This tag should be used for questions regarding the selection of components, deciding functionality, and other issues that may come up during the early stages of a project.
5
votes
0answers
71 views
Replacement crystal on Uno for cold temperatures
I want to run an arduino out in the cold (-40), and use the serial communication - I believe that the crystal is the weakest link (the one for the serial chip) - however I don't see any drop-in (...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
Streaming audio from PC to Arduino over WiFi
Say I wanted to, purely hypothetically, set up a pirate radio station by connecting an Arduino to a WiFi network away from home, streaming music to the Arduino, decoding it, and broadcasting it with ...
2
votes
1answer
189 views
“tamper” circuit of a reed switch: can I connect the two wires to an INPUT and an OUTPUT pin?
While working for the automation side of my new house, I'm currently in the process of installing several reed switches on top of external doors and windows.
Even if this could be used as a "...
1
vote
1answer
52 views
Designing UI for effects project
I have a project where I am using an Arduino to control a smoke machine and a strobe light using DMX (with a shield). I also use a light sensor, so that when a person pass through it, the Arduino ...
0
votes
1answer
533 views
How Master and Slave concept works with Bluetooth?
From what I understand the master has primary control over the slaves and communicates with them. A master must always be present as well, and can be connected to (up to) 7 slaves.
Question
If I ...
1
vote
4answers
158 views
Create a device to detect object state
Here is what I want to do or get it done (since I am not a embedded guy)...
create a prototype with Arduino to detect open window/door of my room using camera(image processing/object state detection)?...
1
vote
0answers
49 views
How to select a 0.1" header in Fritzing
Does Fritzing support the standard 0.1" break-away header?
When I search for "header" in its parts database, I see several examples, and some even seem to reference 0.1 headers, but I can't actually ...
1
vote
1answer
134 views
Arduino and 127/220 Volts: Relay and Isolation
I am new to Arduino, also, I am not fluent in english.
I wish to create a controller for several circuits. All of those circuits are "in parallel" with additional circuits.
My question is:
Do a ...
0
votes
2answers
216 views
Powering arduino and 12V Fan from same supply
I have found a relatively small 12V switching power supply that I want to build into my device, using it to power both the Arduino Pro Mini and a couple of 12V cpu fans.
Am I correct in assuming that ...
0
votes
1answer
43 views
Just sanity-checking a concept… poor man's self-monitored alarm system
If I wanted to throw together a simple burglar-alarm system that had wireless sensors talking to an Arduino (which would then send me an SMS message via cellular shield as a silent alarm telling me ...
0
votes
1answer
181 views
Fog Machine - On Command
I work with a marching band, and we want to use fog machines for a particular part of the show. I know how to code/program in Arduino, however I am not great in the electrical and technical end. I own ...
0
votes
1answer
45 views
Is it possible to make an arbitrary lake bottom generator?
I'm trying to generate an arbitrary lake bottom sonar returns using my Arduino.
I would like to seed a function with a "depth." This would be the starting depth. I would then like to randomize a set ...
0
votes
1answer
50 views
safety for power electronics
I'm quite new to Arduino. I have build a number of projects successfully, like potentiometers, serial communication, DAC, sensors, motors etc.
I use a laptop to power my Arduino project and Atmel ...
2
votes
3answers
314 views
Human circuit trigger
The main idea is to create trigger which can be switched on by touching 2 plates on opposite walls. And these should be performed by few peoples holding each other hands.
Obviously human body has big ...
1
vote
1answer
118 views
Very easy Arduino code challenge for you brainiacs to solve
I've searched the forum for similar problems and still can't see my obvious issue. I'm working on a simple Halloween prop and I'm using an Arduino for the first time. I've tested each individual '...
-1
votes
2answers
202 views
Which sensor is best for obstacle detecting with retroreflector?
Distance is about 3m. IR or visible light - does not matter.
It is possible that object/obstacle can be shiny, so for correct detection necessary large amount of reflected light.
Maybe for this task ...
1
vote
2answers
77 views
What to with reset pin when laying out Arduino PCB?
I'm designing a PCB with a standard arduino ATMEGA328 DIP IC. Do I need to make a connection to the reset pin?
0
votes
2answers
64 views
What are the basic steps to make a printed circuit board?
I created a shield for Arduino on a soldering board. The next step shall be to implement the circuit on a PCB. I'm new to this, so I'd like to know what the basic steps in designing a PCB are.
More ...
4
votes
5answers
6k views
How to remember variable values after rebooting an Arduino Uno R3 board?
Is there any way to store the values of necessary variables somewhere (may be in a file that gets updated by the program at various events), which can be read back when program starts after rebooting ...
0
votes
4answers
91 views
Arduino: Breadboards and PCBs [duplicate]
I just watched this excellent video tutorial that shows a simple Arduino program that toggles an LED via a pushbutton. Very cool!
In the video, the author is using a breadboard for prototyping his ...
1
vote
0answers
23 views
Low powered proximity aware devices
I'd like to build a set of lower powered devices that are aware of each other. I'd like to make something I can attach to a name badge at events (or even build into a name badge) so that when people ...
1
vote
3answers
1k views
Best Header for Arduino Nano
I would like to be able to create permanent projects with my arduino Nano but be able to remove the nano in order to use it in other projects. The arduino Nano has 30 pins so I would be looking for ...
2
votes
1answer
316 views
AVCC and AREF when using a reference voltage lower than 5V?
I'm designing a circuit that will use a 2.5v reference for the AREF. Should AVCC be powered from 5V or 2.5V?
