Grove Beginner Kit for Arduino | SEEEDSTUDIO | First Steps with the Arduino-UNO R3 and NANO | Maker, MakerED, Maker Spaces, Coding

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Grove Beginner Kit for Arduino | SEEEDSTUDIO |

SEEEDSTUDIO asked me through LinkedIn to make a cooperation with them for reviewing a NEW Arduino, the “Grove Beginner Kit for Arduino” product which I accepted. Today I received the stuff which in the next days I will play around a bit and create Blog posts (Tutorials) about it, stay tuned…

FIRST impressions:

I ordered it on 28-07-2020 on the site of SEEDSTUDIO and it arrived on 03-08-2020 @02H58 PM, delivered by DHL. Actually very quick from China to Luxembourg!!

Unpacking my order:

Nice cardboard with lots of TIPS printed on it. The box is sealed with 3 circular glued plastic which I had cut through with scissors, BAD IDEA, as I damaged the cardboard while NOT knowing that the box was meant as a whole playstation as itself (see photos, please)… Here the company could improve please, thanks! My constructive critics! 😉

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Click image, please, to enlarge.	Click image, please, to enlarge.

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. . As long as that glued plastic problem ISN’T resolved, use a sharp cutter to cut off the glued circular plastic as I couldn’t remove it by hand!

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Reading the online Manual

Well, NOTHING to say against it, it is well done!! Please check it here below:

• https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/Grove-Beginner-Kit-For-Arduino/
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There are professional STEP-BY-STEP instructions so you can’t make mistakes!!

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Getting started

ALL you have to do is to connect the USB-Cable to the PC, Laptop, which is in the right sight of the box (see step 2 in the PIC below please) to start. [Start Text from WiKi] Grove Beginner Kit for Arduino is one of the best Arduino Beginner Kit for beginners. It includes one Arduino compatible Board and 10 additional Arduino sensors and all in one-piece of PCB design. All the modules have been connected to the Seeeduino through the PCB stamp holes so no Grove cables are needed to connect. Of course, you can also take the modules out and use Grove cables to connect the modules. You can build any Arduino project you like with this Grove Beginner Kit For Arduino. [End Text from WiKi]

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Click image, please, to enlarge.

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Plug and Play Unboxing Demo

The Grove Beginner Kit has a plug and plays unboxing demo, where you first plug in the power to the board, you get the chance to experience all the sensors in one go! Use the button and rotary potentiometer to experience each sensor demo!

• Scroll -> Rotating Rotary Potentiometer
• Select -> Short Press Button
• Exit Current Demo -> Long Press Button

Buzzer and LED module are used for key prompt.

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Some examples

Please check the pictures below:

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Temperature/Humidity GROVE Click image, please, to enlarge. 3	Air Pressure/GROVE Click image, please, to enlarge.
Air Pressure/GROVE Click image, please, to enlarge.

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My review

Well, I can recommend this product for beginners by 100%!! Up from the beginning beginners can find out HOW things work with just plugging the USB cable to the PC, Laptop, computer. It’s a GREAT way to bring Coding to STEAM students, Maker’s, MakerED and Maker Spaces!

I didn’t yet using the Breakout possibilities, I DON’T overwhelm you with TOO MUCH information, that will GET discussed in next tutorials, BUT looks promising as NO need to plug single cables, ALL done by ONLY one connector!!!

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Please check the videos below to understand how the GROVE System works.

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WHERE to order it?

You can GET it here actually (04-08-2020):

• SEEEDSTUDIO
• AMAZON US
• AMAZON UK
• AMAZON FR
• AMAZON DE
• …

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. TIP for Educators, Teachers, Coaches: Let the learners first trying the working examples in the box to discover the possibilities! Later you can make the Breakout and then they can reproduce the Coding examples such as mentioned in the online manual.

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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).. 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). .

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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

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Advertisement

 

Some Quotes for EDUcators, TEACHers, Instructors, LEHRENDE to make THEM think on Modern-EDUcation… | Part 2

 

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A new year, new challenges!

As every new year there is a new challenge to perform for a BETTER Professional-Development for TEACHers, EDUcators, LEHRENDE, Instructors. Especially for Modern-EDU, Modern-Pedagogy, Modern-Learning there is still a lot to LEARN! Here below some thoughts in form of quotes from me.

