
A general introduction to embedded systems. We will have a look at what is a microcontroller and a microprocessor. The section will end with alternative platforms to Arduino and on how to select a microcontroller.
Select a microcontroller by weighing dip vs smt packages, memory needs (program, data, ram, rom), and peripherals including i/o pins, adc, dac, ethernet, can, usb, timers, pwm, spi, and i2c.
Assemble essential hardware for course: a computer with Arduino IDE on Windows, Mac, or Linux, an Arduino Uno R3, USB A to B cable, breadboard, LEDs, resistors, switches, and wires.
Explore Arduino sketches saved as .ino files and structured around setup and loop. Implement setup to run once after reset and loop to execute repeatedly, with comments and port detection.
Blink an LED on an Arduino Uno using pin 6, pinMode, digitalWrite HIGH/LOW, and delay in milliseconds, and compare setup versus loop for controlling blink rate.
Explore how pulse width modulation lets an Arduino Uno vary LED brightness and motor speed without a DAC, using 8-bit duty cycles (0–255) on PWM pins via analogWrite.
Control the led brightness with pwm using analogWrite from 0 to 255, fading in and out on an Arduino Uno pin 5.
Learn to read digital input on the Arduino Uno using switches and the digitalRead function. Explore pull-up and pull-down resistors that define HIGH or LOW and prevent floating inputs.
Explore serial communication basics for microcontrollers, including UART protocols, baud rate, TX/RX wiring, and using Arduino serial functions (begin, print, println) to send data to a serial monitor.
Are you looking for a start into the world of embedded systems? Do you want to work with both hardware and software, to get an understanding into world of embedded control? If yes, then let us get started with the course which introduces embedded systems in a step by step manner. The course is aimed at guiding the learner to level of proficiency where the person can go into more advanced topics on their own.
The topics covered in the course are
Introduction to Arduino Uno
Digital Output
Analog Output
Digital Input
Analog Input
Serial Communication