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Arduino IoT with Blynk: Environmental Monitor Project

Name: Arduino IoT with Blynk: Environmental Monitor Project
Rating: 4.8 (11 reviews)

Learn Arduino IoT by building an environmental monitoring system with Blynk, ESP-01S, and a custom PCB.

Created byDr. Peter Dalmaris

Last updated 7/2026

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Build a complete Arduino IoT environmental monitoring system using an Arduino Uno.
Integrate sensors, an LCD display, Wi-Fi, and cloud services into a single embedded system.
Create web and mobile dashboards with Blynk to monitor and interact with your Arduino remotely.
Configure and use the ESP-01S Wi-Fi module with an Arduino Uno using AT commands.
Design Arduino software that efficiently manages multiple peripherals and limited system resources.
Measure temperature, humidity, and ambient light using the DHT11 sensor and a photoresistor.
How to use the ESP01S WiFi module with an Arduino Uno.
Design a custom Arduino shield PCB in KiCad to replace the prototype breadboard circuit.
Apply an engineering approach to prototyping, testing, troubleshooting, and refining an embedded system.

Course content

8 sections • 27 lectures • 3h 11m total length

1-10 What is the course about?8:42
Learn to build an Arduino environment monitoring gadget with IoT connectivity through a step-by-step approach. Gain hardware and software skills, clear objectives, and a focused, confidence-boosting project.
1-20 Hardware and kit overview14:27
Review hardware for Arduino IoT environment monitor project, using subset of Sun Founder kit. It features a wifi module with adapter, DHT11 sensor, LCD, potentiometer, and Arduino Uno.
1-40 How to get the most out of this course3:59
Plan your learning with the Arduino environment monitor course by using the recommended hardware, following the parts list and GitHub repository for code and schematics.

2-10 The potentiometer6:31
Learn how the potentiometer acts as a variable resistor to control lcd brightness on the environment monitor project with the Arduino, wired to ground, 5V, and analog pin zero.
2-20 The photo resistor7:00
Wire a photoresistor to an Arduino with a fixed resistor, measure light on analog pin 0, and convert readings to illuminance (lux) in the next lesson.
2-30 Measuring light with Lux and the Axel-Benz formula18:18
Convert the photoresistor's raw Arduino readings to lux using the Axle Benz formula. Optimize the voltage divider and calibrate with a lux meter to derive a linear conversion.
2-40 Temperature and humidity with the DHT1111:00
Explore the DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor with Arduino, wiring it to 5v, ground, and digital pin 11, and reading temperature and humidity data via the DHT New library.
2-50 The 2x16 LCD display12:53
Display temperature and humidity from FT 11 sensor on a 2x16 LCD display using Arduino, wiring in four-bit parallel mode with optional I2C backpack, via the liquid crystal library.
2-60 ESP-01S WiFi module - Configuration wiring11:23
Configure the esp-01s wifi module with an Arduino Uno, wire it via a breadboard adapter, and set the baud rate to 9600 to connect to a local wifi hotspot.
2-61 ESP-01S WiFi module – Configuration AT commands9:38
Wire the ESP-01S to the Arduino Uno and power from USB. Use AT commands to set baud rate to 9600 and enable soft AP and station mode (CW mode 3).
2-62 ESP-01S WiFi module - Create Blynk account and project6:29
Learn to set up a Blink project using the ESP-01S WiFi module with an Arduino UNO, control an LCD, and create a Blink account via the wizard.
2-63 ESP-01S WiFi module - Simple LED control with Blynk16:13
Install modified blink library for the esp01/esp8266 in Arduino IDE. Wire Arduino Uno for software serial and build a blink project to control an led over wifi with virtual pin.

3-10 Create a simple Blynk dashboard8:43
Begin from scratch to build a simple blink dashboard for an Arduino Uno environment monitor, adding a led switch and a potentiometer gauge via data streams.
3-20 ESP01, LED and potentiometer wiring1:27
Wire the Arduino Uno, esp01 wifi module, led (driven by digital pin five), potentiometer, and lcd per the KiCad schematic. Add a 47 microfarad decoupling capacitor to improve wifi stability.
3-30 Demo sketch8:08
Explore the software side of the Arduino sketch, wiring two serial interfaces, configuring Wi-Fi and Blynk, and sending potentiometer readings via virtual write to V1 using a blink timer.
3-40 Create mobile dashboard3:35
Create a mobile dashboard for the Arduino environment monitor by adding a switch and a gauge linked to v0 and v1 data streams, with web and mobile dashboards synchronized.

