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Plotting real-time data from Arduino using Python
Arduino is fantastic as an intermediary between your computer and a raw electronic circuit. Using the serial interface, you can retrieve information from sensors attached to your Arduino. (You can also send information via the serial interface to actuate circuits and devices (LEDs, relays, servos, etc.) connected to your Arduino.) Once you have the data
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Ambient Light sensor using an Op-Amp Comparator
Say you have a microcontroller circuit that does something when it goes dark. To save power, you want to put the chip to sleep when the ambient light drops below a certain level. One way to do this is using an LDR and an op-amp comparator. Here is the schematic: In the above circuit, the
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Serial Communications with the ATmega168
The first thing you do when you learn a new programming language or platform is to write a “hello world” application. This requires something like a “printf” function. That’s not so straightforward when it comes to microcontrollers – where will the output of the “printf” go? That’s where serial communications come in. Arduino users have
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Using the LM317 Voltage Regulator
I was used to the 7805 series of voltage regulators, but recently for a project that used the MMA7660 accelerometer chip which takes only a max of 3.6 V, I needed a different regulator. Here is the schematic for the supply. You need to adjust the 1k pot while checking Vout with a multimeter or
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nocte lux – A low cost motion activated night lamp
No, it’s not the $10000 Leica lens of similar name. For this project, I wanted to try and make a simple night lamp – something that you can put under your cot and use it simply by picking it up. Useful in case you get up in the middle of the night and need a
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Automatic Lights for Desk Interior
This is a small project that I worked on last year. I have a desk made of dark wood, and it was very difficult to see what was inside the bottom draw. I put together a simple circuit with the schematic below – something which lit up a few strips of LEDs using a magnet
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