Arduino Types and Advantages - Term Paper Example

Arduino Background Information Programming enhances control of the physical world by the computer through writing of software that answers end user needs. Arduino makes such programming easier through enhanced features that enable newcomers feel comfortable with this technical task. Arduino is a microcontroller-based computing gadget targeted at enhancing the controllability of computers and electronics. It is one of the most popular open source platforms and employs a microcontroller board. An illustration of the various enhancement areas that microprocessors add to computers is sensing functions that improve on accuracy. The microcontroller board applied in the design of the Arduino enables writing of programs by linking several physical output functions of the computer including switches and motors (Arduino n.d, para.2). The hardware of the electronic component is programmed using libraries and syntax, more like C++. The microprocessor board that enables programming in Arduino platforms applies simple multimedia integration conditions as discussed in the section below. Arduino Types and Advantages There is a variety of Arduino platforms, usually released upon the advancement of design and development. Some of these Arduino microcontroller products include Arduino Duemilanove, Arduino Flo, Arduino Bluetooth, Arduino Mega2560, Arduino Uno, Arduino Nano, Arduino Extreme, Arduino Mini, Arduino NG, Arduino Decimila, Arduino Mega, and Lilypad Arduino. Notable differences across the different forms of the Arduino products include size, height, number of pins, price and compatibility that vary across the products list. Generally, the input shields accompanying the Arduino also define the design and number of input/output (I/O) pins that the product has. The latest versions of the Arduino such as the Uno have a higher compatibility level with respect to pins and shield connectivity than the earlier ones. The means of achieving connectivity changes with higher advancement across the versions, with the use of USB or bluetooth illustrating the level of advancement for the various types of Arduino. Despite the availability of several other microprocessor platforms in the market today, Arduino stands alone in offering effective results at favorable conditions that end users may prefer when compared to others. Some of the other microcontrollers similar in functionality to Arduino include Parallax Basic Stamp, BX-24 (by Netmedia) and Handyboard (by MIT) among many more. One of the advantages of using Arduino microcontroller is the fact that it is open source which significantly reduces the cost of its use. Furthermore, the Arduino boards are cheap and readily available in the market. Additionally, cross-platform application of Arduino makes it relatively more compatible across various operating systems. Other microcontroller platforms are confined only to compatibility with Windows operating system. The programming environment applied in Arduino platforms is not as complicated is the case with other microcontroller platforms. In addition, the open source characteristic that leaves room for programme extension and hardware changes makes Arduino flexible, and suitable for use in many respects. As an illustration, contribution by other programmers as well as breadboard version enables software and hardware growth. Arduino Uno One of the latest Arduino microcontroller boards is the Arduino Uno that connects through a USB cable to the computer and is based on ATmega328. The design and packaging of Arduino Uno present it as a complete gadget that is ready for use, from connectivity to application. Other components that make up the device as complete and ready for use include the input and output pins (20 in number), USB connectivity option, power connection, a reset button, a resonator (16 MHz), and an ICSP (In-Circuit System Programming) header (Pololu 2012, para.4). In light of the level of advancement that the Arduino Uno has over preceding designs, it does not use the driver chip for FTDI USB-to-serial connectivity but ATmega8U2 that performs the same tasks using a converter. Additionally, Arduino Uno comes with a USB bootloader to facilitate extended programming for further enhancement. Some of the other specifications for the Arduino Uno include; an operating voltage of 5 Volts, and input Voltage of 7-12 Volts. The I/O lines include the digital and analogue pins, the DC current per I/O pin is 40mA, clock speed of 16 MHz, length 2.7inches width 2.1inches, and flash memory of 32KB. The Arduino Uno also has fastening holes for screws through which attachment to the case is done. One of the advantages in powering the Arduino Uno is the dual possibility; through USB connection and AC-to-DC adapter. The packaging of the Arduino Uno ensures the availability of resettable polyfuse which guards the USB ports against electrical shorts and possible damage to the computer. This is advantageous to the end user in case the inbuilt protection is compromised or in case additional protection is required. Programming Used For Arduino Arduino Uno is among the latest versions of Arduino open source microcontroller platforms that are based on a favorable development environment (Sparkfun Electronics n.d, para.2). Its natural programming design is based on Java that enables its use across many operating systems. Its newcomers’ friendly design enables learners to learn software development. One of its simple user friendly features is the code editor section that enables the programmer to follow the software writing process with additional characteristics including syntax selection, brace match and text indentation. Programs can also be compiled and uploaded through the action of a single click during programming. With such features in place, it is possible to program the microcontroller without making edits to makefiles throughout the programming process. Just as is the case in with other Arduino platforms, programming using Arduino Uno is also simplified through the wiring functionality that enhances I/O operations (Pololu, 2012). While loading new code using Arduino Uno, an external hardware programmer is not necessary since there is a bootloader that accompanies the package. Alternatively, there is an option of avoiding the bootloader and using the ICSP (In-Circuit Serial Programming) header. To load the ATmega8U2 firmware code, it is important that resetting to 8U2 mode is first done and the soldier jumper is well connected. Different operating systems require a different loader for additional firmware, such as Atmel’s FLIP (windows) or DFU programmer (Mac OS X and Linux). Fig 1. Arduino RS232 serial communication Fig 2: Arduino Uno Figures 1 and 2 courtesy of Arduino References Arduino (n.d) What is Arduino, [Online] Available from [Accessed 12 March 2012] Pololu Corporation (2012) Arduino Uno DIP Edition, [Online] Available from [Accessed 12 March 2012] Sparkfun Electronics (n.d) Arduino Uno, [Online] Available from [Accessed 12 March 2012] Read More