40+ Projects using Arduino, Raspberry Pi and ESP32 This book is about developing projects using the sensor-modules with Arduino Uno, Raspberry Pi and ESP32 microcontroller development systems. More than 40 different sensors types are used in various projects in the book. The book explains in simple terms and with tested and fully working example projects, how to use the sensors in your project. The projects provided in the book include the following: Changing LED brightness RGB LEDs Creating rainbow colours Magic wand Silent door alarm Dark sensor with relay Secret key Magic light cup Decoding commercial IR handsets Controlling TV channels with IT sensors Target shooting detector Shock time duration measurement Ultrasonic reverse parking Toggle lights by clapping hands Playing melody Measuring magnetic field strength Joystick musical instrument Line tracking Displaying temperature Temperature ON/OFF control Mobile phone-based Wi-Fi projects Mobile phone-based Bluetooth projects Sending data to the Cloud The projects have been organized with increasing levels of difficulty. Readers are encouraged to tackle the projects in the order given. A specially prepared sensor kit is available from Elektor. With the help of this hardware, it should be easy and fun to build the projects in this book.

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39 Experiments with Raspberry Pi and Arduino This book is about Raspberry Pi 3 and Arduino camera projects. The book explains in simple terms and with tested and working example projects, how to configure and use a Raspberry Pi camera and USB based webcam in camera-based projects using a Raspberry Pi. Example projects are given to capture images, create timelapse photography, record video, use the camera and Raspberry Pi in security and surveillance applications, post images to Twitter, record wildlife, stream live video to YouTube, use a night camera, send pictures to smartphones, face and eye detection, colour and shape recognition, number plate recognition, barcode recognition and many more. Installation and use of popular image processing libraries and software including OpenCV, SimpleCV, and OpenALPR are explained in detail using a Raspberry Pi. The book also explains in detail how to use a camera on an Arduino development board to capture images and then save them on a microSD card. All projects given in this book have been fully tested and are working. Program listings for all Raspberry Pi and Arduino projects used in this book are available for download on the Elektor website.

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The short-wave technique has a very particular appeal: It can easily bridge long distances. By reflecting short-wave signals off the conductive layers of the ionosphere, they can be received in places beyond the horizon and therefore can reach anywhere on earth. Although technology is striving for ever higher frequencies, and radio is usually listened to on FM, DAB+, satellite or the Internet, modern means of transmission require extensive infrastructure and are extremely vulnerable. In the event of a global power outage, there is nothing more important than the short-wave. Amateur radio is not only a hobby, it’s also an emergency radio system! Elektor’s SDR-Shield is a versatile shortwave receiver up to 30 MHz. Using an Arduino and the appropriate software, radio stations, morse signals, SSB stations, and digital signals can be received. In this book, successful author and enthusiastic radio amateur, Burkhard Kainka describes the modern practice of software defined radio using the Elektor SDR Shield. He not only imparts a theoretical background but also explains numerous open source software tools.

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The short-wave technique has a very particular appeal: It can easily bridge long distances. By reflecting short-wave signals off the conductive layers of the ionosphere, they can be received in places beyond the horizon and therefore can reach anywhere on earth. Although technology is striving for ever higher frequencies, and radio is usually listened to on FM, DAB+, satellite or the Internet, modern means of transmission require extensive infrastructure and are extremely vulnerable. In the event of a global power outage, there is nothing more important than the short-wave. Amateur radio is not only a hobby, it’s also an emergency radio system! Elektor’s SDR-Shield is a versatile shortwave receiver up to 30 MHz. Using an Arduino and the appropriate software, radio stations, morse signals, SSB stations, and digital signals can be received. In this book, successful author and enthusiastic radio amateur, Burkhard Kainka describes the modern practice of software defined radio using the Elektor SDR Shield. He not only imparts a theoretical background but also explains numerous open source software tools.