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LEARNing by Doing Click image, please, to enlarge.	EDUcation-RebelMentality-Gust MEES-2019 Click image, please, to enlarge.
EMPATHY-2-Gust MEES Click image, please, to enlarge.	Intelligence-Gust MEES Click image, please, to enlarge.
LEARNing2LEARN-Gust MEES Click image, please, to enlarge.	LEARNING-Gust MEES-Quote Click image, please, to enlarge.

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LIFE-LONG-LEARNING-Gust MEES-2018   Click image, please, to enlarge.	NAIVETY-Gust MEES-QUOTE-2018   Click image, please, to enlarge.
Modern LEARNing-Quote-Gust MEES-2018   Click image, please, to enlarge.	ModernEDU-QUOTE-Gust MEES   Click image, please, to enlarge.
NAIVETY-Gust MEES-QUOTE-2019 Click image, please, to enlarge.	Perfection-Gust MEES Click image, please, to enlarge.

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More quotes:

• Some Quotes for EDUcators, TEACHers, Instructors, LEHRENDE to make THEM think on Modern-EDUcation… | Part 4
• Some Quotes for EDUcators, TEACHers, Instructors, LEHRENDE to make THEM think on Modern-EDUcation… | Part 3
• Some Quotes for EDUcators, TEACHers, Instructors, LEHRENDE to make THEM think on Modern-EDUcation… | Part 2
• Some Quotes for EDUcators, TEACHers, Instructors, LEHRENDE to make THEM think on Modern-EDUcation…

 

As a reminder, please check below:

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• Pssst, THE MOST IMPORTANT in EDUcation: understanding!!

• DO’S And DONT’S | Adapting To 21st Century EDUcation
• WHY is Proactive-Thinking IMPORTANT and a MUST in Modern-Education with and about ICT!?

• 21st Century Learning and Teaching: Multilingual Books Recommendations

• …

 

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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)… 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). .

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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

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LEARN from the BEST – Tutorials about Coding, Maker, MakerED, MakerSpaces / Arduino

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LEARN from the BEST

Well, after a couple of years online and checking Maker, MakerED projects on YouTube and elsewhere I encountered a LOT of projects WHICH DIDN’T work and later I found out the right addresses to follow WHERE I could say THAT’s the guys to follow to make sure NOT wasting time and efforts!!!

Here below a list of professional accounts and Blogs worth to follow:

• The guy with the Swiss accent “Andreas Spiess”:
  • https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu7_D0o48KbfhpEohoP7YSQ
• Random Nerd Tutorials “Rui Santos”
  • https://www.youtube.com/user/RandomNerdTutorials
• Bastelgarage (Switzerland):
  • https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC14eU3aFsoR1o_VCRmfYa3A

• educ8s.tv

  • https://www.youtube.com/user/educ8s

• How To Mechatronics:

  • https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmkP178NasnhR3TWQyyP4Gw
• Adafruit learning system:
  • Adafruit Learning system

The above listed ones are my favorites, I will update the list as soon as I find OTHERS!

Meanwhile you can check ALSO my curation:

• https://www.scoop.it/topic/21st-century-learning-and-teaching/?&tag=ARDUINO

And IF interested ALSO my tutorials on my Blog:

• https://gustmees.wordpress.com/?s=arduino

And here my videos on YouTube:

• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_8ZjOR5-W5um8lvPKOM3VQ

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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). . 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). .

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.Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

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Maker Inspiration-WHERE to GET Information to Stay Informed?

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Image credit. please click on it to view its source.

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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:

• Maker Space | A New Trend In Education And A BIG Responsibility

• Coding, A NEW Trend In Education And A BIG Responsibility

• …

SO, NOW you have the necessary information about WHAT it is! Let us look NOW WHERE WE can find inspiration, news, tutorials, etc. for our interests:

• https://www.heise.de/make/ (in German)
• https://hackaday.com/ (in English)
• https://hackaday.io/ (in English)
• https://makermag.com/ (in English)
• https://www.hackster.io/ (in English)
• https://learn.adafruit.com/ (in English)
• https://www.scoop.it/t/21st-century-learning-and-teaching/?&tag=ARDUINO (in English)
• https://gustmees.wordpress.com/?s=maker (in English)
• …

This list will GET updated as soon as I have found new resources…

Please, read ALSO:

• Electronics Books and Software for Makers-MakerED and MakerSpaces

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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). 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).

