Blog posts about Education, CyberSecurity, Digital Citizenship, Privacy, InternetSafety, curation, PKM, PLN, blogging, Global Collaboration, Coaching, Collaboration, eSkills, eLeadership, Coding, MakerED, MakerSpace, Social Media, How to learn, learning to learn
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Maker Inspiration-WHERE to GET Information to Stay Informed?
Well, you jumped in into the world of makers (OR want to do SO soon…) and you feel comfortable with it? You found out THAT it is important to learn about THAT movement as it brings out creativity and a BETTER understanding in EDUcation WHEN one touches the stuff and it is done by YOURSELF???!!! You learned THAT <===> #LEARNingByDoing <===> is VERY important???!!! THEN, of course you would like to stay informed about WHAT is going on around in the world of THAT movement, ISN’T it???
I would suggest you to read my following blog posts first, please, before I will give you some VERY interesting links to stay Up-To-Date:
L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness andSecurityEnhancementStructure).
The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure).
Halloween Project with Skull, Arduino, Blinking LEDs and Scrolling Eyes
Soon is Halloween, so let us create a scary project while coding and DIY (tinkering a bit…). The tutorial is made for people who don’t have a 3D-Printer, we will use a 21 cm plastic Skull for 13€ bought on Amazon, 3 ARDUINO NANO’s and two 8 mm WHITE LEDs to realize this project. First let us have a look how the project will look to give you the right motivation to start it, check the video below, please:
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As you might have realized while watching the video, there are 3 different effects in it:
The rolling eyes, we were talking about it already in following tutorial:
In the above mentioned tutorials, you will find the wiring as well as the codes (Sketches):
First start with one of the 3 projects, make the wiring and upload the code to the ARDUINO Nano and test it. IF it is working start the second one and so on… Once finished the above mentioned we will need to integrate the hardware into the Skull…
SO, we have seen now ALL the necessary steps to make this project working, up to YOU now to bring in the electronics into the Skull and seal the Skull later with hot glue. You can use the above showing cable solution or to try to put everything on a Strip-Board and solder it; YOUR choice! 😉
Idea: You could try to include as well a proximity sensor which enables the playing of the devil laughter in the video 😉
L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness andSecurityEnhancementStructure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”.
The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure).
The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”.
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Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post: Arduino UNO R3, Arduino NANO, UNO R3 Project, Halloween, scary, EMO LED Matrix, devil laugh, WM2812B RGB LEDs, 8 mm WHITE LEDS, Plastic Skull, Heatshrinking-Tube, coding, learning to learn, learning by doing,
We were already playing around, as seen on my tutorials below, with the Temperature/Humidity sensors DHT11, DHT22 and LCD1602, without I2C possibility. There were a lot of cables to connect, we will try out this time to use a LCD with I2C bus connection as it uses ONLY 4 wires to connect. It’s a perfect project for newbies in coding as they will see the measured values directly on the LCD screen, the success and happy factor is guaranteed!
Let us have first a look on the wiring (cabling) which is actually very easy, have a look below please:
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====> Click image, please, to enlarge.
The wiring (cabling) will take about +/- 5-10 minutes depending on your own rhythm… Let us have a look on the coding now: we will use exactly the same code (Sketch) as in our first tutorial here, which we will change just a bit to fit for I2C LCD1602 display:
Copy&Paste the code from above tutorial where it is marked “I also made an example where I display the results on a LCD. Here’s the source code of that example:” and paste it into the Arduino IDE. Connect the Arduino NANO with your computer now. Open the Arduino IDE and choose the board “Arduino NANO”, see screenshot below, please:
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Next step, on the same Arduino IDE select the Processor:
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TIP: when the LED on the Arduino NANO is lightning GREEN it is an original NANO and you must choose “Atmega328P”; if the LED is lightning RED, it is a clone and you must choose “Atmega328P (Old Bootloader)”.
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NOW it is about time to adapt the code (Sketch) to an I2C-LCD1602 display, let us have a look on the Sketch (the original):
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Click image, please, to enlarge.
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As we can see in line 10: the library is meant for a normal LCD display, it needs to get changed for a “I2C LCD Library”.
In line 15: the same it shows the wiring pins for a normal LCD display, it needs to get changed for a “I2C LCD” display.