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Menno van der Veen is well known for his research publications on tube amplifiers used in audio systems. In this book he describes one of his research projects which focuses on the question of whether full compensation for distortion in tubes and output transformers is possible. In the past, a variety of techniques have been developed. One of them has largely been forgotten: trans-conductance, which means converting current into voltage or voltage into current. Menno van der Veen has breathed new life into this technique with his research project titled “Trans”. This book discusses all aspects of this method and discusses its pitfalls. These pitfalls are addressed one by one. The end result is a set of stringent requirements for Trans amplifiers. Armed with these requirements, Menno then develops new Trans amplifiers, starting with Transie 1 and Transie 2. These DC-coupled, single-ended tube amplifiers have unusually good characteristics and are suitable for hobbyist construction. Next the Trans principle is applied to amplifiers with higher output power. A trial-and-error process ultimately leads to the Vanderveen Trans 30 amplifier, which optimizes the features of Trans. The characteristics of this amplifier are so special and unique that Menno believes he has struck gold. To ensure that variations in tube characteristics cannot interfere with optimal Trans behavior, Menno makes use of simulations and comparison with other amplifier types. This book reads like an adventure story, but it is much more – it is an account of solid research into new ways to achieve optimal audio reproduction.

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ARM Cortex-M Embedded Design from 0 to 1 Hobbyists can mash together amazing functional systems using platforms like Arduino or Raspberry Pi, but it is imperative that engineers and product designers understand the foundational knowledge of embedded design. There are very few resources available that describe the thinking, strategies, and processes to take an idea through hardware design and low-level driver development, and successfully build a complete embedded system. Many engineers end up learning the hard way, or never really learn at all. ARM processors are essentially ubiquitous in embedded systems. Design engineers building novel devices must understand the fundamentals of these systems and be able to break down large, complicated ideas into manageable pieces. Successful product development means traversing a huge amount of documentation to understand how to accomplish what you need, then put everything together to create a robust system that will reliably operate and be maintainable for years to come. This book is a case study in embedded design including discussion of the hardware, processor initialization, low‑level driver development, and application interface design for a product. Though we describe this through a specific application of a Cortex-M3 development board, our mission is to help the reader build foundational skills critical to being an excellent product developer. The completed development board is available to maximize the impact of this book, and the working platform that you create can then be used as a base for further development and learning. The Embedded in Embedded program is about teaching fundamental skill sets to help engineers build a solid foundation of knowledge that can be applied in any design environment. With nearly 20 years of experience in the industry, the author communicates the critical skill development that is demanded by companies and essential to successful design. This book is as much about building a great design process, critical thinking, and even social considerations important to developers as it is about technical hardware and firmware design. Downloads EiE Software Archive (200 MB) IAR ARM 8.10.1 (Recommended IDE version to use) (1.2 GB) IAR ARM 7.20.1 (Optional IDE version to use) (600 MB)

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59 Experiments with Arduino IDE and Python The main aim of this book is to teach the Arduino IDE and MicroPython programming languages in ESP32 based projects, using the highly popular ESP32 DevKitC development board. Many simple, basic, and intermediate level projects are provided in the book using the Arduino IDE with ESP32 DevKitC. All projects have been tested and work. Block diagrams, circuit diagrams, and complete program listings of all projects are given with explanations. In addition, several projects are provided for programming the ESP32 DevKitC using MicroPython. The projects provided in this book are designed to teach the following features of the ESP32 processor: GPIOs Touch sensors External interrupts Timer interrupts I²C and I²S SPI PWM ADC DAC UART Hall sensor Temperature sensor Infrared controller Reading and writing to SD card Reading and writing to flash memory RTC timer Chip ID Security and encryption Wi-Fi and network programming Bluetooth BLE programming Communication mobile devices Low power design ESP-IDF programming The projects have been organized with increasing levels of difficulty. Readers are encouraged to tackle the projects in the order given. A specially prepared hardware kit is available from Elektor. With the help of this hardware, it should be easy and fun to build the projects in this book.