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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

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First Steps with the Arduino-UNO R3 and NANO | Maker, MakerED, Coding | I2C LCD Temp./Humidity displaying

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Displaying Temperature/Humidity on a I2C LCD 

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!

Related tutorials:

• https://gustmees.wordpress.com/2018/01/22/first-steps-with-the-arduino-uno-r3-maker-makered-coding-super-starter-kit-uno-r3-project-lcd-and-sensors-project/
  • Check out the above tutorial to find out about the cabling, this one with I2C is much less cabling (wiring)! 😉
• First Steps with the NodeMCU ESP8266 | Maker, MakerED, Coding | Text on I2C-LCD1602 Display written over Web-Page
• First Steps with the Arduino-UNO R3 and NANO | Maker, MakerED, Coding | Scrolling text with I2C-LCD1602
• …

 

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:

• https://howtomechatronics.com/tutorials/arduino/dht11-dht22-sensors-temperature-and-humidity-tutorial-using-arduino/
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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:

Click image, please, to enlarge.

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Next step, on the same Arduino IDE select the Processor:

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Click image, please, to enlarge.

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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:

• LCD1602-I2C-DHT11-Temp-Humidity
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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:

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Prices and where to order

 

LCD1602 + I2C Modul LCD1602-I2C (3 pieces) Click image, please, to enlarge.	Arduino NANO Arduino NANO (3 pieces) Click image, please, to enlarge.
LCD 20×4 Click image, please, to enlarge.	Temperature/Humidity Sensors DHT11 DHT22

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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

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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). 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,

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First Steps with the Arduino-UNO R3 and NANO | Maker, MakerED, Coding | Scrolling text with I2C-LCD1602

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Scrolling text with I2C-LCD1602

I was looking for a simple project for beginners, newbies on Coding and MakerED. A looong time ago since we did a project with ONLY four (4) wires, isn’t it! Well here is one which is very easy to create, a “Scrolling text on a LCD1602 with “I2C-Bus”. In previous blog post we were already using and explaining the “I2C-Bus” with an LCD, so it will be easy to create this one…

As a reminder, the I2C-Bus on an LCD1602:

• First Steps with the Arduino-UNO R3 and NANO | Maker, MakerED, Coding | RFID RC522 Tag-Card Reader with LCD1602-I2C
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Let us first have a look on the wiring, which is actually very easy.

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Click image, please, to enlarge.

The full tutorial could be found here, which I invite you to read carefully:

• http://acoptex.com/project/21/basics-project-003b-lcd-1602-i2c-module-scroll-text-at-acoptexcom/#sthash.sWHo8Cz4.wCDxCv5L.dpbs
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In  the tutorial are mentioned also the download link for the code in the upper side of the website, download it and check it; there are some bugs in 😉 I will explain where to look for changing the code, it’s actually very easy, here we GO!

Here the download link again:

• http://acoptex.com/uploads/lcd1602_2.ino
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The code looks like this (partial view for WHAT is interesting us…).

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Click image, please, to enlarge.

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When we look at line 6, it is just a “comment” and so it will result in an ERROR, it should become uncommented by ” // “. In my case I didn’t get any text displayed, so I had a look at line 18 which is ” lcd.begin (16,2);” and I changed it into ===> “lcd.begin (0x3F,16,2);” which worked!! SO, that’s my recommendations, otherwise the Sketch works fine and you can change the lines 9 and 10 where you bring in your own text; NOT more than 16 characters, please 😉 Well, give it a try and find out yourselves…  Here below a screenshot with the working code…

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Click image, please, to enlarge.

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Click the image, please, to enlarge it and find the necessary instructions to make the code work correctly, IF you have the same problem as I had.

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Out of office notification Click image, please, to enlarge.	Prices of the used material:   LCD1602-I2C (3 pieces) Arduino NANO

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Please check video below to see the Sketch in action, e.g.

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SO, now that your sketch is working, play a bit around while changing the variables, such as:

• delays
• text
• etc.

Have fun and stay tuned for next blog posts 😉

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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). 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”.

