These projects from CMU incorporate the Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense in clever ways

Reading Time: 4 minutesWith an array of onboard sensors, Bluetooth® Low Energy connectivity, and the ability to perform edge AI tasks thanks to its nRF52840 SoC, the Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense is a great choice for a wide variety of embedded applications. Further demonstrating this point, a group of students from the Introduction to Embedded Deep Learning […]

DIY air hockey table uses an Arduino to keep score

Reading Time: 2 minutesInspired by game nights with her family, Lorraine Underwood from element14 Presents wanted to build a project that would be both fun and playable many times over. Based on these parameters, she opted to design and construct her own take on an air hockey table that would be capable of keeping score automatically. The base of the air hockey […]

Control a thermal printer with your Arduino

Reading Time: 2 minutesYou would probably recognize a thermal printer as the thing that spits out receipts at a cash register. They offer a two key advantages: they do not require ink cartridges and they are compact. But because they print by applying heat to special paper that darkens when hot, they have low resolution and fidelity. If […]

The Emotion Aid is a wearable device that communicates its user’s emotions

Reading Time: 2 minutesMany people (especially those with autism spectrum disorder) have difficulty communicating with others around them. That is always a challenge, but becomes particularly noticeable when one cannot convey their emotions through body language. If someone can’t show that they’re not in the mood to talk, that may lead to confusing interactions. To help people express […]

DIY spectrum analyzer is an easy project for beginners

Reading Time: 2 minutesSpectrum analysis is a technique that allows someone to observe the amplitude of various frequency ranges within a signal. The most common use case is in the world of audio engineering, as it is useful for tuning audio output. It can, for example, show you that a particular audio signal has little amplitude in the […]

This DIY system monitors all of the doors in a senior care home

Reading Time: 2 minutesSenior care homes may get a bad rap in popular culture, but they serve a legitimate and important purpose. As people age, their requirements for care can exceed the capability of their families. When that becomes the case, professional care may be prudent. To help those professionals care for residents, Hayden designed this system that […]

Mini Cyclone game doesn’t require a trip to the arcade

Reading Time: 2 minutesOne of the most popular machines in any arcade is the Cyclone game, where a ring of LEDs illuminate in sequence and the player must push a button at the exact moment that a specific LED lights up. Get it just right and you can win a whole pile of tickets to spend in the […]

Bolt Bots are perfect for aspiring roboticists

Reading Time: 2 minutesWhile it is easier now than ever before, getting into robotics is still daunting. In the past, aspiring roboticists were limited by budget and inaccessible technology. But today the challenge is an overwhelming abundance of different options. It is hard to know where to start, which is why Saul designed a set of easy-to-build and […]

Ensure DC motor performance with anomaly detection based on energy monitoring

Reading Time: 5 minutes[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jskIyHzcH7A?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281] The challenge Optimizing manufacturing processes is a requirement in any industry today, with electricity consumption in particular representing a major concern due to increased costs and instability. Analyzing energy use has therefore become a widespread need – and one that can also lead to early identification of anomalies and predictive maintenance: two important […]

Stop snoring in its tracks with this helpful device

Reading Time: 2 minutesFor those who have to put up with a snoring partner or roommate, the scourge of listening to those droning sounds can be maddening and lead to a decrease in the quality of one’s sleep. So, as an attempt to remedy this situation, Flin van Asperen devised an “anti-snoring machine” out of readily accessible components […]

An open-source, breath-controlled MIDI device

Reading Time: 2 minutesThe simplest MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) input devices use good ol’ fashioned buttons: push a button and the device sends a MIDI message to trigger a specific note. But that control scheme doesn’t replicate the flexibility of a real instrument very well, because a standard button is a binary mechanism. To introduce more range, […]

This robotic beer tray keeps servers from spilling suds

Reading Time: 2 minutesExperienced servers are masters of balance and coordination, being able to carry several full glasses on a tray without spilling a drop. But many of us lack that skill and can’t carry even a single glass across a room without splashing half of it on our feet. To help the clumsy among us, YouTuber The […]

Shape-changing user interface improves haptic navigation

Reading Time: 2 minutesAlmost all haptic feedback today comes in the form of vibration. But vibratory haptic feedback is clearly lacking, as it cannot convey information with any kind of precision or granularity. The user notices the vibration and very course patterns may be recognizable, but that is a rudimentary approach that requires a lot of user focus. […]

TactorBots is a complete toolkit for robotic touch

Reading Time: 2 minutesSo much of the research and development in the area of haptic feedback focuses on universal devices that can create a wide range of tactile sensations. But that has proven to be a massive challenge, as it is very difficult to package the number of actuators necessary for that flexibility in a device that is […]

Arduino Pro at SPS Italy 2023

Reading Time: 3 minutesMark your calendars: May 23rd-25th we’ll be at SPS Italia, one of the country’s leading fairs for smart, digital, sustainable industry and a great place to find out what’s new in automation worldwide. We expect a lot of buzz around AI for IoT applications – and, of course, we’ll come prepared to give our own, […]

Fingertip force control aids in sports and musical training

Reading Time: 2 minutesA great number of activities require the precise application of force with the fingertips. When playing a guitar, for example, you must exert the proper amount of force to push a string against the fret board. Training is difficult, because new guitarists don’t know how much force to apply. This wearable system controls fingertip force […]

Emoband strokes and squeezes your wrist

Reading Time: 2 minutesModern consumer devices are fantastic at providing visual and auditory stimulation, but they fail to excite any of the other senses. At most, we get some tactile sensation in the form of haptic feedback. But those course vibrations do little more than provide an indication that something is happening, which is why researchers look for […]

Training embedded audio classifiers for the Nicla Voice on synthetic datasets

Reading Time: 2 minutesThe task of gathering enough data to classify distinct sounds not captured in a larger, more robust dataset can be very time-consuming, at least until now. In his write-up, Shakhizat Nurgaliyev describes how he used an array of AI tools to automatically create a keyword spotting dataset without the need for speaking into a microphone. The pipeline is split […]

Convert an old hour meter to track your job time

Reading Time: 2 minutesHour meters are common for many types of machinery, because they serve a similar to purpose as your car’s odometer. When time running is a more important metric than distance, an hour meter is a good choice. And because they’re common, it is easy to find hour meters in any style you can imagine — […]

Build your own high-quality ARCTOS robot arm

Reading Time: 2 minutesIf you want a robot arm, either for some practical job or just fun, you have a lot of options. There are many consumer and industrial robot arms on the market, but the models that aren’t glorified toys tend to be pricey. You can also build your own. If you go that route, you’ll want […]

Fall detection system with Nicla Sense ME

Reading Time: 4 minutesThe challenge Personal safety is a growing concern in a variety of settings: from high-risk jobs where HSE managers must guarantee workers’ security to the increasingly common work and study choices that drive family and friends far apart, sometimes leading to more isolated lives. In all of these situations, having a system capable of sensing […]

Presenting our first 3 Project Hub competition selections!

Reading Time: 3 minutesOur recently launched “Arduino Project of the Month” initiative adds a pinch of competition to our community’s passion for sharing. Out of the dozens of new entries added in February, we are now happy to announce our first top three selections, highlighting interesting projects for everyone to learn, test, and improve upon!  3. Create your own […]