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59 Experiments with Arduino IDE and Python The main aim of this book is to teach the Arduino IDE and MicroPython programming languages in ESP32 based projects, using the highly popular ESP32 DevKitC development board. Many simple, basic, and intermediate level projects are provided in the book using the Arduino IDE with ESP32 DevKitC. All projects have been tested and work. Block diagrams, circuit diagrams, and complete program listings of all projects are given with explanations. In addition, several projects are provided for programming the ESP32 DevKitC using MicroPython. The projects provided in this book are designed to teach the following features of the ESP32 processor: GPIOs Touch sensors External interrupts Timer interrupts I²C and I²S SPI PWM ADC DAC UART Hall sensor Temperature sensor Infrared controller Reading and writing to SD card Reading and writing to flash memory RTC timer Chip ID Security and encryption Wi-Fi and network programming Bluetooth BLE programming Communication mobile devices Low power design ESP-IDF programming The projects have been organized with increasing levels of difficulty. Readers are encouraged to tackle the projects in the order given. A specially prepared hardware kit is available from Elektor. With the help of this hardware, it should be easy and fun to build the projects in this book.

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The PC has long-time outgrown its function as a pure computer and has become an all-purpose machine. This book is targeted towards those people that want to control existing or self-built hardware from their computer. Using Visual Basic as Rapid Application Development tool we will take you on a journey to unlock the world beyond the connectors of the PC. After familiarising yourself with Visual Basic, its development environment and the toolset it offers, items such as serial communications, printer ports, bit-banging, protocol emulation, ISA, USB and Ethernet interfacing and the remote control of test-equipment over the GPIB bus, are covered in extent. Each topic is accompanied by clear, ready to run code, and where necessary, schematics are provided that will get your projects up to speed in no time. This book will show you advanced things like: using tools like Debug to find hardware addresses, setting up remote communication using TCP/IP and UDP sockets and even writing your own internet servers. Or how about connecting your own block of hardware over USB or Ethernet and controlling it from Visual Basic. Other things like internet-program communication, DDE and the new graphics interface of Windows XP are covered as well. All examples are ready to compile using Visual Basic 5.0, 6.0, NET or 2005. Extensive coverage is given on the differences between what could be called Visual Basic Classic and Visual basic .NET / 2005.

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Arduinonext is an initiative powered by an electronics and microcontrollers specialist team aiming to help all those who are entering in the technology world, using the well-known Arduino platform to take the next step in electronics. We strive to bring you the necessary knowledge and experience for developing your own electronics applications; interacting with environment; measuring physical parameters; processing them and performing the necessary control actions. This is the first title in the 'Hands-On' series in which Arduino platform co-founder, David Cuartielles, introduces board programming, and demonstrates the making of an 8-bit Sound Generator.

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The author, Johan Basse Bergqvist, is an engineer, a musician, and an audiophile with a knack for building projects that produce the desired results. The combination of these skills leads to a uniquely valuable perspective on audio design that is routinely reflected in the book and passed on to the readers. Several design projects are provided, 40 in total. The designs are explained, and the unique features or methods he uses are described in further detail. Each design includes detailed schematics and a complete parts list. Many of the projects also include layout documentation in the form of CAD photos of the PCB layouts. The range of projects is very diverse and includes something that will appeal to everyone. Stereo amplifiers, guitar and bass amplifiers, preamplifiers for phono, and microphones are all covered. Several variants for each type are included, and the power amplifier designs range from a few watts to several hundred watts, which meet almost any power level you might tackle.

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This book is for people who want to understand how AC drives (also known as inverter drives) work and how they are used in industry by showing mainly the practical design and application of drives. The key principles of power electronics are described and presented in a simple way, as are the basics of both DC and AC motors. The different parts of an AC drive are explained, together with the theoretical background and the practical design issues such as cooling and protection. An important part of the book gives details of the features and functions often found in AC drives and gives practical advice on how and where to use these. Also described is future drive technology, including a matrix inverter. The mathematics is kept to an essential minimum. Some basic understanding of mechanical and electrical theory is presumed, and a basic knowledge of single andthree phase AC systems would be useful. Anyone who uses or installs drives, or is just interested in how these powerful electronic products operate and control modern industry, will find this book fascinating and informative.