 

Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post: Arduino UNO R3, Arduino NANO, LCD 1602, I2C Bus, coding, learning to learn, learning by doing, trouble shooting, I2C scan, LCD160/I2C, Scrolling Text,

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First Steps with the Arduino-UNO R3 and NANO | Maker, MakerED, Coding | RFID RC522 Tag-Card Reader with LCD1602-I2C

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RFID RC522 Tag-Card Reader with LCD1602-I2C

We were already playing around with LCD’s in our previous tutorial <===> First Steps with the Arduino-UNO R3 | Maker, MakerED, Coding | Super Starter Kit UNO R3 Project | LCD and Sensors Project <===> but there we used the SPI-Bus, meaning: connecting 12 wires (Potentiometer connections included…)!! With the I2C Bus we need ONLY to connect 4 wires!!

Check PICs below please to see the difference:

SPI Bus connections

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I2C Bus connections on Arduino UNO

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I2C Bus connections on Arduino NANO

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SO, as you can see there is a BIG difference in cabling 😉 Especially beginners in Coding would appreciate this I2C version with ONLY 4 wires!

Learn more:

• SPI Bus
• I2C Bus
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Check this video tutorial which explains very well about I2C:

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Let us NOW first watch the video tutorial to see about WHAT this tutorial is…

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The video and the code description in the Sketch are in Portuguese, BUT DON’T worry, I will give you later some screenshots with English text which you will need to change in the code; there are anyway some lines of code to add (change…) to make it working correctly! But let us FIRST have a look on the PINOUT of the RFID RC522 to see WHAT we have to connect.

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So, let us now connect the RFID-RC522 to the Arduino UNO or the Arduino NANO, I used a Arduino NANO and its working perfectly! Check the translated (Google translate) wiring instructions.

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Make sure to connect the RFID-RC522 to 3,3 Volts and NOT to 5 Volts, you will fry the device otherwise!!

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Click PIC , please, to enlarge.

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As we can see from the bove there are 7 wires to connect from 8 possible connections on the RFIF RC522 device; the “interrupt pin (IRQ)” isn’t needed! SO, lets connect these pins to the Arduino UNO, or as I did to the Arduino NANO; it works on both! Next step is to connect the LCD1602 I2C to the Arduino, it’s pretty simple, check below please. ONLY 4 wires!

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The wiring done, NOW we can download the code (Sketch) and upload it to our Arduino UNO, or NANO through the Arduino IDE, please find the download link below:

• https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByKMX29rFLseMllvREdwaVBvVlU/view
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Once uploaded (compiling) the code there could be some errors happening, it happens to me… please check PIC below:

 

Click image, please, to enlarge

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Well I made some searches on the internet and I found the right answer on a forum about this error, which sais that one should scan the I2C Address of the device and replace the “lcd.init();” by “lcd.begin (0x3F,16,2);” whereby “0x3F” is the I2C Address of my LCD1602/I2C module. I scanned to find out the I2C Addess with this sketch, please check here:

• https://playground.arduino.cc/Main/I2cScanner
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I bought 3 from Amazon (Germany) delivered from “AZ Delivery” <===>  https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B079T1BW6T  <===> and they should have had ALL the I2C-Address “0X27” as explained in their FREE eBook <===>  https://bibliothek.az-delivery.de/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/11-AZ-Delivery_16x2LCD-I2C-Display-Bundle_Startertutorial.pdf   <===> but ONLY 1 had this address and two others the I2C-Address “0X3F”!! BTW: AZ Delivery has very GOOD stuff for reasonable prices!

Here below the results of the scan of the I2C-Address, shown in the Serial-Monitor of the Arduino IDE:.

 

Click image, please, to enlarge.

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Click image, please, to enlarge.

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SO, make sure to FIRST scan the I2C-Address through the above mentioned Sketch, will save you a lot of stress! 😉

TIP: Use a DYMO, print out the I2C-Addresses and glue them on the backside of the LCD1602 Display, so you know for next projects WHAT I2C-Address the module has! 😉 In a couple of weeks you wouldn’t remind it anymore! 

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Click image, please, to enlarge.

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Resolving the ERROR message

Coming back to resolve our ERROR-message and how to resolve it:

Please check the PIC below:

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Click the image, please, to enlarge.

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Check the lines marked with ***************************, in my case it is lines 36 and 40-52! Change it as it is displayed above, save it and upload it; it should work correctly now!