In line19: It is BETTER to add as well the I2C-Address, mostly “0x27” OR “0x3F”.
That is NOT much to change, we will see in the screenshot below the How-To:
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Click image please, to enlarge.
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By enlarging (click on the image) you will see by comparing where the changes are. I commented in the lines the WHY… Try it out to change it yourselves or just download the Sketch (Code) here below who is working:
Copy&Paste this code into a NEW Sketch on the Arduino IDE and upload now the code to the Arduino NANO (or Arduino UNO) and enjoy it! 😉 Here below a photo of the working sketch:
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And in case of that you have a I2C LCD with 20×4 configuration it works also, check photo below please:
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As you can see the two first lines from 4 possible lines are only used, that is normal as the Sketch (Code) is actually written for a 2 line LCD. BUT we can add some lines of code in the original Sketch to make it working on 4 lines, which is very easy actually, check below please for explication:
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Click image, please, to enlarge.
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As you can see in line 30 in above screenshot of the code ===> “lcd.setCursor(0,0); // Sets the location at which subsequent text written to the LCD will be displayed” the the line is set to “0” which means the first line on the LCD1602. By changing the value to “lcd.setCursor(0,1)” in line 30 and in line 34 to “”lcd.setCursor(0,2)” the text will be displayed as follows, see photo below please:
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NOW, as you can see, we have two lines without any text where we could bring in some text. Let us try to find out HOW! We have seen already that “lcd.setCursor(0,0) above. We used in above example the lines 2 and 3 from 4 lines which were displayed as shown in above photo, right?
Click image, please, to enlarge.
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Check lines 26 and 27 and also lines 37 and 38: I added them, do the same and the text between the “………” you may change it with your OWN text what will result in following, check photo below, please:
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BUT wait, my text looks centralized and yours NOT, HOW?! Check photo below, please which explains:
L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness andSecurityEnhancementStructure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”.
The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure).
The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”.
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Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post: Arduino UNO R3, Arduino NANO, UNO R3 Project, LCD 1602, Sensors, DHT11, DHT22, Temperature/Humidity Sensor, coding, learning to learn, learning by doing, trouble shooting, hygrometer, I2C, LCD 20×4,
First Steps with the ESP8266 Wi-Fi Module | Scrolling Text (Time, Temp., Humidity…) with 8×8 LED MATRIX
In our previous blog post (Tutorial…), we were playing around with a LED MATRIX <===> First Steps with the Arduino-UNO R3 | Maker, MakerED, Coding | Scrolling Text with 8×8 LED MATRIX <===> and we will continue to use the LED MATRIX, but this time with a Wi-Fi connection. We will use the module “ESP8266” which you can purchase worldwide around as it is very popular and it costs ONLY 7.49 €. I ordered mine on Amazon in Germany:
Check the How-To on the video below @ 5:51 minutes.
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Check the video below please who explains the first steps with the ESP8266:
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Now that we have configured the ESP8266 in the Arduino IDE we need some other information which are necessary to implement into the code. It is the name of the Wi-Fi Network (SSID) and the Password for the Wi-Fi Network. AND a new device connecting to the router (the ESP8266) must GET allowed to do so, if your router is well configured for Cyber-Security! Thus meaning for Cyber-Security reasons: in the router security settings any device connecting to your Wi-Fi Network SHOULD NOT have access unless it is your own ones and unless you allow THEM to access!
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My shown images from the Router are from a “FritzBox Router“, but it should be similar in other Routers!!
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Click image, please, to enlarge.
In the above image you see which devices are connected to your Network, to do so: open your router with your login and/or password and look under “Radio Network” (or similar). IF you don’t see your “ESP8266” in the Network while you run the code and it isn’t working does mean that your Network is well secured as it doesn’t allow any other device connecting to the Network!
Click above image, please, to enlarge.
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You need then to give permission to the device to connect. To do so: Open the Security settings in your Router and click on “Allow all new wireless devices“. NOW, you will see that the “ESP8266” is part of the Network! Note down on a piece of paper its “MAC Address” and protect your Network again by clicking on “Do not allow new wireless devices“!!
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Click on the image, please, to enlarge.
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NOW, click on the button “Add Wireless Device” as shown in above image.
