Introduction to Arduino Microcontroller 2023

Ⅰ. Introduction to Arduino

1.1 Origin of Arduino's name

Ivrea, a picturesque town in northern Italy, crossed by the blue-green Dora Baltea River, is most famous for its story of an oppressed king. In 1002 A.D., King Arduino became the ruler of the country, but unfortunately was deposed two years later by King Henry II of Germany. Today, there is a bar called "di Re Arduino" in the town of Cobblestone Street to commemorate this king, and Massimo Banzi often visits this bar, and he named this electronic project Arduino to commemorate this place.

1.2 What is Arduino

Arduino is an open source electronic prototyping platform with flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. arduino is designed for designers, craftspeople, hobbyists, and people interested in developing interactive devices or interactive development environments.

Arduino can receive input signals from various sensors to detect the operating environment and influence its surroundings by controlling light sources, motors, and other actuators. The onboard microcontroller is programmed using the Arduino programming language (based on Wiring) and the Arduino development environment (based on Processing).

Arduino can run standalone or communicate with software running on a computer (e.g., Flash, Processing, MaxMSP). arduino development The IDE interface is based on open source code, which allows you to develop more amazing interactive creations by downloading and using it for free.

1.3 Features of Arduino

• Open source circuit diagram design, program development interface is free to download, or you can modify it according to your needs.
• USB interface can be used for power supply or external power supply, two-way choice.
• Arduino supports ISP online burning, so you can burn the new "Bootloader" firmware into ATmega168 or AT mega328 chip. With the Bootloader, the program can be updated via USB.
• The Arduino module can be simplified by using the official Eagel format PCB and SCH circuit diagrams to create a standalone microprocessor control board. Simple connection with sensors, various electronic components (infrared, ultrasonic, thermistor, photoresistor, servo servo, etc.).
• Support a variety of interactive programs, such as: Flash, Max/Msp, VVVV, C, Processing .... etc.
• Application, the use of Arduino, breakthrough in the past can only use the mouse, keyboard, CCD and other input devices of interactive content, can be more simple to achieve single-player or multi-player game interaction.

1.4 Arduino Software

1.5 Arduino UNO development board

Ⅱ. What is the Difference Between Arduino and Microcontroller

To understand Arduino, we must first understand what is a microcontroller. The basis of Arduino platform is actually a microcontroller with AVR instruction set.

2.1 What is a microcontroller?

A working computer contains the following parts: central processing unit CPU (for computing, control), random memory RAM (data storage), memory ROM (program storage), input/output device I/O (serial port, parallel output port, etc.).

In a personal computer (PC) these parts are divided into a number of chips and mounted on a printed circuit board called the motherboard. In the microcontroller, these parts are all done in one integrated circuit chip, so it is called a single chip (single chip) machine, and there are some microcontrollers in addition to the above-mentioned parts, but also integrated other parts such as analog / digital conversion (A/D) and digital / analog conversion (D / A), etc.

Learn more:  [2022] What is a Microcontroller: Definition, Composition and Classification

2.2 What is the use of microcontroller?

Not all situations require high performance. Imagine a sound-controlled lamp using Intel i7 processor, its cost performance must be low to break the sky. The key to the application is to see if it is enough and if it has a good performance to price ratio, so the microcontroller fills this gap very well.

2.3 What is Arduino?

Arduino is a convenient and flexible, easy-to-use open source electronic prototyping platform that includes hardware (various models of Arduino boards) and software (Arduino IDE).

It is suitable for artists, designers, hobbyists and anyone who "wants to tinker". It features a simple shape that allows interaction with people and can be used by children as young as ten years old to make something they want.

Arduino can sense the environment through a variety of sensors, by controlling lights, motors and other devices to feedback, influence the environment. The microcontroller on the board can be programmed through Arduino's programming language, compiled into a binary file, and included in the microcontroller. Arduino-based projects can include only Arduino, but also Arduino and some other software running on PC, which communicate between them (e.g. Flash, Processing, MaxMSP) to achieve.

2.4 Types of Arduino

There are too many Arduino boards available on the market, leaving aside the dozens of original ones, there are tens of thousands of different Arduinos on a certain website, which is inhumane for beginners. Choosing a suitable Arduino for your project is half the battle. Here we look at the most common Arduino boards and how to distinguish them.

To distinguish between so many boards and to choose the right Arduino, we have to look at the following three aspects: performance, features and size.

• Performance. That is, processor memory, clock frequency, and bit width. Hardware processing power usually depends entirely on the board's chip, and the chip also limits the software that can be run.
• Features. Except the microprocessor, it includes everything on the board such as input/output pins, integrated components (buttons, LEDs, motor drivers, etc.) and the type and number of available interfaces (USB, Ethernet, etc.).
• Dimensions. The weight and size for the electronic part varies greatly. For example, if you want to make a tracker for your dog, if you use a Mega and a battery box plus an expansion board, it must be at least 10*5*5cm in size and 200g in weight, so is it a tracker or a sandbag?

Having said that, let's see what are the mainstream Arduino.

1. Arduino Uno

Processor: ATmega328

Features:

• 14 digital I/O ports,
• 6 analog input ports,
• interchangeable processor design

2. Arduino Leonardo

Processor: ATmega32u4

Features: 20 digital I/O ports, 12 of which can be used as analog ports, native support for USB

Size: 75 x 55mm

3. Arduino Due

Processor: Atmel SAM3X8E ARM Cortex-M3 (32-bit CPU, 84MHz clock frequency, 96KB SRAM, 512KB flash memory)

Features: 54 digital I/O ports, 12 analog input ports, 2 analog output ports, native USB support

Size: 100 x 55mm

4. Arduino Micro

Processor: ATmega32u4 (8-bit CPU, 16MHz clock frequency, 2.5KB SRAM, 32KB flash memory)

Features: 20 digital I/O ports, 12 of which can be used as analog ports, native support for USB

Dimensions: 50 x 18 mm