Please check the PICs below to see different interactions of the reader and the display:

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Access Control Start Display Click image, please, to enlarge.	Access Control Invalid card/tag   Click image, please, to enlarge.
Access Control-Access granted Click image, plese, to enlarge.	Prices of the used material: RFID-RC522 Kit (3 pieces) LCD1602-I2C (3 pieces) Arduino NANO (3 pieces)

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For those interested in to know a bit theory about NFC, RFID, please check below:

• https://howtomechatronics.com/tutorials/arduino/rfid-works-make-arduino-based-rfid-door-lock/
• …

 

Check also this video, please:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQiVLEhzzV0
• …

Have fun learning with PracTICE and stay tuned for next adventures of learning 😉

 

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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). 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”.

 

Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post: Arduino UNO R3, Arduino NANO, LCD 1602, I2C Bus, RFID, RC522,Tag, Card Reader, Tag Reader, Access Control, coding, learning to learn, learning by doing, trouble shooting, I2C scan, LCD160/I2C,

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First Steps with the Arduino-UNO R3 | Maker, MakerED, Coding | Badge with 2.8″ TFT Touch Screen with SDCard

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Badge with 2.8″ TFT Touch Screen with SDCard

We were already playing around with a 2.8 inch TFT Display and SDCard recently in a previous tutorial <===> First Steps with the Arduino-UNO R3 | Maker, MakerED, Coding | 2.8″ TFT Touch Screen with SDCard <===> and we will create a badge. The idea for creating a badge came as there is a Maker-Fest in Luxembourg on June 21-22 2018.

• Makerfest in Luxembourg
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We will follow the above mentioned tutorial step by step and we will ALSO use the slide show for “Personal Branding“! We will ALSO use cardboard for the housing (case) to help for recycling. WHY “Personal Branding”? Well, lots or most students, learners, educators, teachers have already a website, blog, twitter account, Facebook page etc. SO WHY NOT showing these information to others and make some new friends while showing with pride your “Personalized Badge”! As cardboard housing (case) we will use the box from the delivered 2.8 inch TFT display as it fits perfectly for our project.

Concerning cutting cardboard, it isn’t actually that easy as one might think; my own experience… It needs some PracTICE as well as the appropriate tools. I suggest that you try it out first on cardboard boxes which are ready already for the recycling, e.g. take the measures of the 2.8 inch TFT display and try to cut it out two or three times before you are cutting out on the cardboard housing!! The exact measures for the 2.8 TFT display are 50 x 68 mm. Use appropriate tools for the cutting out; I used a set, please check the photo below with link for ordering it.

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I used the cutting tool with the red shaft which fitted best for me…

Let us have a look how it looks without a housing (case) first, check photo below please.

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The 2.8 inch TFT display has actually a GREAT resolution, it looks great.

NOW, take the cardboard box, open it and bend it so that the front side will be flat on your “Cutting Mat“. Take your aluminium ruler and center the 50 x 68 mm rectangle. Cut it out. Check if it fits, else make some cutting adjustments. Everything fits? OK, take now some self-adhesive paper, put it over front side and cut out to fit. It will look similar to this one, check photo, please.

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It looks nice, isn’t it? All we have to do now is to solder an ON/OFF switch to it and a “Reset-Button” as well as to fix it with a “Badge-Holder” and that’s it! The “Reset-Button” will be soldered in parallel to to the “Reset” of the Arduino board.

Related links:

• Personal branding
• Makerfest 2018 in Luxembourg
• …

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My “Personal Branding”

Here below some examples on how to make “Personal Branding” in a Maker-Project.

 

1 Click image, please, to enlarge	2 Click image, please, to enlarge
3 Click image, please, to enlarge	4 Click image, please, to enlarge
5 Click image, please, to enlarge	6 Click image, please, to enlarge

 

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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). 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: Coding, Arduino, 2.8 inch TFT display, badges, Makerfest, Luxembourg, Maker, MakerED, MakerSpaces, Bitmap, Cardboard, Slide-show, Personal Branding, tools,

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First Steps with the Arduino-UNO R3 | Maker, MakerED, Coding | 1.8 Inch TFT with DS3231 RTC and Arduino

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1.8 Inch TFT with DS3231 RTC and Arduino

We were already playing around with LED MATRIX for time and temperature display with a Wi-Fi connection on an ESP8266, but we didn’t create yet a project with an RTC (Real Time Clock) module and an 1.8 inch TFT display; here we go. We will use again a ready to go code, but we will change it a bit for better looking. SO, we will learn How-To code rectangles and lines for a TFT screen, very easy… It is GOOD to try out different components to get used with coding, Maker, MakerED… Especially when we use displays, which ever ones, as one sees directly the results; sensation of direct success!!

