Physical Computing Using Arduinos: Making LEDs Blink and Fade
Students download the software needed to create Arduino programs and make sure their Arduino microcontrollers work correctly. Then, they connect an LED to the Arduino and type up and upload programs to the Arduino board to 1) make the LED blink on and off and 2) make the LED fade (brighten and then dim). Throughout, students reflect on what they've accomplished by answering questions and modifying the original programs and circuits in order to achieve new outcomes. A design challenge gives students a chance to demonstrate their understanding of actuators and Arduinos; they design a functioning system using an Arduino, at least three actuators and either a buzzer or toy motor. For their designs, students sketch, create and turn in a user's manual for the system (text description, commented program, detailed hardware diagram). Numerous worksheets and handouts are provided.
Using an Arduino microcontroller to control an LED.Copyright 2015 Michael Zitolo, School of Engineering, NYU Polytechnic
In order to design and create new interactive devices, engineers must have a basic understanding of circuits, microcontrollers, computer programming and actuators. Many electronic devices that we interact with daily, such as cell phones, cameras, digital thermometers and blenders, possess microcontrollers that control the devices' functions. Actuators, including LEDs, speakers and motors, are essential components of robotic system. These components are incorporated into circuits that can be controlled using microcontrollers. Like computer and electrical engineers, students are challenged in the final assessment to design their own programs to perform certain tasks using Arduinos and circuits they have built.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Construct viable circuits using Arduinos and simple actuators.
- Develop programs for the Arduino using the functions pinMode(), digitalWrite(), analogWrite(), and delay() to control actuators through digital pins.