companies you don’t know.

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Image credit – Sparkfun.com

Another factor to consider when choosing a board is the type of project you are looking to do. For
example, if you want to create a wearable electronic project, you might want to consider the
LilyPad board from Sparkfun. The LilyPad is designed to be easily sewn into e-textiles and
wearable projects. If your project has a small form factor, you might want to use the Arduino Pro
Mini which has a very small footprint compared to other boards. Check out Sparkfun’sArduino
Comparison Guide for a breakdown and comparison of the top boards out there.
Next, we’re going to focus on our favorite Arduino board which we recommend beginners start
with.
Here is a list of different Arduino boards available.
Arduino boards based on ATMEGA328 microcontroller
Board Name Operating Clock Digital Analog PWM UART Programming
Volt Speed i/o Inputs Interface
Arduino Uno 5V 16MHz 14 6 6 1 USB via
R3 ATMega16U2
Arduino Uno 5V 16MHz 14 6 6 1 USB via
R3 SMD ATMega16U2
Red Board 5V 16MHz 14 6 6 1 USB via FTDI

Arduino Pro 3.3V 8 MHz 14 6 6 1 FTDICompatible

3.3v/8 MHz Header

Arduino Pro 5V 16MHz 14 6 6 1 FTDICompatible

5V/16MHz Header

Arduino mini 5V 16MHz 14 8 6 1 FTDICompatible

05 Header

Arduino Pro 3.3V 8MHz 14 8 6 1 FTDICompatible

mini Header
3.3v/8mhz
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Arduino Pro 5V 16MHz 14 8 6 1 FTDICompatible
mini Header
5v/16mhz
Arduino 5V 16MHz 14 6 6 1 FTDICompatible
Ethernet Header

Arduino Fio 3.3V 8MHz 14 8 6 1 FTDICompatible

Header

LilyPad Arduino 3.3V 8MHz 14 6 6 1 FTDICompatible

328 main board Header

LilyPad Arduino 3.3V 8MHz 9 4 5 0 FTDICompatible

simply board Header

Arduino boards based on ATMEGA2560 microcontroller

Board Name Operating Clock Digital i/o Analog PWM UART Programming
Volt Speed Inputs Interface

Arduino 5V 16MHz 54 16 14 4 USB via

Mega 2560 ATMega16U2
R3

Mega Pro 3.3V 8MHz 54 16 14 4 FTDICompatible

3.3V Header

Mega Pro 5V 16MHz 54 16 14 4 FTDICompatible

5V Header

Mega Pro Mini 3.3V 8MHz 54 16 14 4 FTDICompatible

Header
3.3V

Arduino boards based on AT91SAM3X8E microcontroller

Board Name Operating Clock Digital i/o Analog PWM UART Programming
Volt Speed Inputs Interface

Arduino 3.3V 84MHz 54 12 12 4 USB native

Due

Arduino Uno
One of the most popular Arduino boards out there is the Arduino Uno. While it was not actually
the first board to be released, it remains to be the most actively used in the market.

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Board Breakdown
Here are the components that make up an Arduino board and what each of their functions are.
1. Reset Button – This will restart any code that is loaded to the Arduino board
2. AREF – Stands for “Analog Reference” and is used to set an external reference voltage
3. Ground Pin – There are a few ground pins on the Arduino and they all work the same
4. Digital Input/Output – Pins 0-13 can be used for digital input or output
5. PWM – The pins marked with the (~) symbol can simulate analog output
6. USB Connection – Used for powering up your Arduino and uploading sketches
7. TX/RX – Transmit and receive data indication LEDs
8. ATmega Microcontroller – This is the brains and is where the programs are stored
9. Power LED Indicator – This LED lights up anytime the board is plugged in a power source
10. Voltage Regulator – This controls the amount of voltage going into the Arduino board
11. DC Power Barrel Jack – This is used for powering your Arduino with a power supply
12. 3.3V Pin – This pin supplies 3.3 volts of power to your projects
13. 5V Pin – This pin supplies 5 volts of power to your projects
14. Ground Pins – There are a few ground pins on the Arduino and they all work the same
15. Analog Pins– These pins can read the signal from an analog sensor and convert it to digital.
Arduino Power Supply
The Arduino Uno needs a power source in order for it to operate and can be powered in a variety
of ways. You can do what most people do and connect the board directly to your computer via a
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USB cable. If you want your project to be mobile, consider using a 9V battery pack to give it
juice. The last method would be to use a 9V AC power supply. You can also attach your battery
positive pin to Vin and negative to ground but the range should be no more than 9V.

Here is a visual of what a completed Arduino circuit looks like when connected to a breadboard.