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This ebook is about the Raspberry Pi 3 computer and its use in various control and monitoring applications. The book explains in simple terms and with tested and working example projects, how to configure the Raspberry Pi 3 computer, how to install and use the Linux operating system, and how to write hardware based applications programs using the Python programming language. The nice feature of this book is that it covers many Raspberry Pi 3 based hardware projects using the latest hardware modules such as the Sense HAT, Swiss Pi, MotoPi, Camera module, and many other state of the art analog and digital sensors. An important feature of the Raspberry Pi 3 is that it contains on-board Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modules. Example projects are given in the book on using the Wi-Fi and the Bluetooth modules to show how real-data can be sent to the Cloud using the Wi-Fi module, and also how to communicate with an Android based mobile phone using the Bluetooth module. The book is ideal for self-study, and is intended for electronic/electrical engineering students, practising engineers, research students, and for hobbyists. It is recommended that the book should be followed in the given Chapter order. Over 30 projects are given in the book. All the projects in the book are based on the Python programming language and they have been fully tested. Full program listings of every project are given in the book with comments and full descriptions. Experienced programmers should find it easy to modify and update the programs to suit their needs. The following sub-headings are given for each project to make it as easy as possible for the readers to follow the projects: Project title Description Aim of the project Raspberry Pi type Block diagram Circuit diagram Program listing

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All you need to know about good acoustics and sound systems in performance and worship spaces! Everyone knows that the ability to hear music in balance and to understand speech is essential in any space used for performance or worship. Unfortunately, in the early 21st century, we find that buildings with good acoustics are the exception rather than the rule. Much of the fault leading to this result can be traced to the widespread perception that acoustics is a black art. In fact, scientific acoustics as developed in the last century is a well-defined engineering practice that can lead to predictable excellent results. A basic, non-engineering understanding of acoustics will help building owners, theater managers, ministers and teachers of music, performers, and other professionals to achieve their goals of excellent acoustics in venues with which they work. Performers having a basic understanding of acoustics will be able to make the most of the acoustics of the venue in which they perform. This book helps those responsible for providing good acoustics in performance and worship spaces to understand the variables and choices entailed in proper acoustic design for performance and worship. Practicing acoustical consultants will find the book a useful reference as well. The level of presentation is comfortable and straightforward without being simplistic. If correct acoustical principles are incorporated into the design, renovation, and maintenance of performance and worship venues, good acoustics will be the result.

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This book is about DC electric motors and their use in Arduino and Raspberry Pi Zero W based projects. The book includes many tested and working projects where each project has the following sub-headings: Title of the project Description of the project Block diagram Circuit diagram Project assembly Complete program listing of the project Full description of the program The projects in the book cover the standard DC motors, stepper motors, servo motors, and mobile robots. The book is aimed at students, hobbyists, and anyone else interested in developing microcontroller based projects using the Arduino Uno or the Raspberry Pi Zero W. One of the nice features of this book is that it gives complete projects for remote control of a mobile robot from a mobile phone, using the Arduino Uno as well as the Raspberry Pi Zero W development boards. These projects are developed using Wi-Fi as well as the Bluetooth connectivity with the mobile phone. Readers should be able to move a robot forward, reverse, turn left, or turn right by sending simple commands from a mobile phone. Full program listings of all the projects as well as the detailed program descriptions are given in the book. Users should be able to use the projects as they are presented, or modify them to suit to their own needs.