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Click image, please, to enlarge.
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A new window opens where you can add the new devices “MAC Address” which you wrote down before. Do so please and then click the button “OK“. Go back and have a look if the device is now in the authorized devices in your Network.
Required:
SSID
WLAN Password
Acces authorization for the Wi-Fi
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The Code for the ESP8266 and first try
I used a video tutorial in German from Switzerland as well as its Code for this project as it is very well explained. Even if you don’t understand German, you can follow step by step in the video:
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While watching the video on YouTube, you will find the download link for the code, check below please:
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Click image, please, to enlarge.
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You can find another interesting code here on the blog as well as the wiring diagram and a GREAT description (in German):
Unzip the code and install it by following the video instructions; check @ 8.30 minutes and follow step by step…
After everything is installed and the code is in the Arduino IDE you need to adapt the code to your needs: check video @ 10.36 minutes
Entering your Network name, the SSID
Entering the Network-Key; Check above Router images…
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When you run the code for the first time: disconnect the two wires for the power supply (GND and VCC) as the LED Matrix will light all the dots and the power consumption will be by 1.5 Ampere; thus meaning the components, especially the chips will become hot, even could get overheated!! Once the Arduino IDE shows you that the code is uploaded reconnect them and it should work.
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That’s it folks; now you can run the code and have fun! I takes a bit time before the code runs: first “Compiling Sketch…“, followed by “Uploading…” and “Done Uploading…” and the ESP8266 tries to connect with the Wi-Fi Network…
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If everything was made correctly as described above you should receive now your personal weather data… FIRST the time will GET displayed for a couple of seconds (that period could GET changed by your settings in the code…)…
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Then the scrolling text starts displaying the temperature, humidity, air pressure, rain risk in % and wind speed…
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Stay tuned for next blog posts and enjoy it 😉
Have FUN with your “LEARNing-By-Doing project” and try out ALSO the other examples 😉
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Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post: Arduino, Wi-Fi, wireless, ESP8266, Weather received through Wi-Fi, LED Matrix, Coding, Maker, MakerED, MakerSpaces, Learning By Doing, Learning To Learn, PracTICE,
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L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness andSecurityEnhancementStructure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”.
The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure).
The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”.
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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉.. .
Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post: Arduino UNO R3, Arduino NANO, MAX7219 LRD DISPLAY, Coding, Maker, MakerED, MakerSpaces…
Scrolling Text with 8×8 LED MATRIX (4 Modules in One)
Click image, please, to access the article on Amazon
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As we were playing around already with LED’s in previous blog posts let us NOW try out a LED Matrix “4 in one”; its four (4) singular displays soldered on one piece of a single printed circuit board (PCB). I ordered the stuff at Amazon (DE) https://www.amazon.de/AZDelivery-MAX7219-Matrix-Anzeigemodul-Arduino/dp/B079HVW652 which is supplied by AZ-Delivery.
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I like their products as they provide ALSO eBooks in PDF format for their products with quality explications (in German) as also tips; the eBooks can be downloaded here (registration first required):
The Matrix costs also only 12,99€ and therefore worth a try… BTW: I am very satisfied with the product and I ordered two more to make the display longer for my home project. SO, let us start with the wiring scheme, please check below:
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Click the image, please, to enlarge.
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As you can see in above wiring scheme, there are ONLY 5 wires necessary and we use an Arduino NANO (works also with the UNO). Connect those wires as shown above, connect the USB cable to the Arduino NANO and the computer. Now we are ready to load the code, but first we need to install the necessary libraries for the MAX7219-Display. Check below please for the How-To:
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Click image, please, to enlarge.
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Open the Arduino IDE, click on “Sketch“, followed by “Include Library” as shown in above image.
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Click image, please, to enlarge.
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Click on “Manage Libraries…“, a new window will open, the “Library Manager“, as shown below.
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Click image, please, to enlarge.
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In the Search-field enter„MAX72xx“ and chose MD_MAX72xx from majicDesigns and install it. SO, the libraries (the code for specific Hardware…) are installed, let us GO for uploading the “Sketch” (the code)… We will use a ready example to make us life easy, please follow the instructions in below picture:
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SO, this done close the Arduino IDE and open it again to chose now: GO to “File“, click on “Examples” followed by “MD_Parola” and chose on of the ready examples, WE will use as example “Parola_Scrolling” as it is expressive for results…
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A new Arduino IDE with the chosen Sketch will open…
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Click image, please, to enlarge.