How to Program Arduino

Once the circuit has been created on the breadboard, you’ll need to upload the program (known as
a sketch) to the Arduino. The sketch is a set of instructions that tells the board what functions it
needs to perform. An Arduino board can only hold and perform one sketch at a time. The
software used to create Arduino sketches is called the IDE which stands for Integrated
Development Environment. The software is free to download and can be found
athttps://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software
Steps to follow
1. Create project
To create a new project, select File --> New.

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To open an existing project example, select File -> Example -> Basics -> Blink .

Here, we are selecting just one of the examples with the name Blink. It turns the LED on and off
with some time delay. You can select any other example from the list.

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2. Select your Arduino board
To avoid any error while uploading your program to the board, you must select the correct Arduino
board name, which matches with the board connected to your computer.
Go to Tools -> Board and select your board.

Here, we have selected Arduino Uno board according to our tutorial, but you must select the name
matching the board that you are using.

3. Select serial port

Select the serial device of the Arduino board. Go to Tools -> Serial Port menu. This is likely to be
COM3 or higher (COM1 and COM2 are usually reserved for hardware serial ports). To find out,
you can disconnect your Arduino board and re-open the menu, the entry that disappears should be
of the Arduino board. Reconnect the board and select that serial port.

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4. Upload the program to your board

Before explaining how we can upload our program to the board, we must demonstrate the function
of each symbol appearing in the Arduino IDE toolbar.

A- Used to check if there is any compilation error.

B- Used to upload a program to the Arduino board.

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C- Shortcut used to create a new sketch.
D- Used to directly open one of the example sketch.
E-Used to save your sketch.
F- Serial monitor used to receive serial data from the board and send the serial data to the board.

Now, simply click the "Upload" button in the environment. Wait a few seconds; you will see the
RX and TX LEDs on the board, flashing. If the upload is successful, the message "Done uploading"
will appear in the status bar.

Note: If you have an Arduino Mini, NG, or other board, you need to press the reset button
physically on the board, immediately before clicking the upload button on the Arduino Software.
Arduino Shields
If you want to add a very specific functionality to your Arduino, you will need to use a shield.
Arduino shields plug into the top of the Arduino board and can add capabilities such as WiFi,
Bluetooth, GPS and much more. There are literally hundreds of shields to choose from and here
are a few examples.
 WiFiShield
 LCDShield
 GPSLoggerShield
 MP3MusicMakerShield
 EthernetShield
 Motor/Stepper/ServoShield

Arduino Sensors
If you want your Arduino to sense the world around it, you will need to add a sensor. There are
a wide range of sensors to choose from and they each have a specific purpose. Below you will
find some of the commonly used sensors in projects.
 DistanceRangingSensor
 PIRMotionSensor
 LightSensor
 DegreeofFlexSensor
 PressureSensor
 ProximitySensor
 SoundDetectingSensor
 RGBandGestureSensor
 HumidityandTemperatureSensor

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Examples of Arduino Sensors

Arduino Projects
You may be wondering what an Arduino board can do besides blink an LED. Below are some example
projects which help to showcase how truly amazing this board is and the capabilities of it.
1. Autonomous car
2. Smart Drone
3. Led cube
4. Smart GPS Tracker Using Arduino
5. Flash Twenty LEDs Using Arduino
6. Alarm Clock Radio Using Arduino
7. Make An Arduino-Based Wireless Frequency Meter
8. Temperature Based Fan Speed Control And Monitoring Using Arduino
9. Arduino Based RF Controlled Robot
10. Automated plant watering system
11. Home Automation Using an Android Device

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Example Program 1
This example blink the 13 pin led
intledpin=13;
void setup() {
// initialize digital pin LED_BUILTIN as an output.
pinMode(ledpin, OUTPUT);
}

// the loop function runs over and over again forever

void loop() {
digitalWrite(ledpin, HIGH); // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
delay(1000); // wait for a second
digitalWrite(ledpin, LOW); // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
delay(1000); // wait for a second
}

Example 2
This example blink the 13 pin led with button
constintbuttonPin = 2; // the number of the pushbutton pin
constintledPin = 13; // the number of the LED pin

// variables will change:

intbuttonState = 0; // variable for reading the pushbutton status
void setup() {
// initialize the LED pin as an output:
pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);
// initialize the pushbutton pin as an input:
pinMode(buttonPin, INPUT);
}

void loop() {
// read the state of the pushbutton value:
buttonState = digitalRead(buttonPin);
// check if the pushbutton is pressed. If it is, the buttonState is HIGH:
if (buttonState == HIGH) {
// turn LED on:
digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
} else {
// turn LED off:
digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);
}
}

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