Getting started with Arduino
Hands-on Workshop
Sudar Muthu
http://hardwarefun.com
@hardwarefun

What is an Arduino?
Photo credit: Arduino team

Types of Arduino
• Leonardo, Uno (and older ones)
• Yun (Includes a Linux Kernel)
• Due (32-bit)
• Mega (more input pins)
• Arduino BT (includes Bluetooth)
• LilyPad (wearable)
• Arduino Pro
• ADK (supports Android ADK)
• Clones (around 300+)

Arduino Shields
http://shieldlist.org/

Breadboard Basics
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• The first two and the last two rows are
connected
• In all the other rows, columns are connected
• Connect the first and last row to power
• Connect the second and second last row to
ground
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How to use a breadboard

Powering Up Arduino
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• Using USB cable
• Using DC power jacket
• Giving voltage directly into Vin pin
• Giving regulated voltage directly into 5V pin
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Different ways to power up Arduino

Setting Up Arduino
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Testing The Setup With A
“Hello World” Program
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Blinking LED

• Insert a LED in pin 13
• Open File->Examples->Basics->Blink
• Select Tools->Boards->Arduino Uno
• Select File->Upload (or press ctrl+u)
• You should get the message “Done upload”
• Your Led should blink
• Congrats you can program Arduino now 
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Making a LED blink

Anatomy Of An Arduino Sketch
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Things you can try
• Vary the frequency at which the LED is
blinking
• Add more LED’s

• Uno has one UART hardware port, using which
we can exchange information with computer
• Very useful for debugging
• Works at a specified baud rate
• Use Serial Monitor to read values (Tools ->
Serial Monitor)
• SoftwareSerial is also available
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Printing values through Serial

Reading values from Serial
serial.read()
serial.print()
serial.println()
https://github.com/sudar/arduino-
sketches/blob/master/SerialPrint/SerialPrint.ino

Digital Input And Output
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Digital Input
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Code
Open File->Examples->Basics->DigitalReadSerial

The LED blink that we did at “setting up
Arduino” is Digital output
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Digital Output

Analog Input
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• Connect the LDR on pin A0 and Gnd
• LDR’s resistance varies based on the amount
of light present
• Read the current value using analogRead()
• Print the value in Serial Monitor
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Reading Analog values from sensors

Code
Open File->Examples->Basics->AnalogReadSerial

Analog Output
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• What is PWM?
• Analog like behavior using digital output
• Works by switching the LED on and off
regularly
• Changing the brightness of a Led
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Analog Output

Code
Open File->Examples->Analog->Fading

Combining Input and Output
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Control an LED based on light
void setup()
{
pinMode(13, OUTPUT);
}
void loop()
{
int val = analogRead(A0);
if (val > 50) {
digitalWrite(13, HIGH);
} else {
digitalWrite(13, LOW);
}
}

Things to try
• Control LED based on button press
• Alternate two LED’s based on button press
• Persist the status of button

Moving Forward
• Connect to display devices like 7-segment
display or LCD
• Connect to motion sensors
• Connect to other components like shift
register etc
• Connect to a RTC chip

Things which I have tried
• Connecting to mobile Android phones using
– Bluetooth
– Wired and wireless
– Audio Jacket
– NFC
– ADK
• Connected all sorts of display devices including VGA devices like projectors
• Connected external USB devices like keyboard, mouse and even USB Missile
launchers - http://hardwarefun.com/tutorials/controlling-usb-missile-launchers-
using-arduino
• Connected ez430 chronos watch
• Connected IR devices like TV Remotes etc
• Connected bluetooth devices like WiiRemote
• Created small autonomous bots that can be controlled by either a WiiRemote or
Android phones - http://hardwarefun.com/projects/asimi
• Detect motion using PIR, IR and ultrasound motion sensors
• More projects at http://hardwarefun.com