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In the above image you see WHERE you can have a look for changing the variables, your own text and scrolling-pause. When you use “Notepad++” to open the code (it is more easy to detect the lines to change…) you will find them in lines 66-74…
THE values which you see in the above image (screen shot) are mine which I changed already, to me “Scroll-Speed = 150” is the optimum value; but chose your own…
NOW, as we finished everything, let us upload the code to the Arduino UNO, or Arduino NANO.
Have FUN with your “LEARNing-By-Doing project” and try out ALSO the other examples 😉
L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness andSecurityEnhancementStructure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”.
The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure).
The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”.
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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉.. .
Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post: Arduino UNO R3, Arduino NANO, MAX7219 LRD DISPLAY, Coding, Maker, MakerED, MakerSpaces…
On previous blog post I discovered “Processing Software” and I was such impressed about hat I was looking to find some other Coding tutorials with Arduino which use it; so I discovered this one using an Ultrasonic Sensor (HC-SR04) and a servo motor. As I had bought already a “Sensor-Kit“, please check my blog post, First Steps with the Arduino-UNO | Maker, MakerED, Coding | Sensor-Kit SKA-36 so I have the necessary parts…
Please check the video tutorial below, to find out about yourselves about what incredible is possible.
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You will remark that there is only a provisionallyfixing of the “Ultrasonic Sensor” (HC-SR04); there one can do better! So, I had a look on Amazon to find a “Pan & Tilt Kit“, here it is:
As I didn’t know how to make the assembling, I was looking on YouTube and I found this video tutorial which helped me a lot, please check below.
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The assembling wasn’t that difficult actually, a bit puzzle around with tiny screws and juggling… The “Pan & Tilt Kit” is delivered with two (2) servo motors which will get fixed, but we need only one of them for our project. Once everything assembled we fix the “Ultrasonic Sensor” with hot-glue on the top of the “Pan & Tilt” socket like shown on the images below.
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SO, we have made the mechanical part, the most difficult in this project… Let us go now for the wiring, check the wiring schema below, please.
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Click image, please, to enlarge.
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It doesn’t look that difficult, isn’t it 😉 SO, once finished we will have a look on the code, “Copy & Paste” it and upload it into the Arduino IDE. Please check the tutorial here step by step for the how to ===> https://howtomechatronics.com/projects/arduino-radar-project/
In the above mentioned tutorial we have the codes for the Arduino, as well as for the Processing software. For those who haven’t yet installed the software, here a reminder for download:
Once uploaded both codes you will be astonished about what is possible with coding and maker 😉 Have fun and stay tuned for next projects…
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Click image, please, to enlarge
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Advice for EDUcators, Teachers:
Using Coding, MakerED is THE perfect way to GET Students, LEARNers interested for Maths, Physics (e.g.) by using THEIR hands in Practice for understanding while guided by a (two, three…) Coach(es) ===> LEARNing-By-Doing and Team-TEACHing with FUN.
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L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness andSecurityEnhancementStructure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”.
The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure).
The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”.
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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉.. .
Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post:Radar, Ultrasonic Sensor, HC-SR04, Arduino UNO R3, Processing Sowtware, Pan & Tilt Kit, Video Tutorials, Coding, Maker, MakerED, MakerSpaces…
Arduino-NANO | DHT22 Temperature/Humidity with Meter
I was looking to find the most easy way to show people and to GET them interested into “Coding” with a minimum of components and expenses, as well as having directly a “success feeling” to be motivated to continue slowly but surely! Here it is; ONLY three (3) wires to connect and ONLY two (2) components to buy for a low budget as well. Temperature and humidity are words well known by everybody and so WE will use a Temperature/Humidity Sensor to run this project. By using terms which the learners know already (Temperature/Humidity) they will NOT GO into “Unknown Land”, makes them feel comfortable 😉
WE will use the tutorial shown below in the video, please check it:
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The link for the tutorial blog is here, please check it:
YOU will find all the necessary information in it such as the how to connecting the components as well as the codes for the “Arduino IDE” and the “Processing code“.