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This is the second edition of a book aimed at engineers, scientists, and hobbyists who want to interface PCs with hardware projects using graphical user interfaces. Desktop and web-based applications are covered. The programming language used is Python 3, which is one of the most popular languages around: speed of programming being a key feature. The book has been revised and updated with an emphasis on getting the user to produce practical designs with ease – a text editor is all that is required to produce Python programs. Hardware interfacing is achieved using an Arduino Uno as a remote slave. A full description and source code of the communication interface is given in the book. The slave provides digital and analog input and outputs. Multiple Unos can be included in one project with all control code written in Python and running on a PC One project involves a PIC microcontroller with the code provided that can be loaded into the PIC using the Uno. The web applications and server are all implemented in Python, allowing you to access your electronic hardware over the Internet. The Raspberry Pi computer can be used as your web server. An introductory chapter is provided to get you started with using Linux. The book is written for use with Debian or variations including Mint or Ubuntu. All of the programs in the book are freely available, ready to use and experiment with by way of a download from Elektor.

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This hardware kit is especially prepared for 'The Official ESP32 Book'. The kit contains all the components used in the projects in this book. With the help of this hardware kit it should be easy and fun to build the projects in the book. Included 1x ESP32 DevKitC 8x LEDs (RED) 1x LED (GREEN) 2x push-button 8x 330 ohm resistors 1x Buzzer 1x RGB LED 1x TMP36 temperature sensor chip 1x DHT11 temperature and humidity chip 1x MCP23017 (DIL 28 package) 1x LDR 1x BC108 (or any other PNP) transistor 1x 7 segment LED 1x Small Microphone Module 1x I²C LCD 1x SG90 servo 1x 4x4 Keypad 8x Female-Male jumpers 4x Male-Male jumpers 1x Small breadboard

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Valve Amplifiers are regarded by many to be the ne plus ultra when it comes to processing audio signals. The combination of classical technology and modern components has resulted in a revival of the valve amplifier. The use of toraidal-core output transformers, developed by the author over the past 15 years, has contributed to this revival. The most remarkable features of these transformers are their extremely wide frequency ranges and their very low levels of linear and nonlinear distortion. This book explains the whys and wherefores of toroidal output transformers at various technical levels, starting with elementary concepts and culminating in complete mathematical descriptions. In all of this, the interactions of the output valves, transformer and loudspeaker form the central theme. Next come the practical aspects. The schematic diagram of a valve amplifier often appears to be very simple at first glance, but anyone who has built a modern valve amplifier knows that a lot of critical details are hidden behind this apparent simplicity. These are discussed extensively, in connection with designs for amplifiers with output powers ranging from 10 to 100 watts. Finally, the author gives some attention to a number of special valve amplifiers, and to the theory and practice of negative feedback. In summary, this book offers innovative solutions for achieving perfect audio quality. Do-it-yourself builders, as well as persons who want to gain a deeper technical understanding of the complex world of audio transformers, valve amplifiers and audio signal processing, will find this book a rich and useful source of information.

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This e-book (pdf), a software-only follow up to the best-selling Elektor Visual Studio C# range of books, is aimed at Engineers, Scientists and Enthusiasts who want to learn about the C# language and development environment. It covers steps from installation, the .NET framework and object oriented programming, through to more advanced concepts including database applications, threading and multi-tasking, internet/network communications and writing DLLs. The DirectX chapters also include video capture. The e-book concludes with several chapters on writing Android applications in C# using the Xamarin add-on. This e-book is based on the Visual Studio 2015 development environment and latest C# additions including WPF applications, LINQ queries, Charts and new commands such as await and async. The latest Visual Studio debugging features (PerfTips, Diagnostic Tool window and IntellTrace) are covered. Finally, the Android chapters include GPS, E-mail and SMS applications. Additionally, the e-book provides free on-line access to extensive, well-documented examples — in a try for yourself style — together with links to the author’s videos, guiding you through the necessary steps to get the expected results.

