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 :
- Hobbyist
- Students
- Engineers
- 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.
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Please ask if you have any question regarding the programming of MCU, or have any problem in development of your electronics project. microcontroller51.blogspot.com