The tutorial in the video shows an Arduino UNO, but we will use in this tutorial an Arduino NANO as it is less expensive (+/- 1/3 of the price of an Arduino UNO) and also it takes less place when integrating the components into a box.

Below you see how to connect the TFT-Display to the Arduino.

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Click image, please, to enlarge.

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Check the video below, please:

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Detailed parts list, supplier and prices

Please find below the detailed parts list as well as the supplier and the prices.

 

Item and quantity	Supplier and order number	Price
1x 1.8 inch Touchscreen	AMAZON (DE): AZDelivery 1,8 Zoll SPI TFT-Display mit 128 x 160 Pixeln für Arduino und Raspberry Pi inkl gratis eBook	9,99€
1x RTC DS3231	AMAZON (DE): AZDelivery Real Time Clock RTC DS3231 und gratis Batterie inklusive I2C für Arduino und Raspberry Pi sowie GRATIS eBook (3x Real Time Clock) 14,99€ / 3 pces	5€
1x Arduino NANO	AMAZON (DE): AZDelivery Nano V3.0 CH340 Chip fertig verlötete, verbesserte Version mit USB Kabel, 100 % Arduino Nano V3 kompatibel	7,99€
Total:		22,98€

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As you can see it is a very cheap project, ONLY 22,98 € and easy to realize! ALL what YOU need is a bit time, passion and here we GO! 😉 Have FUN! I order my stuff on AMAZON.DE, but you can chose any other supplier as the parts are very popular…

Please follow the whole tutorial with connections (Wiring Diagram) and Code (Sketch) here:

• http://educ8s.tv/arduino-real-time-clock/
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When copying the code on the mentioned website <===>   http://educ8s.tv/arduino-real-time-clock/  <===> you must be aware of some TYPOS in it!!! Check below please where they are and how to correct them. Once corrected save the code in the Arduino IDE  and upload it. Here are the errors, check below please.

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As you can see above the “Arduino IDE” shows an error and highlighted it in Line 1. The sign “<” is too much, delete it and save your sketch, then upload it again to the Arduino NANO. You might get a second error message again, check below please.

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In above image you will see a new error message in Line 100. Check below please on how-to correct it.

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Same procedure as above, save it in the Arduino IDE and upload it again to the Arduino NANO (UNO). Here what will show up now.

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There are some problems with the time and day still… I didn’t follow step-by-step instructions on the video, OK let’s have a look in deep now!! Please check the video tutorial @ 03:15 for the settings and follow them strictly, otherwise your clock setting will NOT working!! Done so, it will be working great. I did some more changes in the coding such as changing the text colors and ALSO to draw a rectangle and some lines to make it look BETTER, please check below.

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As you can see, I added some new code snippet from lines 142 to 151, this will draw a rectangle around the TFT screen and it will draw white lines under the measured values. It will look BETTER, well that’s what I think and my wife as well; you just do the way as you want, up to you 😉 Here below the result…

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Here below the version with the Arduino NANO.

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SO, that’s it folks, enjoy it and have 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 and Security Enhancement Structure). 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, Arduino NANO, TFT DISPLAY, Coding, Maker, MakerED, MakerSpaces, #RTC, Real Time Clock, Temperature, DS3231,…

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First Steps with the ESP8266 Wi-Fi Module | Maker, MakerED, Coding | Scrolling Text (Time, Temp., Humidity…) with 8×8 LED MATRIX

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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:

• https://www.amazon.de/AZDelivery-NodeMCU-ESP8266-ESP-12E-Development/dp/B06Y1LZLLY/
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Good to know is the PINOUT of the ESP8266

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Click the image, please, to access the source.

 

Before we can use the module “ESP8266” and before the wiring we need to do some preparation:

• Install the driver FIRST
  • https://www.silabs.com/products/development-tools/software/usb-to-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers
• Add ESP8266 board to the Arduino IDE
  • http://arduino.esp8266.com/versions/2.4.1/package_esp8266com_index.json
    • 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):

• https://www.bastelgarage.ch/index.php?route=blog/post/view&blog_post_id=11
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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 and Security Enhancement Structure). 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, Arduino NANO, MAX7219 LRD DISPLAY, Coding, Maker, MakerED, MakerSpaces…

 

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