Arduino Lilypad

Just arrived in the post today is my latest board to add to the collection the Lilypad.

This board is not like others which I have shown you before the Lilypad is an unusual shape ... round.

Much like the Uno or the Nano it has much the same connectivity, digital and analogue and even an ICSP (with out the pins) the differences are with the boards layout and well lack of components!

The Lilypad is a unique variation which allows easy application of "wearable" or "e-clothes" to be developed using conductive thread which can allows some pretty cool things to me made like light up clothing or even something that can detect the wearers environment around them and respond!

The Lilypad has a few different variations in regards to the micro controller, on the official Ardunio site it lists "ATmega168V" and "ATmega328V" but the one that I have is the "Atmega328p" which from what I can tell there is no real difference apart from possibly a lower energy version... but don't quote me on this as they both say the same thing from various sources.

*Let’s get started*

Like normal I'll do the good old drawing on the photo method that has worked well in the past.

In the photos below you will find red, orange and yellow lines around parts of the board that have a corresponding number next to them, these numbers will correspond to a list below with the explanation of the part / interesting information!

Top side:

Red Numbers:

1. Power pins
2. Resonator
3. ICSP (In Circuit Serial Programming) 
4. Micro controller - Atmel Atmega328p 
5. TX and RX 
6. Programming header
7. Reset switch

Orange Arrows: These are all the digital pins - zero though to thirteen but remember Red No. 5

Yellow Arrows: These are the analogy pins - five in total.

Bottom side:

I will show you the bottom side but there is nothing on it! All you will be able to see if the gold connection points that go though to the other side, not the most exciting thing to view.

Back again, tell a friend!

Hello again,

Its been a while since I last updated this, work and life commitments got in the way and I had to put it all on hold, but I'm back.

Looking at back at the last posting that was way back in August 2015, far to long ago, I introducing my newly purchased Arduino Mega 2560, since then there has been loads of new things going on and total amazing projects that the community has been developing. 

Since I took my hiatus I have still been pottering with all things Arduino and made a few quick breadboard projects that I needed right there and then, on such being a room temperature logger for my office so I had the evidence to prove that it was too bloody hot and we needed an air conditioning unit, I'll recreate the project and show you how I did it!

Also something else new, I'm going to look back on all the old postings and update their content including photos to make them even clearer and fit for this day and age so look out for the revisiting!

Anyway, I hope that you join me once again so lets get making stuff!

The Arduino Mega 2560

It's almost like Christmas when you get a parcel in the post, and there is no better feeling to a nerd than knowing that in that little paper padded bag that fell though the hole in your door is your brand new Arduino Mega 2560 all the way from China, yes I know I got a clone again!

With out further ado gets have a look and see what it has!

Temperature sensor LM35

In this project we will be using a LM35 precession temperature sensor to read the current temperature and then output that data via serial to the computer so it can be read.

Potentiometer with LEDs and "if" commands

In this beginners project I will show you two key parts, one being a component the potentiometer and the other is a software command called "if".

*What is a potentiometer*

A potentiometer or "pot" as it is commonly know is a voltage divider (WIKI LINK) but rather than two preset resistors as you will find used in any old text book, this one you can change the resistance and measure the voltage out.

Potentiometers are used all over the place for all sorts of things, if you have volume controls in-line on headphone then that is possibly going to be one.

Serial - Computer to Arduino

This is a two part project, in this first part we will use the serial "instruction" from a computer to turn on an LED.

In the second part we will use the Arduino to send and "instruction" to the computer. (coming in a few weeks)

* What you need *

 For this project you will need:

1. Arduino UNO or NANO
2. Your Computer with the Arduino IDE and a USB cable
3. 2 x LED (two different colours)
4. 2 x Resistor 150k Ohm
5. Jumper wires
6. Breadboard

 

The digrams - Fritzing

I use a program called Fritzing to make all my diagrams that you can find in my postings.

Its open source and 100% free, I find that Fritzing is probably the easiest way to draw up circuit diagrams, real world breadboard views and even circuit designs which you can use to make your project enter the real physical world!

You can find the download link to your operating systems here LINK, they do ask for a donation just like the Arduino IDE, it all goes in to helping the program develop further so please do donate if you can!

4511 BCD to 7 segment decoder - 7 Segment display

In this project we will look at the 4511 chip and get it to display and output to a standard common cathode 7 segment display.

By the end of this project you will have a fully working chip that only uses a few pins from the Arduino and gives you an awesome number display that's easy to change!

Must have components

Just having an Arduino is one thing but what if you want to do something with it?

I have assembled a list of a few components that would be a good idea to have around for your experiments.

All of these can be purchased on-line or from local electronics parts suppliers, sadly in the UK there not a lot of "walk in" electronics shops that cater for the hobbyist or small volume parts supply :(.

If you are in the UK (and possibly in other country) Maplin do stock most of the common parts you might have to ask for them.

I tend to get most of my parts of  CPC UK (massive range) but you do have to order around £10 worth of parts to get free delivery.

Failing that try looking on Amazon or eBay if you know exactly what part you want and do not mind the quality.

Hello World, Lets get started with a Flashing LED

Lets get cracking with the first project.

This one is nice and simple, this program will make the inbuilt LED, shared on pin 13, flash on and off every second until you turn off the Arduino.

You can also find this starter project elsewhere on the Internet it might be called the "Arduino Hello World" or "Blink".