As YOU will remark: there are ONLY three (3) wires to connect, you can count until 3, isn’t it 😉 SO, very easy…
Here below how I did wire it, and you will see how easy it is actually…
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Click image, please, to enlarge it.
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You need to install now the Processing software, please check the link below; install it and open it:
Concerning the code for the “Arduino IDE” AND the “Processing IDE“, we will follow the steps on the proposed tutorial…
First copy the code for the Arduino, check below:
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Click the image, please, to enlarge
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Next step: Connect the USB cable to your computer, copy the code, paste it into the Arduino IDE and upload it.
Now copy the “Processing Code” paste it into the Processing IDE and upload it.
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Click the image, please, to enlarge it.
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IMPORTANT: In the above code in “Line 14” is marked “COM4”! Check if it is the same PORT as in your Arduino IDE, else change the PORT number; for me it was “PORT 8”, but it depends on your computer… JUST change the number, e.g. “COM8”. Click now the button “RUN” on Processing and you will GET the shown result below…
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Click the image, please, to enlarge.
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Easy isn’t it? Have FUN!
L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness andSecurityEnhancementStructure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”.
The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure).
The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”.
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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉.. .
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Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post: Arduino NANO, coding, learning to learn, learning by doing, sensors, temperature/humidity sensor, DHT22, Processing Software, Meter, Analog Meter simulation with software, easy projects, Arduino NANO clones,
I was very happy when I got delivered that nice looking 2.8 inches TFT with incorporated SDCard. I ordered it on Amazon and it is from ELEGOO. It was delivered with a small CD where a lot of coding examples are integrated and a well done manual. SO, I started as soon as I unpacked it…
First step to do is opening the CD and reading the manual which is in PDF format… After that, chose the examples to see what is possible to do with TFT Display and the Arduino.
ALL the examples worked well…
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Here, below what is on the CD…
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To use the SDCard to create a Slide-Show, click on “Example05-ShowBMP“, the following window will open, see below…
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Click the “ShowBMP“, the following window will open, see below…
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The used TFT uses an ILI9341 controller and the code could get downloaded from the website of ELEGOO.
Double-click the “ShowBMP.ino” and the Arduino-IDE will open with the inserted code…
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As I wanted to use the SDCard to create a Slide-Show, so I remixed a bit the code in the sketch and I uploaded different images to the SDCard. BUT, it didn’t work :(((
I checked the manual which says:
The SDCard MUST be formatted first (use a NEW one as everything will get erased!!!)
TIP: DON’T format on quick way, it DIDN’T work for me; use the full format way!!
Images MUST be in 320 x 240 pix
Images MUST be in Bitmap format
Images MUST be saved as 28-bit Bitmaps
Images name MUST be less than 20 characters
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Check the above mentioned in the sketch below also, please.
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SO, I tried out a lot of different online image converters, I was struggling around for nearly a week as I didn’t get it working, frustration… BUT as I NEVER give up before I am on the winning side, so I was looking much more around on the internet to find the perfect solution, and I found it.
And that program is actually present on my PC, it is “Paint“: it converts (nearly) any image to the desired format so also Bitmap and THIS ALSO in 28-bit Bitmaps!! Check he PIC below, please.
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Click image please to enlarge it
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After saving my images with “Paint” into 28-bit Bitmaps everything worked perfect, actually with unexpected GREAT quality!
SO, for that YOU, dear readers, and Newbies on “Coding“, don’t have to struggle around like me, I created this tutorial.
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For the assembling, wiring and explication of the code, I suggest to watch this video tutorial, check below, please.
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As I wanted to use the TFT display as a digital badge with slide show, I created my own images by:
Creating a picture with exactly 320 x 240 pix and a black background
Using PhotoScape (image editor) to insert text and photos
Opening that created sample in Paint and saving it into 28-bit Bitmap
Saving that sample to the SDCard and inserting it into the SDCard reader of the TFT
Uploading the code to Arduino
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BUT, surprise, it didn’t work!??? The photo was mirrored, funny isn’t it? OK, so back again to the Photo-Editor and “Flip Horizontal“, delete the image on the SDCard and upload the new one…
Now everything is working perfectly 😉 I learned a lot with this project, especially being patient and not giving up, as well as learning more about the “Paint” program!
