DIY Microcontroller Projects for Hobbyists

A practical guide to building PIC and STM32 microcontroller board applications with C and C++ programming

Key Features

• Discover how to apply microcontroller boards in real life to create interesting IoT projects
• Create innovative solutions to help improve the lives of people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
• Design, build, program, and test microcontroller-based projects with the C and C++ programming language

Book Description

We live in a world surrounded by electronic devices, and microcontrollers are the brains of these devices. Microcontroller programming is an essential skill in the era of the Internet of Things (IoT), and this book helps you to get up to speed with it by working through projects for designing and developing embedded apps with microcontroller boards.

DIY Microcontroller Projects for Hobbyists are filled with microcontroller programming C and C++ language constructs. You'll discover how to use the Blue Pill (containing a type of STM32 microcontroller) and Curiosity Nano (containing a type of PIC microcontroller) boards for executing your projects as PIC is a beginner-level board and STM-32 is an ARM Cortex-based board. Later, you'll explore the fundamentals of digital electronics and microcontroller board programming. The book uses examples such as measuring humidity and temperature in an environment to help you gain hands-on project experience. You'll build on your knowledge as you create IoT projects by applying more complex sensors. Finally, you'll find out how to plan for a microcontroller-based project and troubleshoot it.

By the end of this book, you'll have developed a firm foundation in electronics and practical PIC and STM32 microcontroller programming and interfacing, adding valuable skills to your professional portfolio.

What you will learn

• Get to grips with the basics of digital and analog electronics
• Design, build, program, and test a microcontroller-based system
• Understand the importance and applications of STM32 and PIC microcontrollers
• Discover how to connect sensors to microcontroller boards
• Find out how to obtain sensor data via coding
• Use microcontroller boards in real life and practical projects

Who this book is for

This STM32 PIC microcontroller book is for students, hobbyists, and engineers who want to explore the world of embedded systems and microcontroller programming. Beginners, as well as more experienced users of digital electronics and microcontrollers, will also find this book useful. Basic knowledge of digital circuits and C and C++ programming will be helpful but not necessary.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Microcontrollers and Microcontroller Boards.
2. Software Setup and C Programming for Microcontroller Boards
3. Turning an LED On or Off Using a Push Button
4. Measuring the Amount of Light with a Photoresistor
5. Humidity and Temperature Measurement
6. Morse Code SOS Visual Alarm with a Bright LED
7. Creating a Clap switch
8. Gas sensor
9. IoT Temperature-Logging System
10. IoT Plant Pot Moisture Sensor
11. IoT Solar Energy (Voltage) Measurement
12. Covid-19 Digital Body Temperature Measurement (Thermometer)
13. Covid-19 Social Distancing Alert
14. COVID-19 20-Second Hand Washing Timer

Miguel Angel Garcia-Ruiz is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at the School of Computer Science and Technology, Algoma University, Canada. He has taught microcontroller programming and interfacing, human-computer interaction, and interaction design courses. Miguel has a PhD in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence from Sussex University, England. He has published articles on tinkering with technology applying microcontroller boards. Miguel has conducted research projects funded by Canada's Northern Ontario Heritage Fund (NOHFC), Algoma University, and the Mexican Ministry of Education.

Pedro Cesar Santana Mancilla is a research professor at the School of Telematics at the University of Colima in Mexico. His research interests focus on human-computer interaction, ICT for elderly people, Internet of Things, and machine learning. He is currently serving as president of the Mexican Association on Human-Computer Interaction (AMexIHC). He is a Senior Member of the IEEE, and ACM and serves as Chair of the Mexican ACM SIGCHI Chapter (CHI-Mexico). Pedro is a member of the Mexican Academy of Computing (AMexComp) and the Mexican Society of Computer Science (SMCC).