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The Controller Area Network (CAN) was originally developed to be used as a vehicle data bus system in passenger cars. Today, CAN controllers are available from over 20 manufacturers, and CAN is finding applications in other fields, such as medical, aerospace, process control, automation, and so on. This book is written for students, for practising engineers, for hobbyists, and for everyone else who may be interested to learn more about the CAN bus and its applications. The aim of this book is to teach you the basic principles of CAN networks and in addition the development of microcontroller based projects using the CAN bus. In summary, this book enables the reader to: Learn the theory of the CAN bus used in automotive industry Learn the principles, operation, and programming of microcontrollers Design complete microcontroller based projects using the C language Develop complete real CAN bus projects using microcontrollers Learn the principles of OBD systems used to debug vehicle electronics You will learn how to design microcontroller based CAN bus nodes, build a CAN bus, develop high-level programs, and then exchange data in real-time over the bus. You will also learn how to build microcontroller hardware and interface it to LEDs, LCDs, and A/D converters. The book assumes that the reader has some knowledge on basic electronics. Knowledge of the C programming language will be useful in later chapters of the book, and familiarity with at least one member of the PIC series of microcontrollers will be an advantage, especially if the reader intends to develop microcontroller based projects using the CAN bus.

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Recently, the development of a tiny chip called the ESP8266 has made it possible to interface any type of microcontroller to a Wi-Fi AP. The ESP8266 is a low-cost tiny Wi-Fi chip having fully built-in TCP/IP stack and a 32-bit microcontroller unit. This chip, produced by Shanghai based Chinese manufacturer Espressif System, is IEEE 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi compatible with on-chip program and data memory, and general purpose input-output ports. Several manufacturers have incorporated the ESP8266 chip in their hardware products (e.g. ESP-xx, NodeMCU etc) and offer these products as a means of connecting a microcontroller system such as the Android, PIC microcontroller or others to a Wi-Fi. The ESP8266 is a low-power chip and costs only a few Dollars. ESP8266 and MicroPython – Coding Cool Stuff is an introduction to the ESP8266 chip and describes the features of this chip and shows how various firmware and programming languages such as the MicroPython can be uploaded to the chip. The main aim of the book is to teach the readers how to use the MicroPython programming language on ESP8266 based hardware, especially on the NodeMCU. Several interesting and useful projects are given in the e-book (pdf) to show how to use the MicroPython in NodeMCU type ESP8266 hardware: Project “What shall I wear today?”: You will be developing a weather information system using a NodeMCU development board together with a Text-to-Speech processor module. Project “The Temperature and Humidity on the Cloud”: You will be developing a system that will get the ambient temperature and humidity using a sensor and then store this data on the cloud so that it can be accessed from anywhere. Project “Remote Web Based Control”: You will be developing a system that will remotely control two LEDs connected to a NodeMCU development board using an HTTP Web Server application.