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Here below how it looks on the TFT:
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Let us repeat the steps:
First prepare the images (photos)
Images MUST be in 320 x 240 pix
Images MUST be in Bitmap format
Images MUST be saved as 28-bit Bitmaps
The SDCard MUST be formatted first (use a NEW one as everything will get erased!!!)
TIP: DON’T format on quick way, it DIDN’T work for me; use the full format way!!
Save the images (photos) to the SDCard
Images name MUST be less than 20 characters
Double-click the “ShowBMP.ino” from the demo examples and the Arduino-IDE will open with the inserted code…
Delete the images shown in the code and replace them by your own (must be the exactly name as the saved, check on the SDCard…)
Insert the SDCard to the TFT and upload the code.
The slideshow will run, have fun 😉
The next step will be to put everything into a housing, I ordered some stuff and after I get it delivered and finished it I will update this blog to show you the result, stay tuned 😉 BTW: I will use the shown example as an electronic BADGE…
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L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness andSecurityEnhancementStructure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”.
The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure).
The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”.
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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉.. .
Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post: TFT Displays, video tutorials, Arduino UNO, Arduino Mega, Bitmaps, TFT size, Bitmaps size, 24-bit Bitmaps, Sketch, Coding, Slide-Show, SDCard, badge, Paint, image editor, photo editor,
Super Starter Kit UNO R3 Project | LCD and Sensors Project | Temperature/Humidity Sensor DHT11
SO, as I got my new Super Starter Kit UNO R3 ProjectI am playing around a bit with it. In my previous post WE were wiring and testing a LCD-Display and coding to display a bit text on the LCD. That was actually very easy, so lets try out now some “Sensors“, e.g. a Temperature/Humidity Sensor and a Ultrasonic Sensor to measure distances. The measured values of those sensors will get displayed on the LCD-Display.
Let us start first with the Temperature/Humidity Sensor DHT11 which is included in the Kit:
WE will use the following tutorial from Dejan Nedelkovski (How To Mechatronics) as it is very well documented and explained (no need for me to create a new one…). First we will check the video below, please, where we will get explained the How-To and some theoretical explications:
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SO, now after knowing what will be necessary to do, we will first make the wiring of the LCD-Display, please check below:
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Click the image above please to access the tutorial
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As you can see in the above wiring diagram, there isn’t that much wiring to do. When following the tutorial <===> Arduino LCD Tutorial<===> you will get proposed some examples of code to play around with. Try them out to repeat the learned from previous blog post or just leave the wiring as it is to proceed to the next step, the wiring of the Temperature/Humidity Sensor DHT11.
We will continue to follow the tutorial <===> DHT11 & DHT22 Sensors Temperature and Humidity Tutorial using Arduino <===> where the Temperature/Humidity Sensor DHT22 is used. As we use DHT11, you need only to forget about the resistor as it is not needed, replace it by a connection cable (strip).
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Click the above image please to access the tutorial
There is something strange on the displayed values, isn’t!? WHAT happend!? Let us make some trouble-shooting: the wiring is OK, otherwise the wouldn’t be anything displayed, is the sensor defective!? If you have a second one, replace it to make sure. Same results again, hmmmm!? OK, it’s mysterious on some way, but there must be a solution for it… Let us check the sketch, the code, again to try to understand WHAT the Arduino is getting told to do and WHY the display shows something completely different, the problem is certainly then in the code. Let us review the video tutorial, perhaps we missed something (I did…). In the video, if really listened to, it get explained the two possibilities, using a sensor DHT11 or a DHT22. The code is written for a DHT22 sensor and we use a DHT11 sensor; so WHAT to change now in the code!? Please check the screenshot of the sketch below:
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Click the image please to enlarge it
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Once change that code line upload it to the Arduino IDE and see WHAT happens on the LCD-Screen. See PIC below please.
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Well, that’s success!! It works correctly now 😉 Play around with it to see the difference on the LCD-Display while blowing on the sensor. Give it a bit time that the measured values go back again to the previous shown one. SO, as we had now a positive experience and where we can see WHAT is happening on the LCD-Display, let us try another project, we will measure distances with the Ultrasonic-Sensor. But befor we ared going for a NEW project we need to save our project, check the video tutorial below please.
