Learning Electronics
Below are listed various electronic components that I have worked with over time. Each component has been tested using the appropriate circuit on a breadboard, whereas, some have been fabricated onto either PCB or veroboard. In all cases, full details of the working circuit (including schematic diagrams, circuit descriptions, component selection) and any difficulties encountered during construction (and fixes, alternatives or work-arounds discovered) are given in detail.
Details of the various projects are available by clicking the links in the following tables which list projects by either category, project title or difficulty.
Sometimes I developed software (using either Visual Basic, Microsoft Access, CSS C++, or Excel spreadsheets) to help with testing particular components. Such programs, modules and or source code can be found on the Downloads pages.
Category | Project Title | Description | Difficulty | ESP-8266 Wi-Fi/Micro | Installing/Flashing Espressif AT Command Firmware | Demonstrate how to flash/update Espressif firmware to enable ESP8266 to communicate via AT commands. | Medium |
---|---|---|---|
Component Test | ESP8266 Wi-Fi Module | Wi-Fi Module to enable PIC microcontroller to act as Internet Server, upload/download from Web Pages. | Medium |
Component Test | DHT-11 | Temperature and humidity composite sensor that outputs a calibrated digital signal of the temperature and humidity. | Medium |
Component Test | HC-05 Bluetooth Module | HC-05 and Android Smart Phone App used for bluetooth communications and control of PIC microcontroller circuit (LM35 temp sensor, PWM fan motor and LED controls). | Medium |
Component Test | HX711 ADC | Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) for weigh scale, connected to load cell, interfaced to PIC microcontroller. | Easy |
Component Test | DS18S20 | Temperature sensor, calibrated digital signal of the temperature in degrees. | Medium | Component Test | Nokia 5110 LCD | 84x48 LCD module, Nokia 5110 using PCD8544 display chip | Hard | Component Test | MAX7221 LED Driver | Serial I/O common cathode LED display driver | Medium | Component Test | SN74HC595 Shift Register | 8-bit serial in, parallel out shift register | Easy | Component Test | nRF24L01+ Radio Transciever | nRF2401 single-chip radio transceiver for the world wide 2.4 - 2.5 GHz ISM band | Hard | Component Test | LM35 | Precision Temperature Sensor - linear output 10mV/degree Celsius | Easy | Component Test | HC-SR04 | Ultrasonic Ranging Module | Easy | Component Test | WS2812 RGB LED | Integrated RGB LED with control circuit ("pixel" full colour chip) | Medium | Component Test | LM317T | 3-terminal positive voltage regulator (variable 1.2-37V) | Easy | Component Test | TCS3471 | Color Light to Digital Converter | Medium | Component Test | A4988/Stepper Motors | A4988 microstepping motor driver interfaced to PIC microcontroller and bipolar stepper motor | Easy | Component Test | SN754410/Stepper Motors | Quadruple Half-H Driver applied to a stepper motor | Medium | Component Test | DS1307 Real Time Clock | DS1307 Real Time Clock interfaced to PIC microcontroller, with RS232 communication to PC | Easy | Component Test | LM2596 Buck SMPS (3A 1.23-37V) | DC-DC step-down SMPS voltage regulator (variable 3A 1.23-37V) | Medium | Component Test | ACS712 Bidirectional Current Sensor 5A | Demonstrate the use of a ACS712 bidirectional current sensor (max 5A version) | Medium | Component Test | MAX471 Bidirectional Current Sensor 3A | Demonstrate the use of a MAX-471 bidirectional current sensor (max 3A version) | Medium | Component Test | MCP4921 12-bit Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) | Demonstrate the use of a MCP4921 DAC to produce analog voltage waveforms (square, triangle, sawtooth and sine wave). | Easy | Component Test | TowerPro SG-90 Servo Motor | Demonstrate the control and use of a servo motor with a PIC microcontroller (example application servo motor points sensors at brightest light source). | Easy |
PIC micro. | Timer0 Module | Demonstrate the use of the on-board Timer0 module | Medium |
PIC micro. | Capture/Compare/Pulse Width Modulation (CCP) | Demonstrate the use of the on-board CCP module for pulse width modulation (PWM) signal generation | Medium |
PIC micro. | In-Circuit Serial Programming (ICSP) - Flashing a LED | Demonstrate the minimum circuit for a PIC microcontroller - In-Circuit Serial Programming (ICSP) and flashing a LED. | Easy |
PIC micro. | Analog Digital Converter (ADC) | Demonstrate the use of the on-board ADC module for converting voltage to a digital quantity. | Medium |
PIC micro. | USART (RS232) Serial Comms Module | Demonstrate the use of the on-board Universal Synchronous Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (USART) module for serial I/O (RS232) with a PC. | Easy | PIC micro. | Button Debounce via software | Demonstrate debounce of hardware buttons using a software approach with PIC microcontroller and interrupts. | Easy | ATTiny Microprocessors | Blink LED | Demonstrate programming the ATtiny85 to blink an LED | Easy | ATTiny Microprocessors | Buttons | Demonstrate button interfacing with ATtiny85 and software debouncing methods | Easy | ATTiny Microprocessors | Serial Comms (USB-TTL) | Demonstrate serial communications with ATtiny85 with USB-TTL converters/PC Com ports | Easy | ATTiny Microprocessors | PCF8574A 8-bit port expander | Demonstrate interfacing ATtiny85/Digispark with I2C using the PCF8574A 8-bit port expansion chip. | Medium | Component Test | MAX31855 Thermocouple Driver | Demonstrate the control and use of a MAX31855 to interface a K-type thermocouple with a PIC microcontroller. Both hardware-SPI and a software 'bit banging' method is demonstrated. | Medium |
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