Lesson-01 Introduction

What is Microcontroller?

A microcontroller is a small computer on a single integrated circuit that is designed to control a specific task or system. It typically includes a CPU, memory, input/output peripherals, and other components, all on a single chip.

What is an Arduino Board?

Arduino is not a microcontroller itself, but it is a platform that uses a microcontroller as its core component. An Arduino board typically consists of a microcontroller, voltage regulator, and some input/output pins that are used to interface with various sensors, actuators, and other electronic components. The microcontroller used in Arduino boards can vary, but most commonly it is an Atmel AVR microcontroller. So in short, an Arduino board is a microcontroller development board that uses a microcontroller as its core component. Arduino boards are designed to be easy to use and can be programmed using a simplified version of the C++ programming language.

Is it Important to Learn Arduino ?

There are still many reasons why learning microcontrollers like Arduino is valuable and relevant today:

1. Physical computing: Microcontrollers allow you to interact with the physical world in ways that are not possible with software alone. By connecting sensors, actuators, and other hardware to a microcontroller, you can build systems that respond to real-world inputs and produce physical outputs.
2. IoT and embedded systems: The Internet of Things (IoT) is a rapidly growing field that involves connecting devices to the internet to collect data and perform actions. Many of these devices are built using microcontrollers, which are well-suited for low-power, low-cost, and highly integrated designs. Learning how to use microcontrollers can give you a head start in this exciting and emerging field.
3. Robotics and automation: Robotics and automation are also growing fields that rely heavily on microcontrollers. By learning how to program microcontrollers to control motors, sensors, and other components, you can build robots and automation systems that can perform complex tasks and interact with their environment.
4. Education and learning: Microcontrollers like Arduino are widely used in education and learning, as they provide a hands-on way to teach programming, electronics, and system design. By learning how to use microcontrollers, you can develop valuable skills and gain practical experience that will serve you well in many areas of your career.

In summary, learning microcontrollers like Arduino can provide unique and valuable skills that are relevant in many industries, including IoT, robotics, automation, and education. By learning how to use microcontrollers, you can broaden your horizons and open up new opportunities for innovation and creativity.

Types of Arduino Boards

The most common Arduino boards which are following

• Arduino UNO
• Arduino DUE
• Arduino Nano
• Arduino Mega

In this course we will use ardino UNO board which looks like.

Technical Specifications

here are some technical details about the Arduino Uno board:

1. Microcontroller: The Arduino Uno is based on the ATmega328P microcontroller.
2. Clock speed: The microcontroller runs at a clock speed of 16 MHz.
3. Flash memory: The ATmega328P has 32 KB of flash memory, of which 0.5 KB is used by the bootloader.
4. SRAM: The microcontroller has 2 KB of SRAM.
5. EEPROM: The ATmega328P has 1 KB of EEPROM.
6. Power: The board can be powered using a USB cable, a DC power jack, or an external power source connected to the Vin pin.
7. Input voltage: The input voltage range is 7-12V DC, but the board can also be powered by a 5V DC input.
8. Reset button: The board has a reset button, which can be used to restart the program running on the microcontroller.
9. LED: The board has a built-in LED connected to pin 13, which can be used for debugging purposes.

Built in Peripherals of Arduino UNO

1. Digital input/output pins: The board has 14 digital input/output pins, out of which 6 can be used as PWM outputs.
2. Analog input pins: The board has 6 analog input pins that can measure a voltage between 0 and 5 volts.
3. UART: The board has a hardware UART serial port that can be used to communicate with other devices.
4. SPI: The board has a hardware SPI interface that can be used to communicate with SPI devices.
5. I2C: The board has a hardware I2C interface that can be used to communicate with I2C devices.
6. PWM: The board has 6 PWM outputs that can be used to control the brightness of LEDs, the speed of motors, and so on.
7. Interrupts: The board supports interrupts on most of its digital pins, which can be used to detect changes in inputs, generate events, and so on.

Pinout of Arduino UNO

1. Digital pins 0-13: These pins can be used as either inputs or outputs, and are typically used for controlling LEDs, reading switches, and so on.
2. Analog pins A0-A5: These pins can be used to measure analog voltages.
3. Power pins: The board has several power pins, including +5V, +3.3V, and GND.
4. PWM pins: Pins 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, and 11 can be used as PWM outputs.
5. ICSP header: This header is used for programming the microcontroller using an in-circuit programmer.
6. UART pins: Pins 0 (RX) and 1 (TX) are used for the hardware UART serial port.
7. I2C pins: Pins A4 (SDA) and A5 (SCL) are used for the hardware I2C interface.
8. SPI pins: Pins 10 (SS), 11 (MOSI), 12 (MISO), and 13 (SCK) are used for the hardware SPI interface.

Sensors and Modules can be used with UNO

Here are some common sensors and modules that can used with Arduino UNO

• Accelerometer and Gyroscope sensors, such as the MPU-6050 sensor.
• GPS modules, such as the NEO-6M GPS module.
• RFID reader modules, such as the MFRC522 RFID reader module.
• Real-time clock (RTC) modules, such as the DS3231 RTC module.
• Keypad modules, such as the 4×4 keypad module.
• Servo motor modules, such as the SG90 servo motor module.
• Relay modules, such as the 5V relay module.
• Joystick modules, such as the KY-023 joystick module.
• Infrared (IR) receiver and transmitter modules, such as the TSOP4838 and IRF520 modules.
• Pressure sensors, such as the BMP180 and BMP280 sensors.
• Gas sensor, such as the MQ-2 sensor
• Distance sensor, such as the HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor
• Motor driver module, such as the L298N motor driver module
• Bluetooth module, such as the HC-05 or HC-06 Bluetooth module
• WiFi module, such as the ESP8266 or ESP32 module
• SD card module, such as the MicroSD card module