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Super Starter Kit UNO R3 Project | LCD and Sensors Project | Ultrasonic Sensor HC-SR04
We will keep exactly the same wiring diagram for the LCD-Display and taking away the Temperature/Humidity sensor with its wires from the Breadboard. Then we will have a look on the following tutorial, we will use the tutorial from Dejan Nedelkovski (How To Mechatronics) again, check please <===> http://howtomechatronics.com/tutorials/arduino/ultrasonic-sensor-hc-sr04/ <===> as the previous one was working well! SO, remember that you have to remove the DHT11 Sensor and the wires from it to the Arduino board and follow the next wiring diagram, please. First we will watch the video tutorial.
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Here below the wiring diagram.
Click the image please to access the tutorial
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Next step is to load the code, follow <===> If you want to display the results from the HC-SR04 Ultrasonic Sensor on an LCD you can use the following source code from <===> http://howtomechatronics.com/tutorials/arduino/ultrasonic-sensor-hc-sr04/ <===> and to upload it to the Arduino IDE. That’s it folks, check below please to see the result!
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It works up from the beginning, a success experience! Well folks, as you see it isn’t that much difficult to play around with the Arduino and Coding; don’t forget to save your project so that you can use it again if once needed and try out other projects as well, check the <===> Elegoo UNO R3 Project Super Starter Kit <===> PDF download to GO for NEW LEARNing-By-Doing adventures 😉
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Was this post helpful for you!? Please let me know by your comments, thank you!
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L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness andSecurityEnhancementStructure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”.
The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure).
The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”.
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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉.. .
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Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post: Arduino UNO R3, Super Starter Kit UNO R3 Project, LCD 1602, Sensors, DHT11, Temperature/Humidity Sensor, Ultrasonic Sensor, HC-SR04, coding, learning to learn, learning by doing, trouble shooting,
In one of my previous blog posts I used Arduino-UNO Starter Kit, which I ordered at Conrad (English version)and I wasn’t really impressed by the manual, it didn’t satisfy to my expectations and needs. SO, I was looking around to find some distributors for a BETTER version… At “Amazon US” I found Elegoo UNO Project Super Starter Kit with Tutorial for Arduino. First of all, the kit is delivered in a plastic box and its price is also attractive, $34.99.
The manual with the code, libraries and tutorials is on a DVD. So, I was looking first on the DVD and reading the Manual in PDF format to see the quality of the tutorials and the tutorials in PDF are very well documented. Once knowing WHAT is possible to do I made my choice for the “LCD-Tutorial“…
Below is the “Wiring diagram“, the How-To to connect the wires to make it work.
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As yo can see, it isn’t that much to do. Once the wiring ready, it is time to upload the code to the IDE and make it run to the success 😉 With the delivered code you will see the message “Hello World” on the LCD-Display.
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Here below the code where the message “Hello World” is in.
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SO, why not playing around a bit to understand the code and changing the text message in <===> lcd.print(“Hello, World!”); <===> into something different, something more personal!? That’s WHAT I did, here my code change:
lcd.begin(16, 2);
// Print a message to the LCD.
lcd.print(“Gust MEES – LCD”);
which shows up as, see image below please.
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The LCD-Display shows now my name as well (photo was taken when the counter was at 62) as my age, yes I am 62 years old (actually young, LOL); meaning that WHEN I can do this you for sure are able to do it! SO, WHAT are you waiting for to START learning about coding!!?
Reflecting for ideas:
SO, WHY not assembling everything into a box and use it as your personal “Door Name Display“, play around with some text and find out…
Ready, START, GO… Have fun by LEARNing-By-Doing 😉
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You may have a look on my other blog posts about Arduino below:
L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness andSecurityEnhancementStructure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”.
The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure).
The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”.
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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉.. .
Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post: Arduino Starterkit, Arduino UNO R3, Elegoo, quality kits, LCD, LCD Display, coding, Maker, MakerED, MakerSpaces, Electronics, Amazon US,
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L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure).
EDU: Digital CitiZENship, CyberSecurity, eSkills, Modern EDU by Gust MEES 