4-10 Wire DHT11 and light sensors2:05
Add the DHT11 and a photoresistor with a fixed resistor, wire to digital and analog pins, and prepare a web dashboard with widgets in Blink platform.
4-20 Web dashboard5:07
Design a web dashboard with an LED control widget and three gauges for lux, temperature (Celsius), and humidity, creating and configuring data streams and virtual pins from scratch.
4-30 Sketch4:45
Extend the Blink project by adding a Dht11 sensor and photoresistor, configure a sensor timer, and write lux, temperature, and humidity to Blink virtual pins for cloud dashboard updates.
4-40 Mobile dashboard4:09
Update the mobile dashboard to mirror the web dashboard by using three gauges for lux, temperature, and humidity assigned to data streams v1–v3, with values updating every five seconds.

5-10 Wiring LCD module3:12
Add the lcd module to the circuit and update the sketch to support it, reassigning data pins to d8–d11, adjust contrast, and review the schematic while blink dashboards remain unchanged.
5-20 Sketch9:40
Combine prototype and LCD sketches to display temperature, humidity, and lux on Arduino Uno while teaching memory optimization: localizing variables, small data types, and flash memory with the F function.

6-10 Objective and PCB schematic5:11
Move the environment monitor from breadboard to a custom pcb, review the buggy first version, adjust wifi and lcd pin allocations in the sketch, and fix the voltage divider sampling.
6-20 Sketch modification and testing3:42
Modify pins for the dht11, lcd, and software serial, upload sketch, and test data streams every five seconds while troubleshooting -999 readings and planning a led indicator for prototype three.
6-30 Fix PCB bugs and add LED2:02
Fix the pcb bug by wiring the junction of the resistor and photoresistor to analog pin zero, add a led, and enable control via the Blink and Web dashboards.

Requirements

This is not an introductory Arduino course.
You should be comfortable building simple circuits on a breadboard.
You should know how to upload sketches to an Arduino board using the Arduino IDE.
You should be able to read and understand basic Arduino code.
You should know how to install Arduino libraries and troubleshoot simple wiring and programming problems
You will need an Arduino Uno (or compatible board) and the project hardware to complete the hands-on exercises.
If you're new to Arduino, I recommend completing my Arduino Step-by-Step Getting Started course before enrolling.

Description

Build Your First Complete Arduino IoT Project

This course is designed for makers who already understand the fundamentals of Arduino programming and electronics and are ready to build their first complete Internet of Things (IoT) project. If you've completed my Arduino Step-by-Step Getting Started course, you'll have everything you need to succeed.

Together, we'll build a complete Arduino IoT environmental monitoring system using an Arduino Uno. Along the way, you'll learn how to integrate sensors, a Wi-Fi module, an LCD display, cloud dashboards, and eventually bring everything together on a custom printed circuit board (PCB).

One of my objectives when designing this course was to keep the project focused and achievable. It's large enough to introduce you to several important IoT technologies, but small enough that you can complete it over a weekend or a few evenings of focused work.

As engineers, we don't learn by reading about technology. We learn by building things.

That's exactly what you'll do in this course.

Rather than exploring each component in isolation, you'll combine them into a complete working system. You'll build the project in stages, adding one feature at a time and testing your work as you go. This approach makes it much easier to understand how each part contributes to the finished project and reflects the way real engineering projects are developed.

Throughout this project you'll work with:

Arduino Uno
DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor
Photoresistor
ESP-01S Wi-Fi module
16×2 LCD display
Blynk web and mobile dashboards

By the end of the course you'll know how to:

Interface multiple sensors with an Arduino.
Measure temperature, humidity, and ambient light.
Configure and communicate with the ESP-01S Wi-Fi module.
Create web and mobile dashboards with Blynk.
Display sensor data on an LCD.
Design software that operates within the memory limitations of the Arduino Uno.
Design a custom PCB for your completed project.

