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This article details the ways an Arduino microcontroller can communicate with your computer through the various Serial functions. Serial functions: The various Serial functions are used for communication between the Arduino board and a computer/other devices. All Arduino boards have at least one Serial port, as pictured below: How Serial functions are applied in practice: In order for Serial to work properly, the arduino microcontroller (typically) has to be connected (via a

digitalWrite(): Just as the purpose of the digitalRead() is to read a value of high or low of an input, the purpose of the digitalWrite function is to assign a value of HIGH or LOW to a digital pin, specifically, an output. Effectively, they are opposites. If a pin has been configured to be an output in the setup of the code with the pinMode function, its voltage in the circuit will be set to the corresponding value: 5V for HIGH (3.3V on 3.3V boards) and 0V for LOW To use dig

This article details the digitalRead() function in Arduino programming, explaining how it works and how to use it in your own sketches. digitalRead(): Introduction: As you may know, a microcontroller, in simplest terms, can be called the brain of the circuit. That is, the microcontroller is the component of the circuit responsible for storing and processing the code that is written. As you can see in this image, a microcontroller has pins - these tiny metal legs - that “attac

Pictured below is the general framework for the usage of control structures, which use conditions to determine the flow and order of operations in the program: While Loops: This function will loop continuously until the expression inside the parentheses becomes false If nothing changes the variable, the loop will never end; for this reason, in practice, you would not evaluate the truth of a constant, but rather the state of a sensor or the value of a variable. The syntax for

pinMode: The pinMode() function is usually performed in the void setup() fragment of the code, and it serves the purpose of configuring the specified pin as either an INPUT or an OUTPUT. A few important things to note about inputs and outputs: Input pins: Pins that source the data that is given to the microcontroller. Arduino pins default to inputs, so you do not need to explicitly declare them as inputs in the setup (pins configured as such are said to be in a high-impedance

Learn how I calibrated my device to better identify handwashing frequencies in unfamiliar settings.

As I make progress with the development of the prototype, I plan to keep a log here, in the blog, under the "Updates" category. Subscribe to be alerted whenever a new update has been developed! (Also, if you are looking to implement more technical improvements in your Arduino programs, these examples can serve as a framework, so I suggest reading fully and analyzing the code. That said, when you spot an improvement to be made in my codes, PLEASE let me know ASAP - I'm looking

Bluetooth connectivity has been enabled with the Puriphico device. Read here to learn how, with sample codes and videos demonstrating.

Delay() Pauses the program for a specified amount of milliseconds. Syntax is delay(ms). delayMicroseconds() Same as delay, but in microseconds. Is inaccurate for values larger than 16383; nearing this number, it is simplest to use the standard delay function. micros() When this function is called, it returns the number of microseconds since the arduino board began running. Will reset after approximately 70 minutes of board operation. Syntax is as follows: time = micros( ) Her

Learn the basic comparison operators used when programming an Arduino microcontroller. Definition: Comparison operators are mathematical symbols that compare the left variable to the right variable (with respect to the operator, which falls in the middle), and can be evaluated as true or false. Comparison operators work best when comparing variables from the same data type; otherwise, they could possibly yield unpredictable results. Below find concrete examples of comparison

This article details the most common data types used in Arduino programming. Data types: Array A collection of variables that can be accessed via an index number. Below are the various methods of declaring arrays: Key: int myInts: declares an array without initializing it. int myPins: declares an array without specifying size. int mySensVals: declares an array and specifies size. Bool Can hold either a true or false value. Syntax: bool var = val Var refers to a variable. Val

This article details the types of constants in Arduino programming Overview They are predefined expressions in the Arduino language, used to make the sketch easier to read. HIGH | LOW As you may have read in the Digital Functions articles, when reading or writing to a digital pin, there are only two possible values a pin can take: HIGH and LOW. The meaning of HIGH and LOW depends on whether the pin is declared as an INPUT or an OUTPUT. Visit the articles on digital functions

This article details the basic syntax for defining constants, including libraries, making comments, and using punctuation in your Arduino programs. Defining constants: #define The #define syntax allows the programmer to give a name to a constant value before the program is compiled, allowing any references to the constant to be replaced with the defined value when the program is running. However, although convenient, using #define presents a few things to watch out for: First

Introduction: As a part of the Build-Your-Own program, Puriphico has introduced the "Learn" sub-category, which focuses on teaching general product-design skills with the hope that students can progress to the point at which they can build (and understand how to build) their very own Puriphico device from home. The upcoming series of videos (to be found under the Build-Your-Own page as well as the YouTube channel @puriphico) and written articles will be based on the following

I don’t know about you, but I have 2 different timers for brushing my teeth: one is built into the electronic toothbrush, and if that fails, I have the mini-hourglass (for two minutes) as a backup. Of course, you wouldn’t be wrong to assume that countless trips to the local dentist have left me paranoid about my hygiene habits, but that is not the purpose of this article. The purpose of this article is to introduce you to my device, Puriphico, and the looming question: Why do

What are functions? Functions are modules or sections of code designed for a specific purpose or task. Simply put, they are essentially a mini-program within a program. To better understand this, lets imagine an example: As you hopefully know, whether it be digital or analog, a clock ticks indefinitely; the time is always augmenting throughout the day, forever adding a second, then resetting after 24 hours. If you were to write a program modeling the behavior of a clock, it w