6
votes
3answers
1k views
ATMega328P-PU and 328P-AU
im planing to make my very own arduino design based on the Arduino PRO mini. I picked this board instead of the UNO mostly because it's way more simpler compared with the UNO since the USB-to-Serial ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
Arduino Based Solid State Drive
I've searched high and low for something to get me on the right track, it's making me think it might not be possible.
Basically, I want to create a cheap SSD using Arduino (or another microcontroller ...
6
votes
6answers
2k views
Loading local libraries
I'm new to Arduino/C development (coming from a JavaScript/Ruby environment), but I was wondering if it was possible to include a library from a custom folder within a sketch?
So this is my situation;...
2
votes
5answers
8k views
How can I run multiple programs on an Arduino?
I'm trying to get students to experiment with Arduino. However, due to a lack of boards, two teams of students will collaborate on each board. They will push their own code (independent from each ...
2
votes
2answers
252 views
Programming an Array of ATTiny
I am designing a board for my electronics project and i am using a number of ATTiny85 for it. The ATTiny's will be SMD so i will not be able to remove them for programming.
Moreover all of the pins ...
-1
votes
1answer
176 views
What is the best way to establish wireless communication between the Lilypad and a Mac?
I want to build a wearable device for a dancer using the Lilypad and I need to first send the programme from my Mac to the Lilypad board and then transfer the data read by sensors back to my Mac.
I ...
1
vote
1answer
2k views
Washing machine controlled by Arduino for homebrewing
So, this question might sound a bit silly at first glance (no, I know, it sounds flat out insane), but not all that silly at second.
I have heard once about a guy who transformed some (presumably old-...
1
vote
1answer
2k views
Can I use the setup() function inside the loop() function
In the normal case the setup() function will be run once automatically and and then the loop() function will run many times.
I want to initialize several modules in the setup() function and then in ...
5
votes
1answer
2k views
From transfer function to arduino
This question might seem stupid, but I have been curious about it for a long time.
So I am a new engineering student, and we learned a lot about "designing a controller". For example, design ...
1
vote
2answers
4k views
Use potentiometer to control motor's speed
Following the arduino starter kit, one of the projects uses a push button to on/off a motor.
In the end they suggest to try to use a potentiometer to control the speed of the motor.
I already did it, ...
1
vote
3answers
192 views
What is the simplest way to “ask” the arduino which input pins are HIGH?
I am trying to build a 36-line cable tester, using the Digistump DigiX (99 i/o pins). Digital pins 0-35 are outputs, connected via the cable in question, to (in a perfect world) digital input pins 36-...
1
vote
1answer
2k views
Using Arduino to control a 12v car light system?
I am new, but I am wondering what options I may have to control a 12v line that connects to a light with Arduino i/o.
Given the voltage limitations of an arduino, I am thinking using some kind of 5v ...
2
votes
2answers
858 views
Exoskeleton Motor Control Code
Background:
I have been working on an exoskeleton project with a group of friends, and I need help. I made another post on the robotics.stackexchange site for the drive system: http://robotics....
1
vote
1answer
325 views
Efficient periodic wake up for sensor reads [duplicate]
I've been tasked to do an initial design for an Arduino setup that needs to run very infrequently.
Basically, I'd like the system to wake up daily to take some sensor readings and report them back to ...
8
votes
4answers
212 views
How do I know if a board fits my requirements?
I'm new to Arduino and I saw on there website that there are many different kinds of boards.
What are the differences, or to be more specific, how would I know which board is meet my requirements? I ...
4
votes
5answers
5k views
Is it possible to transmit using an NRF24L01+ without an Arduino?
I have two NRF24L01+ modules which are transceivers, but for my project I would like to send a very simple signal from one of these modules to the be read by the other.
That would've been very simple ...
1
vote
1answer
411 views
Arduino stopwatch, which board to use?
I am planning on making a simple stopwatch with:
A display
One or two additional buttons to start the stopwatch and stop the stopwatch and
maybe reset it.
The problem is that it has to be as small ...
5
votes
2answers
189 views
Most power efficient way to constantly save 2 kilobytes of data per second
I would like to constantly save data coming from sensors (for an activity tracker) while consuming as less battery as possible (I'd like to have a 4/5 days autonomy on a 3000 mAh battery) but I can't ...
5
votes
1answer
268 views
How do I manipulate a large number of moving platforms?
I am trying to build a device that will allow me to control at least a couple hundred raising platforms. The goal of this is to create a real time editor for board games (Dungeons and Dragons).
...
42
votes
17answers
10k views
How to trigger an alarm when toilet paper is low?
Anyone with kids knows they never help with the toilet paper. Anyone know how to track when it's low or out and sound an audible alarm? I just don't know what sensor to use that may help.
Some that ...
9
votes
8answers
4k views
Best way to determine if a 5 gallon water jug is getting empty
I have an espresso machine that gets its water from one of those 5 gallon blue water bottles (I would plumb it, but our water here is WAAAAY too hard).
If I ever accidentally let the bottle run out ...
17
votes
6answers
11k views
How can I get a unique ID for all my Arduino boards?
Once you have uploaded a sketch to one of your Arduino boards, it is hard to know exactly what source code led to that sketch.
Indeed, you may change the source code of your sketch on your PC without ...
13
votes
5answers
3k views
How to connect two Arduino without shields?
I'm planning an Arduino system that consists of several Arduino boards. The maximum distance between the boards is about 50 meters. I want to send basic data between these, like short strings or ...
