Learn

Analog and PWM signals

Use a potentiometer to control an indicator, and learn how analog measurements differ from PWM outputs.

Introduction to Arduino

Upload your first sketch, blink the built-in LED, and use Serial Monitor to see what the board is doing.

Buttons and switches

Wire a button with an internal pull-up, debounce it, and toggle an indicator once per press.

Communication between devices

Send commands and readings over USB serial, then choose between UART, I²C, SPI, and networking.

Blinking an LED

Wire a low-current status indicator and blink it without blocking the rest of your program.

Passive infrared (PIR) motion sensors

Read an HC-SR501 motion sensor and learn why movement detection is different from occupancy.

Infrared receiver modules

Decode an old remote with a 38 kHz receiver and distinguish new presses from held-key repeats.

Servo motors

Move a lightweight pointer with two buttons while powering a micro servo independently of the controller.

Convert a servo to continuous rotation

Understand a servo conversion, calibrate neutral, and control continuous rotation with a short timed run.

Stepper motors

Move a 5 V 28BYJ-48 with a ULN2003 driver, starting slowly and accounting for missed steps and backlash.

Shift registers

Use a 74HC595 to drive eight low-current indicators with three controller pins.

Transistors

Build a low-side transistor switch, then learn what changes when the load becomes a motor or relay.

Ultrasonic distance sensors

Measure distance with an HC-SR04, reject missing echoes, and compare raw readings with a small median filter.

Using an LED matrix module

Show readable status symbols on a MAX7219 matrix instead of adding a full screen.

Using an analog joystick module

Read a thumb stick, calibrate its resting center, and add a dead zone for stable controls.

Using rotary encoders

Decode a mechanical knob’s direction and count complete quadrature cycles without mistaking every bounce for a turn.

Using an RFID module

Read an RC522 tag identifier with correct voltage translation, and understand why a UID is not a secure key.

Local voice assistants: Rhasspy and Assist

Understand a local voice pipeline, Rhasspy’s legacy role, and a practical first experiment using Home Assistant Assist.

Node-RED

Build a temperature reminder with simulated readings, readable debug output, and a rule that does not chatter near its threshold.

Home Assistant

Build and test a door-left-open reminder using two virtual switches before buying any sensors.

Security for your smart home and IoT network

Give a small connected project clear permissions, visible failure states, and a repeatable security check before relying on it.

MQTT security

Run a loopback-only Mosquitto practice broker, give a sensor and reader different permissions, and test the denied cases.