PCCLD
Electronics Workshop
introducing microcontrollers
Document released as Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike
3.0
Online Resources
Basic Electronics Resources
A fun basic electronics tutorial on Instructables:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Basic-Electronics/?ALLSTEPS
“Basic Electronics” published online by NYU School of Engineering:
http://engineering.nyu.edu/gk12/amps-cbri/pdf/Basic%20Electronics.pdf
Some more advanced electronics tutorials and info:
http://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/
Arduino Microcontroller Resources
Tutorials from the Arduino Home Page
http://arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/HomePage
Electronics and Arduino tutorials on Sparkfun
https://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials
Arduino and peripherals tutorials on Adafruit
https://learn.adafruit.com/search?q=tutorials
Video tutorial series on YouTube by Open Source Hardware Group
https://youtu.be/09zfRaLEasY
1
What are Microcontrollers?
“A microcontroller (sometimes abbreviated µC, uC or MCU) is a small computer on a
single integrated circuit containing a processor core, memory, and programmable
input/output peripherals. Program memory in the form of Ferroelectric RAM, NOR f lash or
OTP ROM is also often included on chip, as well as a typically small amount of RAM.
Microcontrollers are designed for embedded applications, in contrast to themicroprocessors
used in personal computers or other general purpose applications.”
From Wikipediia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcontroller
A small computer that can be built into other electronic things!
A microcontroller built into a device for a specif ic purpose is called an
embedded system. Some example devices that have embedded systems
include the following:
Microwave oven
DVD Player
Musical gift card
Digital camera
Car (if it has a computer)
Wristwatch
3D printer
2D printer
Cash register
Vending machine
Heart pacemaker
Lithium rechargeable battery
A self contained robot
2
A microcontroller in a system
Driver Circuits
Sensors
Turn small signals into
bigger signals for some
action in the real world.
Create an electrical
signal from something in
the real world.
Software
Output pins
Input pins
Microcontroller
Examples of embedded systems:
Buttons -> microwave’s controller -> display & radar unit
Buttons -> vending machine’s controller -> dispenser motors
RPM sensor -> car’s fuel injection controller -> fuel injectors
Video camera -> robot’s controller -> robot hand motors
3
A general setup
Laptop Computer
Has the ‘development
environment’ for
programming the
Arduino.
USB Cable
Lets us download
software into the
Arduino.
Arduino Microcontroller
Runs the program it is given.
Can receive I/O from its pins
and communicate back to
the laptop. Can also run
without the laptop on
batteries.
Hookup Wires
Connect pins of the
Arduino to
components on a
breadboard.
Breadboard
Makes it easy to
connect together
different components.
Electronic Components
Various electronic parts with
specif ic functions. Can be
sensors or output devices or
some intermediary part. They can
be connected to a breadboard.
4
The Arduino UNO microcontroller
USB Connector
Power Input
9-12v DC
Reset button
Computer-to-Arduino
Communication pins
Powered pins
Digital I/O &
Pulse width modulation
(PWM marked with ~ )
Analog inputs
(or digital outputs)
ATmega328
Microprocessor chip
Arduino-to-Arduino
Communication pins
5
Components in the kit
1 Small Breadboard
2 Large Breadboard
3 8x8 LED matrix
4 4-character LED display
5 10 conductor female pin ribbon cable
6 Hook up wires
7 7 segment LED display x 2
8 strip of straight header pins
9 strip of 90 degree header pins
11 variable reisistor 50Kohm
12 Ultrasonic Molule
13 USB Cable
14 LM 35 temperature sensor x 1
15 Phototransistor x 1
16 dynamic microphone/speaker
17 piezo buzzer
18 LED, Rec x 4
19 LED, Green x 4
20 LED, Blue x 4
21 Photo resistor x 3
22 Tactile surface mount pushbutton x 8
23 Key Pad
24 Arduino Uno
25 tilt switch x 2
26 Joystick
27 Arduino Uno development shield
28 remote cotnrol transmitter
29 IR remote cotnrol receiver
29 3-Color LED module
30 SPDT relay module
31 9v battery pack
32 Display Module
33 resistors, assorted resistances
34 Micro Servo
Chip 74HC595N 8-bit shift register (not pictured)
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The breadboard is your friend! 
What it looks like:
How it is wired:
busses
Terminal
strips
(or rows)
8
The Arduino development environment
The development environment is a program that runs on a desktop computer and helps
in the process of writing computer code for the Arduino. The Arduino development
environment is called Arduino. It appears as the following window:
Individual software programs that you write for the Arduino are called ‘sketches.’ The
Arduino development environment makes it easy to f n
i d and save sketches by organizing
them into a ‘Sketchbook’ on your computer.
For a complete explanation of the Arduino development environment, visit the Arduino site
here:
http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/Environment
9
Electronic components & symbols
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Some fun ideas!
3D Printers
Creative modif ied products
Drones
LED signs
Robot projects
12
Video game consoles