Blog for Micro-Controller for Electronics Hobbyist

Introduction of Hobby Projects based on Microcontroller:

 This blog: The Microcontroller Programming Solutions is a good source of literature related to electronics projects mostly based on the use of Embedded system i.e. the use of Microcontroller or Microprocessor as the main central processing units along with the other electronics devices, instruments, equipment and components which may includes the sensors, the display units, LED seven segment displays, The Liquid crystal displays, the moving message displays, computer screens etc. This is an open form blog for the interested people like scientists and engineers which have keen interest in the field of Embedded systems. Here we can help each others to develop various interesting projects based on microcontrollers of all kinds like microcontrollers of Atmel, MicroChip Microcontrollers and AVR microcontrollers. Here any one hobbyist can submit his project for the use of other and as well as any one interested can ask for help to develop his project successfully. Thus This blog is for following :

1.  Hobbyist
2. Students
3.  Engineers
4.  Industry

Here we will provides best solution based on micro-controllers. 

The projects will be developed using MCU and associated electronics.

It will be the extension of one of the very famous blog on microcontroller named microcontroller51.blogspot.com

What is about this Microcontroller Blog:

In the beginning, as I am starting to write my First Post on this blog which is related to Microcontroller, my desire is to put my practical project one by one on this blog to technical assist the beginners in the form of tutorial of microcontroller. Thus, I name this blog for the hobbyist and learner of electronics and microcontrollers. This article is just introductory nature. Later post will be focusing of the microcontroller projects on this blog. This is platform where hobbyist and learner will get practical example projects of microcontroller, thus we can say that this blog is about the Best blog for the microcontroller on hobby projects.

Why we need Microcontroller Development Board in the start:

To develop microcontroller projects quickly, the best optimum choice is I think to use readily available but not much costly development boards offering all suitable capabilities and features. One we are going to choose a Development Board for Microcontroller, what we have or we should have questions and what we should have to think about like considering to buy Microcontroller Development Board, as many are available over internet to buy online. Usually I prefer the Microcontroller Development Board which has all necessary features for beginners like some electronics components shall be mounted on it along with availabilities of ports to connect something externally with the board, if need to connect a device with microcontroller.

To develop a Microcontroller Hobby Project; What are basic components required to be available on Development board for beginners:

The components which are necessarily required at the start of hobby project based on microcontroller are Push buttons, section buttons, resistors, capacitors, potentiometer, variable resistors, reset button, touch button, LEDs, port status LEDs, Alpha-numeric LCD, provision of connection for general purpose graphic LCD, Mikro-BUS header, programmer attachment, relays, optocouplers, Bluetooth module, finger print sensor, touch pad for graphical LCDs, to avoid the need of external hardware for programming there should be Integrated programming interfaces through USB port or at least using RS-232 serial communication although the use of serial programmers are now limited,  power supply connections with 05V regulator,  etc.

Example of an inexpensive Microcontroller board to develop hobby projects for learner:

One of the best choices I think would be the development board for PIC microcontrollers which I like to use is the Microchip’s 8-bit Curiosity Development Board. The microcontroller used at this board is a PIC16F1619 which developed by MicroChip. The board has a DIP socket for the placement of microcontroller consisting of 20 pin. The advantage of provision of this DIP socket on development board is to give provision to learner to change the microcontroller easily and to update the board with any microcontroller which has similarly PIN configurations. As we know that in 20 PIN package there are several Microcontroller developed by MicroChip have different features but same PINs for power supply and other connections. Thus the developer cab switch from one microcontroller to any other of similar number PINs very easily.

Hobby Project Development board features offered by 8-bit Curiosity:

The important features of microcontroller board are summarized as ; PIC16F1619 compatible microcontroller usability, this microcontroller has some important features which are not common in many other 8-bit microcontrollers made by other manufactures like it has 1 KB of RAM, 8K 14-bit words (14 KB) of program storage, four Configurable Logic Cells, Multiple serial communications: EUSART, SPI, I2C, Complementary Waveform Generator, two Capture or Compare or PWM modules, Math accelerator with PID controller, two Signal measurement Timers which offers 24-bit timer or counter with Pre-scaler, Cyclic Redundancy Check, angular timer, three 8-Bit Timers/ counter and many more features. There are a lot of facilities which can be programmed to have interesting experience.

Other suitable options to start a Microcontroller Hobby Project:

There are many options available over internet which can be considered like development board which are made to use Atmel microcontrollers like 8051 family, the development board made for the use of AVR microcontrollers. The Arduino boards are also good choice, these boards normally use AVR microcontroller like Atmega8, atmge16 or atmge32. There is an important parameter which is called coast. Thus, one should consider his budget also. The PIC microcontroller 16F84 is also a good choice and I like it also to develop some tiny or small microcontroller projects.  It is a low cost and basic microcontroller in a 14pin package. It can be purchased anywhere for less than $2. I have developed many small microcontroller project using PIC16f84 processor, similarly I have used a variety of Arduino boards like Arduino Trinket, Arduino RS232, Arduino Diecimila, Arduino Duemilanove, Arduino Uno SMD, Arduino Leonardo, Arduino pro micro, Arduino Mega, Arduino Nano, Arduino UNO, Arduino Ethernet, Arduino Due, Arduino LilyPad, many of more.

Common Uses or General Application of Arduino or any Microcontroller:

There are a variety of application which can be developed using microcontroller made of Atmel 8051 family, PIC by MicrChip or Atmel AVR, etc like some are listed below which will be constructed and developed in later post of this microcontroller blog:

• Development of a handheld game console
• Designing the project based on microcontroller to control the graphical LCD
• Construction of a MIDI controller device like mimics the Monome
• Digital Thermometer
• Autopilot for drone
• Microcontroller based weather station
• ArduSat, a cubesat based on Arduino
• Microcontroller based event counting machine
• C-STEM Studio, a platform for learning of computing, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics Development of robots, toy cars, helicopters etc
• Industrial use of microcontroller, like development of various type of panel meters for the measurement of voltage, current and frequency of power sources.
• Yard-meter (Ghazana Meter) to measure the length of cloth being produced in textile industry
• Data loggers for scientific research
• Development of a trip computer that uses the on-board diagnostics interface found in most modern cars
• Fabrication of electric vehicle
• Construction of automatic wheel chair
• Construction of incubator

Point under consideration while Designing of a Microcontroller Project:

The designing a project based on microcontroller needs proper homework which start from thinking and ends on thinking, the important steps involved in this procedure are as under:

• Identification of problem
• Think about how it is being done manually
• Try to automate it on paper
• Try to choose the electronics components
• Try to develop its schematic circuit diagram,
• Try to write its program
• Build the program into Microcontroller using suitable programmer
• Test the program with real parameters and modify it.
• Finalize the project on standard PCB.

Good luck to all learner and hobbyist coming on my microcontroller blog, you can explore the hobby project based microcontroller by looking at different post. I will usually put one project in one post. You are welcome to comment and please give feedback. Thanks