More importantly, you'll gain experience integrating multiple hardware and software technologies into a single embedded system, a skill that transfers to countless other Arduino and IoT projects.

Develop Your Engineering Mindset

Engineering is an iterative process.

Very few projects work exactly as planned the first time. You'll make wiring mistakes. You'll introduce software bugs. You'll occasionally wonder why something that should work doesn't.

That's normal.

Learning how to investigate problems, test ideas, and improve your design is one of the most valuable outcomes of this course. Every successful engineer develops these habits through practice, and project work provides one of the best ways to build those skills.

So don't be discouraged if something doesn't work immediately. Treat it as an opportunity to understand your system a little better. Every problem you solve makes you a better engineer.

Hardware

Most of the hardware used in this course is included in the SunFounder 3-in-1 IoT / Smart Car / Learning Kit for Arduino. The kit contains:

Arduino Uno compatible board
ESP-01S Wi-Fi module
DHT11 sensor
Photoresistor
16×2 LCD display
Breadboard
Jumper wires
Resistors and supporting components

The hardware is not included with this course and must be purchased separately. You can purchase the complete SunFounder kit or source the individual components from your preferred supplier.

Before purchasing any hardware, I recommend watching the Hardware and Kit Overview lecture, where I explain exactly what you'll need and discuss the available options.

Prerequisites

This is not an introductory Arduino course.

You should already be comfortable:

Building simple circuits on a breadboard.
Uploading sketches to an Arduino.
Reading and understanding basic Arduino code.
Installing external libraries using the Arduino IDE.
Diagnosing simple wiring and programming problems.

If these skills are new to you, I recommend completing my Arduino Step-by-Step Getting Started course first. It provides the foundation you'll need to get the most from this project.

About Your Instructor

Dr Peter Dalmaris is an engineer, educator, author, international conference speaker, and founder of Tech Explorations. He has taught hundreds of thousands of students from more than 200 countries and territories, helping makers, students, hobbyists, and professional engineers develop practical skills in electronics, embedded systems, PCB design, and programming.

Peter has spent more than three decades designing, building, and teaching technology. He is the author of Maker Education Revolution and the best-selling KiCad Like a Pro series of books. He has also been a featured speaker at international events including Elektronika with Elektor, Maker Faire Athens, and KiCon Asia in Shenzhen.

Peter's teaching philosophy is simple: engineering is learned by building.

In this course, you won't just follow instructions to assemble a project. You'll learn how to think like an engineer. You'll build, test, troubleshoot, and improve your design through an iterative process that mirrors real engineering practice.

Engineering isn't about getting everything right the first time. Every engineer encounters unexpected behaviour, wiring mistakes, software bugs, and designs that need refinement. Those moments are not failures. They are where the deepest learning happens.

By the end of this course, you'll have built a complete Arduino IoT environmental monitoring system, but more importantly, you'll have strengthened your engineering mindset. You'll approach problems systematically, learn how to diagnose and fix issues with confidence, and develop skills that will help you tackle increasingly sophisticated electronics and embedded systems projects.

Who this course is for:

Arduino makers who understand the fundamentals and are ready to build their first complete IoT project.
Students who want hands-on experience integrating sensors, Wi-Fi, displays, and cloud dashboards into a single system.
Makers and hobbyists interested in learning practical Arduino IoT development through a real engineering project.
Students who have completed an introductory Arduino course, such as Arduino Step-by-Step Getting Started, or have equivalent experience

Arduino IoT with Blynk: Environmental Monitor Project

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction3 lectures • 27min

Getting to know the hardware9 lectures • 1hr 39min

Prototype 0: Introduction to Blynk4 lectures • 22min

Prototype 1: Blynk and sensors4 lectures • 16min

Prototype 2: LCD2 lectures • 13min

Prototype 3: Improvement with a custom PCB3 lectures • 11min

Conclusion1 lecture • 2min

Bonus lecture1 lecture • 1min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: