Schlagwort: Nano ESP32

  • A lightweight file server running entirely on an Arduino Nano ESP32

    A lightweight file server running entirely on an Arduino Nano ESP32

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Home file servers can be very useful for people who work across multiple devices and want easy access to their documents. And there are a lot of DIY build guides out there. But most of them are full-fledged NAS (network-attached storage) devices and they tend to rely on single-board computers. Those take a long time to boot and consume quite a lot of power. This lightweight file server by Zombieschannel is different, because it runs entirely on an Arduino.

    An ESP32 is a microcontroller with built-in connectivity (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth). Like all MCUs, it can “boot” and start running its firmware almost instantly. And while it runs, it will consume much less power than a conventional PC or a single-board computer. Zombieschannel’s project proves that the Arduino Nano ESP32 is suitable for a file server — if your expectations are modest.

    The hardware for this project consists of a Nano ESP32, an SD card reader module, and a small monochrome OLED screen. The SD card provides file storage and the OLED shows status information.

    Most of the work went into writing the firmware, which Zombieschannel did with assistance from ChatGPT. That has the Arduino hosting a basic web interface that local users can access to upload or download files. Zombieschannel also created a command line interface that provides more comprehensive access via a serial connection. 

    This does have limitations and the transfer speeds are quite slow by modern standards. But the file server seems useful for small files, like text documents. Zombieschannel plans to design an enclosure for the device and it should tuck unobtrusively into a corner, where it can run without drawing much power.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzPNge3pa38?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post A lightweight file server running entirely on an Arduino Nano ESP32 appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Build an e-paper weather display and message board using Arduino Cloud

    Build an e-paper weather display and message board using Arduino Cloud

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    If you haven’t yet experimented with the Arduino Cloud, then you may not be aware of how powerful it is for Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Using the service and its online tools, you can quickly build and deploy smart IoT devices — often with little or no custom code required. Rei Vilo’s Remote E-Paper Weather and Message Board perfectly demonstrates how you can accomplish that.

    This device shows current weather information and custom messages on a Pervasive Displays E-Paper Development Kit for Matter’s 2.9″ screen. Though that was designed for use with the Arduino Nano Matter, is also works with others, including the Nano ESP32 that Vilo chose for this project. Like all e-paper displays, it only consumes power when refreshing the screen. And the adapter makes it easy to connect to the Arduino board.

    The hardware setup is very straightforward: just connect the Arduino to the display adapter and plug in a USB cable for power. Most of Vilo’s tutorial focuses on configuring an Arduino Cloud service and setting up the Nano ESP32 to work with that. 

    This showcases the real power of Arduino Cloud, which is its ability to automatically generate sketches to make use of hardware and specified variables. For example, Vilo didn’t need to explicitly program functions to gather the weather data. The Arduino Cloud service automatically passes that data over Wi-Fi to the Nano ESP32, which then updates the display with the new information. Arduino Cloud also provides a nice online dashboard where users can interact with their devices, such as to enter a custom message.

    The post Build an e-paper weather display and message board using Arduino Cloud appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Displaying games on a 9x9x9 LED cube

    Displaying games on a 9x9x9 LED cube

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Many modern video games may put your character inside of a virtual 3D environment, but you aren’t seeing that in three dimensions — your TV’s screen is only a 2D display, after all. 3D displays/glasses and VR goggles make it feel more like you’re in the 3D world, but it isn’t quite the same as you have no control over focus. What would gaming look like in true 3D? Greg Brault built this 9x9x9 LED cube as a video game display to find out.

    Brault actually built a similar 8×8×8 LED cube with some games 10 years ago, but this new version is a lot better. Not only does it have an additional 217 LEDs, but Brault took the time to create a kind of graphics engine to make game development easier. That’s so good that he was able to program a version of Doom that runs on the cube!

    The new cube contains 729 WS2811 individually addressable RGB LEDs on custom PCBs and those are much easier to control than the standard RGB LEDs Brault used in the original cube. An Arduino Nano ESP32 board controls those LEDs on one ESP32-S3 core and the gameplay on the other core. It can play sound effects via a DFPlayer Mini board.

    But the real power is in Brault’s custom 3D rendering engine. Building on the FastLED library, it has all kinds of functions and objects useful for programming graphics on the unique cube display. It is efficient enough to run games at a playable “framerate.” 

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCx5AxXuJbM?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    With that engine at his disposal, Brault was able to make a handful of games: Pong, Space Invaders, Pole Position, Snake, Asteroids, and even Doom. Seeing those reimagined to work in 3D is a real treat, so be sure to watch Brault’s demonstration videos.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nUo0ZfkQ9M?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post Displaying games on a 9x9x9 LED cube appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • The Swervebot is an omnidirectional robot that combines LEGO and 3D-printed parts

    The Swervebot is an omnidirectional robot that combines LEGO and 3D-printed parts

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Robotic vehicles can have a wide variety of drive mechanisms that range from a simple tricycle setup all the way to crawling legs. Alex Le’s project leverages the reliability of LEGO blocks with the customizability of 3D-printed pieces to create a highly mobile omnidirectional robot called Swervebot, which is controllable over Wi-Fi thanks to an Arduino Nano ESP32.

    The base mechanism of a co-axial swerve drive robot is a swerve module that uses one axle + motor to spin the wheel and another axle + motor to turn it. When combined with several other swerve modules in a single chassis, the Swervebot is able to perform very complex maneuvers such as spinning while moving in a particular direction. For each of these modules, a pair of DC motors were mounted into custom, LEGO-compatible enclosures and attached to a series of gears for transferring their motion into the wheels. Once assembled into a 2×2 layout, Le moved onto the next steps of wiring and programming the robot.

    The Nano ESP32 is attached to two TB6612 motor drivers and a screen for displaying fun, animated eyes while the robot is in-motion or idling. Controlling the swerve bot is easy too, as the ESP32 hosts a webpage full of buttons and other inputs for setting speeds and directions.

    For more details on the Swervebot, you can read Le’s write-up here on Instructables.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khSZFTIIhO8?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post The Swervebot is an omnidirectional robot that combines LEGO and 3D-printed parts appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Control your volume with a wireless rotary encoder, as you deserve

    Control your volume with a wireless rotary encoder, as you deserve

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Every decent stereo sold since the invention of sound has included a knob on the front for adjusting volume. There are influencers and entire communities dedicated to evaluating the feel of those wonderful knobs. So why would you settle for the mushy volume buttons on a remote? Eric Tischer didn’t think he should have to, so he built his own wireless rotary encoder device for controlling his DAC’s volume.

    A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) is an important part of modern digital audio systems. Tischer’s DAC/preamp takes the digital signal from a TV or other device, turns it into an analog signal, and then pushes that out to an amplifier. The DAC has a rotary encoder on the device itself for adjusting volume, but the remote just has the standard buttons. Tischer measured that remote and found that it takes 25 seconds to go from zero to full volume. That’s almost as annoying as the horribly unsatisfying buttons.

    Tisher’s solution was to construct a new wireless remote with only one job: controlling volume. It has a big CNC jog-wheel style rotary encoder that reportedly has a very nice feel, with 100 total detent “clicks” per revolution. That matches perfectly with the number of volume levels.

    An Arduino Nano ESP32 board monitors the remote rotary encoder and communicates the detected position (via pulse-counting) to another ESP32 board by the DAC. That second board attaches to the DAC’s built-in rotary encoder pins and simulates pulses that match the remote. So as far as the DAC knows, Tischer is rotating the built-in encoder. In reality, he’s sitting comfortably on the couch spinning that handheld knob instead of pushing buttons dozens of times per commercial break.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF-4i1yZT8A?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post Control your volume with a wireless rotary encoder, as you deserve appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • This nature-inspired display reacts to ambient sounds

    This nature-inspired display reacts to ambient sounds

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    We all need ways to calm down and relax, and few things are as effective as nature itself. Taking inspiration from organic patterns and smooth, flowing waves, dzeng on Instructables has built an LED wall light that responds in real-time to the sounds within a room.

    The project started out as a 2D vector graphic that featured several overlapping, organic leaf patterns arranged within a circle. This pattern was then etched onto a piece of clear acrylic via a laser cutter before being attached to a blue-painted base. For the lighting effects, dzeng added an LED strip between the two layers before connecting it to an Arduino Nano ESP32.

    The reactive lighting effects are provided by the Nano ESP32’s sketch, which maintains two variables: brightness and delay. Every loop, the current sound levels are read from a microphone and averaged before being mapped onto the aforementioned values. Finally, the currently-illuminated LED is shifted by one position on the strip and the calculated brightness is applied.

    To see it and the entire design process, you can view dzeng’s tutorial here on Instructables.

    The post This nature-inspired display reacts to ambient sounds appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • This unique wall sconce welcomes you home with warm light

    This unique wall sconce welcomes you home with warm light

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Have you ever walked through your front door after a long day of work and realized that your home just isn’t as inviting as it seems like it should be? While it may not work miracles, some nice and welcoming lighting can make a big difference. That’s why Lauren Palazzi made this unique wall sconce called Acceptus that automatically turns on when it detects your arrival.

    Smart features aside, this is an intriguing design with a shape that generates interest all on its own. The wood base, carved in two pieces with a CNC router, has a profile that feels organic. Even before the light comes on, it projects warmth. The LED lighting on the internal perimeter enhances that effect with a soothing glow. Laser-cut acrylic “cover” panels on the front give the sconce a modern art vibe that is sure to appeal to many.

    The key smart feature of Acceptus is the presence detection, which lets it turn on the LED lighting when it senses your arrival. That works using an Arduino Nano ESP32 board that monitors an area, such as the entry way by the front door, through a PIR (passive infrared) motion sensor. That’s the same kind of sensor used for security floodlights and the technology is very reliable. When the Arduino “sees” movement through that PIR sensor, it uses a transistor to connect power to the LED strip.

    Palazzi recommends mounting Acceptus next to the door frame, opposite the hinges. That way, the movement of the door will activate the light. If you want to build your own Acceptus, Palazzi was kind enough to upload all of the necessary files to Instructables.

    The post This unique wall sconce welcomes you home with warm light appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • CapibaraZero: a student’s journey in reinventing hacking tools with Arduino

    CapibaraZero: a student’s journey in reinventing hacking tools with Arduino

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Inventive, open-source, and cost-effective – these words perfectly describe CapibaraZero, a multifunctional security and hacking tool developed by young innovator Andrea Canale.

    Inspired by the popular Flipper Zero, a portable device used to interact with digital systems, Canale sought to create a more accessible, Arduino-based alternative. 

    The original Flipper Zero, known for its ability to read, copy, and emulate RFID tags, NFCs, and even remote control signals, has become a valuable tool for tech enthusiasts. Canale’s CapibaraZero captures much of this functionality but adds his own unique approach and vision.

    A student’s vision for an accessible, open-source alternative

    A passionate student from the University of Turin, Canale began working on CapibaraZero while still in high school, driven by the desire to build a tool that didn’t just replicate Flipper Zero’s capabilities but improved upon them through the power of open-source design. 

    CapibaraZero, named after Canale’s favorite animal, combines an Arduino Nano ESP32 with custom-designed PCB boards, making it adaptable and expandable. With sections dedicated to Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth®, infrared, NFC, and even network attacks, CapibaraZero allows users to experiment with multiple forms of wireless communication and digital security protocols in a way that’s affordable and accessible.

    A tool for experimentation and learning

    What makes CapibaraZero remarkable is not only its functionality but also Canale’s dedication to ensuring it remains open-source, user-friendly, and continually evolving. With additional modules for advanced features like Sub-GHz communication and network attacks (such as ARP poisoning and DHCP starvation), CapibaraZero empowers enthusiasts to expand the tool’s potential beyond traditional hacking devices. 

    Canale has even provided an in-depth tutorial for anyone interested in building or exploring CapibaraZero on Arduino’s Project Hub. He also is sharing the project on a dedicated website and public GitHub repository. Check out the details and join Canale’s journey to push the boundaries of DIY security tools!

    The post CapibaraZero: a student’s journey in reinventing hacking tools with Arduino appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Marble art madness from a marvelous machine

    Marble art madness from a marvelous machine

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    Marbles are underrated. They’re very round, roll well, tend to be pretty shiny, and come in all sorts of neat colors. That last characteristic makes them suitable for artwork, like orbicular pixels. In his most ambitious project to date, Engineezy took advantage of those attributes (roundness and colorfulness) to build this amazing machine that automatically produces marble art displays.

    Engineezy has made a name for himself with his impressive and often complex mechanical design, and this project certainly fits that bill. It is enormous and the entire thing is basically a stack of fascinating mechanisms. There are mechanisms to separate the marbles by color (there are eight colors), elevator mechanisms to lift the marbles to the top of the sorters, pump mechanisms to move the sorted marbles up, feed mechanisms to drop the appropriate marbles into the displays area columns, and a mechanism to dump all the marbles from the bottom to start the process over.

    All of those mechanisms require a whole bunch of motors and drivers, along with several development boards to direct them. The feed mechanisms at the top, for example, operate under the control of an Arduino Nano ESP32. It oversees the movement of the two stepper motors that slide two guides back and forth — a design inspired by IDEX (Independent Dual-Extruder) 3D printers. Those use funnel-like ramps created by two coil springs that adapt to the movement — a rather ingenious idea.

    The mechanisms all work in concert to drop the marbles into the display area, creating images of 32×32 pixels (1,024 “pixels” in total) and up to eight colors. The machine can automatically reset itself and then display a new image, so it can keep going indefinitely while spectators watch the intricate dance play out. 

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1ks0Vy98KI?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

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    Website: LINK

  • Assess your aquarium’s health with an AI-enabled ultrasonic sensor

    Assess your aquarium’s health with an AI-enabled ultrasonic sensor

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Below the surface of any body of water, harmful amounts of toxic gases and contaminates can accumulate, which leads to a loss in fish and plant populations if not fixed quickly. But because most water testing, especially in aquariums, is done primarily on the surface, vital information gets missed. Kutluhan Aktar’s automated testing system aims to address these concerns through its harnessing of both ultrasonic sensors and computer vision data being fed into two AI models.

    Everything started with an Arduino Nano ESP32 board connected to a 75KHz ultrasonic sensor and DS18B20 temperature sensor. Aktar then took many readings of his aquarium utilizing the sensor to produce several 20×20-point maps, which were uploaded to the Edge Impulse Studio and used to create a classification model. Once trained, the model was deployed to the Nano ESP32 so that it could inform the user if there were any toxin-containing bubbles present in the tank.

    The other half of the monitoring system consists of a DFRobot UNIHIKER single-board computer running a RetinaNet model that detects and classifies chemical tests as either sterile, dangerous, or polluted. The results from it and the Nano ESP32 are combined, presented on a large screen, and sent to users via a Telegram bot.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFTXcNMNgSU?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    More information about the project can be found in Atari’s detailed write-up on Hackster.io.

    The post Assess your aquarium’s health with an AI-enabled ultrasonic sensor appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Celebrating Earth Day with a solar-powered E Ink weather station

    Celebrating Earth Day with a solar-powered E Ink weather station

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    The world just recognized Earth Day and it was a good reminder that we all have a responsibility to protect the planet. Unfortunately, many of our devices suck up energy in direct opposition to that goal. But the market has proven that we aren’t willing to sacrifice convenience. Luckily, that isn’t always necessary. To demonstrate that, overVolt built this solar-powered weather station that features an E Ink display.

    The first — and usually easiest — step in the right direction is reducing energy consumption. And it is often possible to make efficient devices that don’t require any sacrifices at all. In this case, overVolt achieved that with the use of an E Ink screen and a power-sipping Arduino Nano ESP32 board. 

    E Ink technology is perfect for this application, because a weather station doesn’t need to update often. The display only consumes power during a refresh and the rest of the time it continues showing very readable content without any power. 

    The next step was to eliminate any energy from fossil fuels. Because this weather station consumes so little power, it can run entirely on the power coming from a small solar panel. Sunlight isn’t always available, so overVolt added a lithium battery to store power through dark periods. 

    The Arduino monitors temperature and humidity with a DHT11 sensor, as well as air quality with an MQ-135 sensor. And because this is a Nano ESP32, it can also connect to the internet to pull weather forecasts. 

    While lithium batteries aren’t great from an environmental perspective, overVolt’s weather station proves that we can take positive steps without sacrificing convenience.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkD2fdQSjOU?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post Celebrating Earth Day with a solar-powered E Ink weather station appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Machine learning makes fabric buttons practical

    Machine learning makes fabric buttons practical

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    The entire tech industry is desperate for a practical wearable HMI (Human Machine Interface) right now. The most newsworthy devices at CES this year were the Rabbit R1 and the Humane AI Pin, both of which are attempts to streamline wearable interfaces with and for AI. Both have numerous drawbacks, as do most other approaches. What the world really needs is an affordable, practical, and unobtrusive solution, and North Carolina State University researchers may have found the answer in machine learning-optimized fabric buttons.

    It is, of course, possible to adhere a conventional button to fabric. But by making the button itself from fabric, these researchers have improved comfort, lowered costs, and introduced a lot more flexibility — both literally and metaphorically. These are triboelectric touch sensors, which detect the amount of force exerted on them by measuring the energy between two layers of opposite charges.

    But there is a problem with this approach: the measured values vary dramatically based on usage, environmental conditions, manufacturing tolerances, and physical wear. The fabric button on one shirt sleeve may present completely different readings than another. If this were a simple binary button, it wouldn’t be as challenging of an issue. But the whole point of this sensor type is to provide a one-dimensional scale corresponding to the pressure exerted, so consistency is important.

    Because achieving physical consistency isn’t practical, the team turned to machine learning. A TensorFlow Lite for Microcontrollers machine learning model, running on an Arduino Nano ESP32 board, interprets the readings from the sensors. It is then able to differentiate between several interactions: single clicks, double clicks, triple clicks, single slides, double slides, and long presses.

    Even if the exact readings change between sensors (or the same sensor over time), the patterns are still recognizable to the machine learning model. This would make it practical to integrate fabric buttons into inexpensive garments and users could interact with their devices through those interfaces.

    The researchers demonstrated the concept with mobile apps and even a game. More details can be found in their paper here.

    Image credit: Y. Chen et al.

    The post Machine learning makes fabric buttons practical appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • These custom Chucks are smokin’ hot kicks

    These custom Chucks are smokin’ hot kicks

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Once you get bored with the shoes on the shelves at Payless, you can dive into the fascinating world of custom sneakers. Converse Chuck Taylors are probably the most popular canvas for shoe customizers, as they offer plenty of room for paint and jewel bedazzling. But creative technologist Tigris Li took it to a whole other level with her Chuck 70s Smoke Shoes that blow clouds as the wearer walks.

    Each shoe has an apparatus that looks like it was cobbled together by a mad scientist trying invent their way into dunking. When the wearer puts pressure down on the sole, that apparatus will puff out a cloud of smoke. Those soles are actually custom, too. Li 3D-printed them in TPU to give the shoes a cool, angular look. They also contain the force sensors that trigger the smoke production.

    An Arduino Nano ESP32 board in each shoe monitors the force sensor in the sole. When the signal surpasses a set threshold, the Arduino activates a relay that allows power to flow through a heating coil. That coil sits in smoke machine fluid that comes from a tiny flask attached to the shoe. With power flowing, the coil burns the fluid and that expands to create the smoke.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    We can only assume that we’ll see Jay-Z wearing these at his next appearance at the Grammy Awards.

    The post These custom Chucks are smokin’ hot kicks appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Building a minimalist network-updated digital clock with an Arduino Nano ESP32

    Building a minimalist network-updated digital clock with an Arduino Nano ESP32

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    There are almost endless variations of clocks for sale on the internet today, but it is still easy to end up in a situation where you can’t quite find a model with the style and features you want. Marco Zonca ended up with that problem while searching for a new clock to put in his music studio. Nothing on the market fit the bill, so he built this minimalist network-updated digital clock.

    Zonca wanted a simple design, the ability to adjust brightness, and NTP (Network Time Protocol) updates. There are clocks available with those features, but nothing in the style Zonca wanted. So he created the perfect clock for himself. It displays 24-hour time across a red LED matrix, lets the user control settings like brightness via Bluetooth® Low Energy communication, and always stays in sync with network time.

    An Arduino Nano ESP32 board, programmed through Arduino Web Editor, controls all of those functions. It mounts onto a custom PCB that Zonca designed for this clock. The PCB also hosts an 8×32 LED matrix display with MAX7219 driver. Three buttons on the PCB let the user select modes. The PCB fits into a black 3D-printed enclosure that reflects the overall minimalist style.

    Now Zonca has the perfect clock for his music studio. If you like the look of it, the sketch, PCB files, and 3D enclosure are all available on Hackster.io.

    The post Building a minimalist network-updated digital clock with an Arduino Nano ESP32 appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Replicating Penny’s computer book from Inspector Gadget

    Replicating Penny’s computer book from Inspector Gadget

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    The Inspector Gadget cartoon was, naturally, full of fun gadgets. Even the eponymous inspector’s niece, Penny, got some nifty gizmos. One notable example was her computer book, which was exactly what it sounds like. To pay homage to the classic cartoon, Becky Stern recreated Penny’s computer book using a pair of Arduino boards.

    It isn’t clear exactly which functions Penny’s computer book possesses within the canon of the Inspector Gadget cartoon, so Stern got a chance to exercise her own creativity. She referenced the cartoon to get a sense of the device’s aesthetics, design, and some of its capability. That helped her define the look of the replica device and how it should act. She determined that it should have several buttons (including a grid of illuminated buttons), a small screen on one side, and a big screen on the other side — all inside of a book.

    Stern used two different boards to bring the device to life: an Arduino Nano ESP32 and a Mega 2560. The former monitors some of the buttons and controls the LCD panel on the left side. The latter monitors the green buttons and controls their LEDs. It also drives the LEDs behind the right “screen,” which is actually a static semi-transparent image. The LEDs light up in sequence to create an effect similar to what we see in the cartoon.

    Most of the buttons lack actual functions, but Stern did add some interactivity by utilizing the Nano ESP32. The board hosts a web interface that users can access after connecting to the Wi-Fi network. That interface lets the user select images to show on the left screen, like a video call from Brain the dog, to really sell the visuals.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM45EVcGCyo?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post Replicating Penny’s computer book from Inspector Gadget appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • This spinning spiral clock is hypnotizing

    This spinning spiral clock is hypnotizing

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Sometimes makers come across products that they’d love to buy, but which are too expensive to justify. When that happens, the natural inclination of the maker is to build a DIY version. Such projects often end up costing way more — in both time and literal currency — than the product would have. But when we get lucky, we can save some money. That’s the case with this spiral clock built by Kelton.

    Kelton based this design on the Aspiral Clock. That product was quite expensive at $542 and the company that made it seems to be defunct now anyway. Kelton’s version looks similar and works in the same way, but only requires about $60 in materials.

    This clock is a giant spiral and indicates the time with a ball that rolls along the spiral. The entire spiral rotates at a constant speed, causing the ball to move towards the center. Numbers marked along the path show the time. When the ball reaches the center, it drops through a chute that puts it back at the beginning of the spiral. That repeats endlessly in 12-hour cycles.

    The electronics are very simple: an Arduino Nano ESP32 board tells a stepper motor to spin at the exact rate that Kelton calculated. That stepper motor turns the spiral, keeping the ball in motion. Because this development board has an ESP32, it would have been possible to connect it to a WiFi network to find the time and keep everything in sync. But Kelton didn’t think that was necessary, so the spiral just rotates at a constant rate.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weSswdvxEhA?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The real trick with this clock was the woodworking. All of the parts are laser-cut plywood and Kelton made heavy use of kerf cuts. Those break up a length of wood into many segments, so the wood can easily bend. That technique was perfect for creating the smooth spiral path and the result looks fantastic.

    The post This spinning spiral clock is hypnotizing appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Get 30% off the Arduino Cloud Maker plan and a Nano ESP32 for just $1

    Get 30% off the Arduino Cloud Maker plan and a Nano ESP32 for just $1

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Are you ready to elevate your IoT experience?

    Our exclusive fall offer is here, and it’s packed with incredible savings. 

    With this promotion, you can enjoy a special 30% discount on the Arduino Cloud Maker yearly plan using the code “CLOUDNANO32.” Plus, when you select any other Arduino Cloud yearly plan (Entry, Maker, or Maker Plus), you can grab a Nano ESP32 for just $1!*

    How to redeem the offer:

    1. Select your yearly plan: Keep in mind that only the Yearly Maker plan is on sale. If you select the yearly Maker plan, be sure to apply the code “CLOUDNANO32” during checkout to unlock an amazing 30% discount.

    2. Activate email notifications: To stay in the loop and receive your invitation for the Nano ESP32 at $1, activate your email notification.

    3. Get your Nano ESP32 email invitation: Shortly after completing your Cloud subscription purchase, you will receive a special voucher via email, granting you access to the Nano ESP32 for just $1*.

    Redeem the offer

    Why upgrade to Arduino Cloud Maker?

    • Connect up to 25 Things in the Arduino Cloud
    • Benefit from over-the-air updates
    • Enjoy 90 days of data retention
    • Set up triggers and receive real-time alerts
    • Visualize your data with advanced widgets
    • Share your dashboards with friends, family and colleagues
    • Join our thriving IoT enthusiast community and gain access to our extensive library of IoT projects and resources
    • Seamless integration with the powerful Nano ESP32
    • Use your phone as an IoT device
    • IoT made easy with the power of the ESP32 and the flexibility and extensive support of Arduino’s ecosystem
    • Supports both Arduino and MicroPython languages, allowing you to code in both ways and learn quickly 
    Buy the Maker plan

    Whether you’re an experienced IoT developer or a newcomer to the IoT world, this promotion offers something for everyone. Upgrade, save, and take your IoT projects to new heights. Act now before the offer expires on October 27th, 2023.

    *To be eligible, you shall not have any active Arduino Cloud paid plan. Please note that the Nano ESP32 offer is exclusively available to the first 300 customers who purchase any Arduino Cloud yearly plan (Entry, Maker, or Maker Plus). Shipping fees and taxes apply.  Please refer to our Terms & Conditions.

    The post Get 30% off the Arduino Cloud Maker plan and a Nano ESP32 for just $1 appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • No need for buttons with this Arduino Cloud alarm clock

    No need for buttons with this Arduino Cloud alarm clock

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    When Arduino first hit the maker scene, the world of embedded electronics was largely unconnected and offline. But as the IoT, home automation, and smart technology advanced, Arduino kept up. Today, there are a variety of Arduino development boards that offer built-in networking capability and you can use the Arduino Cloud to take advantage of them. To demonstrate that, Doug Domke built this button-free alarm clock.

    User interface design is a complex field that has to balance usability, simplicity, and practicality. Take a look at the radio alarm clocks of the 1990s to see how bad user interfaces can make device interaction frustrating. Domke’s alarm clock goes in the complete opposite direction and omits buttons altogether. It lets the user “set it and forget it” through a simple Arduino Cloud dashboard. The time automatically updates based on the configured time zone and daylight savings settings.

    This requires very little hardware. Power comes in through USB to an Arduino Nano ESP32 board, with a connected piezo buzzer module and four-digit seven-segment display. Those fit inside a basic 3D-printed enclosure. All the magic happens through the Arduino Cloud and Domke explains how to set up an Arduino Cloud account, create a dashboard, and connect the Nano ESP32 to that dashboard.

    If you want a dedicated alarm clock, this is a quick and easy project that will help you get acquainted with the Arduino Cloud for future IoT projects.

    The post No need for buttons with this Arduino Cloud alarm clock appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Your Arduino Nano ES32 can run Doom

    Your Arduino Nano ES32 can run Doom

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    “But can it run Doom?” is more than just a joke in the tech world. It is also a decent litmus test for the computing power of hardware. That test isn’t very relevant for modern computers, but it is still worth asking when discussing microcontrollers. Microcontrollers vary in dramatically in processing power and memory, with models to suit every application. But if you have an Arduino Nano ESP32 board, you can run Doom as Naveen Kumar has proven.

    The Nano ESP32 is a small development board for the ESP32-S3 microcontroller. Espressif developed the ESP32 for IoT applications, so it has onboard Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® adapters. It also has a relatively high clock speed and quite a lot of memory: 240MHz and 512kB SRAM, respectively. That still isn’t enough to meet the requirements of the original Doom release, which needed a lot more RAM. But Kumar demonstrates the use of a microcontroller-friendly port that runs well on this more limited hardware.

    To try this yourself, you’ll need the Nano ESP32, an Adafruit 2.8″ TFT LCD shield, an M5Stack joystick, a Seeed Studio Grove dual button module, a breadboard, and some jumper wires. You’ll then need to compile and flash the Retro-Go firmware, which was designed specifically for running games like Doom on ESP32-based devices. You can then load the specialized WAD (Where’s All the Data) files.

    Kumar reports an average frame rate at a 320×240 resolution, which is very playable.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45rIYjcHQCQ?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post Your Arduino Nano ES32 can run Doom appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Play full-color games on this simple Arduino Nano ESP32-based handheld console

    Play full-color games on this simple Arduino Nano ESP32-based handheld console

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    There is a thriving Arduino gaming community, with many homebrew video games developed to run on Arduino development boards. Arduboy, for example, produces custom handheld consoles with games that can also run on Arduino hardware. However, many boards have microcontrollers with limited processing power and memory, which means the graphics have to be simple. But Volos Projects took advantage of the new Nano ESP32 to build a portable gaming device with full-color graphics.

