In this post I spoke about using the MCP23017 to increase your digital GPIO ports from 11 to 27, which was remarkable in and of itself, but pales in comparison to what I’ve recently found. Instead of a simple 27 GPIO’s, how about we increase it to a hefty 139 arduino ports? All we must do is make a few changes to the previous code used in the Adding Arduino Digital/ Analog Ports post from before.
Required Items:
Building arduino projects are a fun & informative way to learn more about programming & gives the user skills in hobby level home automation and project management. From autonomous drones to a garden watering circuit, the complexity of projects is incredibly vast. But with only 13 digital pins & 5 analog pins, what are you to do when you don’t have enough pins for your arduino? Simple, use the MCP23017 & the CD74HC4067.
My research is nearly complete and the verdict is in, I will assemble and test an improved arduino GPS car tracking unit using the Arduino microcontroller. Project Eagle Eye consists of using a GPS unit and recording a vehicle’s location history by using a data logger that also logs the time and date of each location snapshot. The point is to build an improved unit able to transmit location data wirelessly & not solely relying on retrieving the unit and analyzing its data physically.
Many people start off in the microcontroller hobby by buying jumper wires to electrically connect various hardware to the Arduino and other electronic/electrical components. While an acceptable means of starting out, eventually the expense adds up with each project assembled; especially since you’re unable to customize the wire length. In this article I’ll show you the easiest and most efficient way to make your own jumper wires.
After building projects for your home, you’ll eventually want to take your progress to the next level and install them outside your house. Maybe to monitor an outdoor garden or a DIY barn temperature sensor to know when the horses need their blankets on. Accomplishing this requires a battery, and though there are many out there, one that I recommend is a LiPo, or Lithium Polymer battery. So in this tutorial I’ll not only teach you how to power your arduino via LiPo battery, I’ll also show you how to detect the battery’s voltage level and how to charge it.