Arduino Course Overview

Introduction

• Immersive hands-on Arduino course for beginners.
• Learn to create, modify, and optimize Arduino projects.
• Course is beginner-friendly, no prior knowledge in programming and electronics needed.
• Instructor: Matthew.
• Course covers almost everything in electronics, programming, and physics concepts.

Course Materials

• Recommended to get a physical Arduino kit but a simulator will also be used.
• Instructor uses Inland starter kit and electronic parts pack.
• For those outside the US, eLego UNO Super Starter Kit is recommended.
• A list of components required is provided in the course.

Course Structure

• Series of sections each focusing on different aspects of Arduino.
• First section deals with choosing the right Arduino kit.

Starting with Arduino

• Use TinkerCad for digital Arduino if physical kit is not available.
• Process of creating designs, circuits, and writing code in TinkerCad.

First Project: Building a Simple Circuit

• Components: Arduino, breadboard, resistor, LED.
• Importance of breadboards to avoid complex wiring.
• Explanation of breadboard workings and connections.

Understanding Resistors

• Resistors limit current to protect components.
• Ohm's Law: V = I * R.
• Calculating resistance needed for an LED.
• Using color codes and multimeters to determine resistor values.

Working with LEDs

• LEDs as heat-efficient light-emitting diodes.
• Explanation of semiconductor behavior in LEDs.

Second Project: LED Circuit

• Assembling components: Arduino, breadboard, resistor, LED.
• Coding to make the LED blink.

Understanding Variables

• Importance of using variables for cleaner, adaptable code.
• Avoid repetition by using variables to reference pin numbers and delay times.

Traffic Light Project

• Creating a traffic light using multiple LEDs.
• Use of variables to manage LED states and timings.

Exploring Analog Pins

• Difference between analog and digital pins.
• PWM for intermediate voltage values.
• Analog read for voltage detection.

Potentiometers

• Potentiometers as variable resistors.
• How to use potentiometers in circuits.

Temperature and Photo Resistors

• Understanding and using thermistors and photoresistors.
• Explanation of NTC, PTC, and light-dependent resistors.

Temperature Sensors

• Working with LM35 and DHT sensors.
• Using libraries for sensor data reading and conversion.

Switches and Buttons

• Functionality and uses of push and toggle switches.
• Wiring and practical applications.

RGB LEDs

• Using RGB LEDs to display multiple colors.
• Understanding color theory and RGB values.

Seven Segment Displays

• Working with 1-digit and 4-digit seven segment displays.
• Using libraries to manage complex displays.

LED Matrices

• Introduction to LED matrices, their capabilities, and how they work.
• Creating custom displays using LED matrices.

Final Project: Arduino Timer

• Building a timer using a 4-digit seven segment display and buzzer.
• Using libraries to simplify coding and manage hardware efficiently.

Conclusion

• Completion of course is just the beginning of Arduino projects.
• Encouragement to explore further projects and components.
• Reminder to engage with the community and share learning experiences.