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Third, extended and revised edition with AVR Playground and Elektor Uno R4 Arduino boards have become hugely successful. They are simple to use and inexpensive. This book will not only familiarize you with the world of Arduino but it will also teach you how to program microcontrollers in general. In this book theory is put into practice on an Arduino board using the Arduino programming environment. Some hardware is developed too: a multi-purpose shield to build some of the experiments from the first 10 chapters on; the AVR Playground, a real Arduino-based microcontroller development board for comfortable application development, and the Elektor Uno R4, an Arduino Uno R3 on steroids. The author, an Elektor Expert, provides the reader with the basic theoretical knowledge necessary to program any microcontroller: inputs and outputs (analog and digital), interrupts, communication busses (RS-232, SPI, I²C, 1-wire, SMBus, etc.), timers, and much more. The programs and sketches presented in the book show how to use various common electronic components: matrix keyboards, displays (LED, alphanumeric and graphic color LCD), motors, sensors (temperature, pressure, humidity, sound, light, and infrared), rotary encoders, piezo buzzers, pushbuttons, relays, etc. This book will be your first book about microcontrollers with a happy ending! This book is for you if you are a beginner in microcontrollers, an Arduino user (hobbyist, tinkerer, artist, etc.) wishing to deepen your knowledge,an Electronics Graduate under Undergraduate student or a teacher looking for ideas. Thanks to Arduino the implementation of the presented concepts is simple and fun. Some of the proposed projects are very original: Money Game Misophone (a musical fork) Car GPS Scrambler Weather Station DCF77 Decoder Illegal Time Transmitter Infrared Remote Manipulator Annoying Sound Generator Italian Horn Alarm Overheating Detector PID Controller Data Logger SVG File Oscilloscope 6-Channel Voltmeter All projects and code examples in this book have been tried and tested on an Arduino Uno board. They should also work with the Arduino Mega and every other compatible board that exposes the Arduino shield extension connectors. Datasheets Active Components Used (.PDF file): ATmega328 (Arduino Uno) ATmega2560 (Arduino Mega 2560) BC547 (bipolar transistor, chapters 7, 8, 9) BD139 (bipolar power transistor, chapter 10) BS170 (N-MOS transistor, chapter 8) DCF77 (receiver module, chapter 9) DS18B20 (temperature sensor, chapter 10) DS18S20 (temperature sensor, chapter 10) HP03S (pressure sensor, chapter 8) IRF630 (N-MOS power transistor, chapter 7) IRF9630 (P-MOS power transistor, chapter 7) LMC6464 (quad op-amp, chapter 7) MLX90614 (infrared sensor, chapter 10) SHT11 (humidity sensor, chapter 8) TS922 (dual op-amp, chapter 9) TSOP34836 (infrared receiver, chapter 9) TSOP1736 (infrared receiver, chapter 9) MPX4115 (analogue pressure sensor, chapter 11) MCCOG21605B6W-SPTLYI (I²C LCD, chapter 12) SST25VF016B (SPI EEPROM, chapter 13) About the author: Clemens Valens, born in the Netherlands, lives in France since 1997. Manager at Elektor Labs and Webmaster of ElektorLabs, in love with electronics, he develops microcontroller systems for fun, and sometimes for his employer too. Polyglot—he is fluent in C, C++, PASCAL, BASIC and several assembler dialects—Clemens spends most of his time on his computer while his wife, their two children and two cats try to attract his attention (only the cats succeed). Visit the author’s website: www.polyvalens.com. Authentic testimony of Hervé M., one of the first readers of the book:'I almost cried with joy when this book made me understand things in only three sentences that seemed previously completely impenetrable.'

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This book is all about building your own DIY home control system. It presents two innovative ways to assemble such a system: By recycling old PC hardware – possibly extending the life of an old PC, or by using Raspberry Pi. In both cases, the main system outlined in this book will consist of a computer platform, a wireless mains outlet, a controller and a USB webcam – All linked together by Linux. By using the Raspberry Pi in conjunction with Arduino (used as an advanced I/O system board), it is possible to construct a small, compact, embedded control system offering enhanced capacity for USB integration, webcams, thermal monitoring and communication with the outside world. The experience required to undertake the projects within this book are minimal exposure to PC hardware and software, the ability to surf the internet, burn a CD-ROM and assemble a small PCB.

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Using the RFID Starter Kit An Arduino board has now become ‘the’ basic component in the maker community. No longer is an introduction to the world of microcontrollers the preserve of the expert. When it comes to expanding the capabilities of the basic Arduino board however, the developer is still largely on his own. If you really want to build some innovative projects it’s often necessary to get down to component level. This can present many beginners with major problems. That is exactly where this book begins. This book explains how a wide variety of practical projects can be built using items supplied in a single kit together with the Arduino board. This kit, called the 'RFID Starter Kit for Arduino' (SKU 17240) is not just limited to RFID applications but contains more than 30 components, devices and modules covering all areas of modern electronics. In addition to more simple components such as LEDs and resistors there are also complex and sophisticated modules that employ the latest technology such as: A humidity sensor A multicolor LED A large LED matrix with 64 points of light A 4-character 7-segment LED display An infra red remote-controller unit A complete LC-display module A servo A stepper motor and controller module A complete RFID reader module and security tag On top of that you will get to build precise digital thermometers, hygrometers, exposure meters and various alarm systems. There are also practical devices and applications such as a fully automatic rain sensor, a sound-controlled remote control system, a multifunctional weather station and so much more. All of the projects described can be built using the components supplied in the Elektor kit.

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