    As the name suggests, the Nano ESP32 makes use of the popular Espressif ESP32. That has more processing power and memory than most other MCUs, as well as built-in Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® adapters. In this case, the ESP32’s impressive power was enough to generate colorful video game graphics at a respectable resolution.

    As a demonstration, Volos Projects put together a simple handheld system on a breadboard. Other than the Arduino, this only required a 1.28″ round GC9A01-driven TFT LCD, some jumper wires, and a few buttons. Those are two-pin momentary push buttons, which are nice because they eliminate wiring confusion. Volos Projects then programmed a basic side-scrolling space shooter game to run on this hardware.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjI8mUnlrPM?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    That game looks fun and this is a great way to illustrate what you can achieve with the Nano ESP32!

    The post Play full-color games on this simple Arduino Nano ESP32-based handheld console appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Arduino Nano ESP32 becomes an ultra-low-powered, pocket-sized Linux PC

    Arduino Nano ESP32 becomes an ultra-low-powered, pocket-sized Linux PC

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    While many users get them confused, microcontroller development boards and single-board computers are very different things. Single-board computers can run full operating systems, like your desktop PC or laptop does. Microcontroller development boards, like those from Arduino, are usually limited to simpler firmware. But as microcontrollers become more powerful, the line gets blurrier. To prove that, Naveen Kumar built an ultra-low-powered portable Linux computer based on the new Arduino Nano ESP32 development board.

    By modern PC standards, the ESP32-S3 microcontroller in the Nano ESP32 board lacks both processing power and memory. But just a couple of decades ago, the 240MHz clock speed and 512kB of SRAM would have been considered respectable for a lightweight operating system. Clearly, that is still enough to run an operating system today. But there are other challenges that Kumar had to overcome to make that work.

    On the hardware side, Kumar used a Nano ESP32 along with an Arduino UNO R4 WiFi, a CardKB mini keyboard, and a 2.8″ Adafruit TFT touchscreen. The Nano ESP32 acts as a headless computer, while the UNO R4 WiFi, keyboard, and touchscreen act as a terminal to access that computer’s command line. Most Linux distros wouldn’t run on an ESP32 microcontroller, because they expect a different architecture and instruction set. But Max Filippov already ported Linux to work with the Xtensa instruction set used by the ESP32.

    Kumar explains how to compile the kernel for that port and flash it to the Nano ESP32, as well as the UNO R4 WiFi sketch. Hardware setup is quick and easy. You won’t be able to use this to run the latest triple-A games, but you will be able to work with a real Linux OS through the terminal.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpjRqMPWrAg?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post Arduino Nano ESP32 becomes an ultra-low-powered, pocket-sized Linux PC appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Introducing support for the new Nano ESP32 board in Arduino Cloud

    Introducing support for the new Nano ESP32 board in Arduino Cloud

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Great news for Arduino enthusiasts! The new Nano ESP32, just released on July 17th, is now officially supported by the Arduino Cloud. This powerful combo brings MicroPython and IoT capabilities right to your fingertips, simplifying all your smart devices projects.

    The Nano ESP32‘s native MicroPython support empowers you to code in Python effortlessly. It opens up a world of possibilities for all skill levels, from simple scripts to complex IoT applications.

    Nano ESP32 and Arduino Cloud, the power couple of IoT

    Pairing the Nano ESP32 with the Arduino Cloud enhances your projects even further! The Arduino Cloud expands its existing ESP32-based hardware compatibility by including the Nano ESP32, allowing you to publish data from your Nano ESP32, monitor and control your devices from anywhere with ease, and update their firmware wirelessly.

    About Arduino Cloud

    The Arduino Cloud is the next exciting journey for IoT enthusiasts to bring their projects to life quickly. It is an all-in-one intuitive IoT platform, supporting a wide range of hardware and backed by the vibrant Arduino community. The Arduino Cloud removes complexity to enable users from all levels of expertise to create from anywhere, then control and share their projects with stunning dashboards.

    Sign up for the Arduino Cloud now and unleash the full potential of your Nano ESP32 board.

    Get started for free

    The post Introducing support for the new Nano ESP32 board in Arduino Cloud appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK