There are very many cool Arduino projects and project sites in Internet (make Google search to see). Here are some interesting links to check out:
Arduino Projects at indestructables
Top 40 Arduino Projects of the Web
Arduino Rising: 10 Amazing Projects People Are Doing With The Tiny Microcontroller
Electronics For The Everyman: 25 Kick Ass Arduino-Powered Projects
10 Simple-But-Fun Projects to Make With Arduino
Internet of Thing with Arduino
11 Arduino projects that require major hacking skills—or a bit of insanity
I will be posting more links to more interesting projects as comments to this post, like I did in my Cool uses for the Raspberry Pi posting. Some of the most interesting that spend some more time at can get their entire own postings this blog in Arduino section.
3,010 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Impressive D-eye-Y project! Varun Chandrashekhar is designing a device that can determine a wearer’s prescription and automatically change its lens curvature for clarity of vision when looking at different ranges. The goal is to one day replace progressive and multifocal visual aids.
Autofocus Glasses/Phoropter Using Variable Focus Liquid Lens © GPL3+
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/Varun_Chandrashekhar/autofocus-glasses-phoropter-using-variable-focus-liquid-lens-0ad3c1
This device determines your prescription and acts as an eyeglass for various prescriptions while being in a small wearable form factor.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Listen to a couple electric toothbrushes, two credit card machines, a typewriter, and a steam iron play Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road.”
(via Device Orchestra)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H4WivFF5Rq4
Tomi Engdahl says:
Using a Nano 33 IoT, Memory Pill passively records the last time a bottle was opened to prevent over- and under-dosing of medications when you cannot remember if you have already taken a scheduled dose: https://bit.ly/3hsbmZj
Tomi Engdahl says:
Analyze how a small air humidifier can change the parameters of a room using an Arduino and a few sensors.
Arduino-Based Determination of an Air Humidifier Efficiency © GPL3+
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/dianakhalipina/arduino-based-determination-of-an-air-humidifier-efficiency-eecd0f
Using Arduino and the sensors I analysed how a small air humidifier can change the parameters of the room and influence health state.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tart Robotics’ DIY zipline robot only moves around for a round of applause. The faster you clap, the faster it goes! https://bit.ly/35MGMrc
Tomi Engdahl says:
Exercise Bike Monitor with Arduino
https://www.eeweb.com/exercise-bike-monitor-with-arduino/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=link&utm_medium=EEWebEngInsp-20200917
All exercise bikes on the market have a small on-board computer, with which it is possible to detect some important information about performance such as, for example, the current speed, the kilometers traveled, and many other types of data. With this simple add-on device, it is possible to add further statistics to our exercise bike, which will be shown on a small LCD display (20 × 4) with the help of Arduino. It is obviously possible to customize the operation of the device as much as possible to obtain the information necessary for your training. This is precisely the strength of the system. Depending on the sporting requirement, a programmer can implement any information based on training.
The simple system that we are going to build does not modify our exercise bike. Both the electronic and mechanical parts are not involved in any physical changes and, therefore, remain intact. The electrical connection is made by simply connecting the pedaling sensor, already part of the tool, directly to an Arduino port. The circuit is very simple and can be built in a few minutes. The firmware is a little more complicated, and you need to be careful when designing it. By building this application, you can increase the information that the small on-board computer of an exercise bike normally provides. The firmware calculates and displays various information as you ride. Observing sports performance data on a homemade device brings a lot of satisfaction.
The operation of the system is very simple. The jack plug coming from the exercise bike produces an on/off pulse at each complete revolution of the pedals. For most of the pedal stroke, the two electrical contacts are open, but for a small percentage of the pedal turn, they are short-circuited. This impulse is useful for the MCU to make the appropriate decisions, for the purposes of data processing. The contact (sometimes open and sometimes closed) can be used with any MCU or CPU system, opening up a very vast panorama of possible applications. An Arduino port is configured as a digital input and, by detecting the pulses of the pedaling, it can perform all the necessary calculations. Fortunately, this kind of application uses the bike sensor only in on/off mode, without sending any serial data through a communication protocol. The system is therefore very simple and affordable for everyone.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Juanma Mico put his own personal touch on the TonUINO project, bringing more languages and functionality to the RFID-enabled MP3 player for kids.
Kids MP3 Player – Tonuino in More Languages © GPL3+
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/jmmico/kids-mp3-player-tonuino-in-more-languages-ecf928
Cool MP3 player for little kids based on RFID cards with integrated speaker.
Kids use singular pieces to select the music they want, by placing this pieces on top of a battery-driven speaker. RFID enable this nice functionality.
Some commercial (like this one https://tonies.de/toniebox/) are very good, but closed source and offer not everything you may need.
Tomi Engdahl says:
This MKR GSM 1400-based device streamlines water quality data collection and analysis.
Monitor water quality anywhere in the world with WaterAid
https://blog.arduino.cc/2020/09/18/monitor-water-quality-anywhere-in-the-world-with-wateraid/
WaterAid consists of a measurement unit that senses water pH, turbidity, and temperature, as well as atmospheric temperature and humidity. Data is relayed to the system’s backend via a cellular connection, using an onboard MKR GSM 1400. Collected information from one or more devices is then displayed on a Soracom Lagoon dashboard for water monitoring from anywhere in the world!
Tomi Engdahl says:
This volume mixer features five encoders and a mute button for each program.
https://blog.arduino.cc/2020/09/18/a-mkr-zero-based-hardware-volume-controller-for-your-pc/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://howtomechatronics.com/tutorials/arduino/control-high-voltage-devices-arduino-relay-tutorial/
https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/464343/driving-relay-directly-from-optocoupler-what-is-best
Tomi Engdahl says:
KAUDA is a low-cost, highly-efficient robotic arm
https://blog.arduino.cc/2020/09/16/kauda-is-a-low-cost-highly-efficient-robotic-arm/
Would you like your own industrial robot arm, but don’t have tens of thousands of dollars to spend? You could instead build Giovanni Lerda’s KAUDA, a five-axis device that uses under 800g of PLA, an Arduino Mega, and other off-the-shelf parts.
KAUDA utilizes servos to actuate the two wrist joints, along with a NEMA 17 motor for the elbow. A single stepper rotates the base in the horizontal direction, while dual steppers provide lifting force at this joint.
https://www.instructables.com/id/KAUDA-Robotic-Arm/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Build an Air Quality Monitor Using Just Three Components
The wearable device features a Honeywell sensor, an Arduino, and a small LCD display.
https://www.hackster.io/news/build-an-air-quality-monitor-using-just-three-components-090f0895d132
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arduino’s Explore IoT Kit Will Get Students Coding, While the Upcoming Oplà IoT Kit Targets Makers
https://www.hackster.io/news/arduino-s-explore-iot-kit-will-get-students-coding-while-the-upcoming-opla-iot-kit-targets-makers-89e469fca464
The new kit, based around a MKR WiFi 1010 board with custom carrier, features a 10-step hands-on lesson plan for IoT education.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://arduinogetstarted.com/tutorials/arduino-servo-motor
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://circuitcrush.com/arduino/2018/09/20/long-distance-serial-with-rs-422.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ashcon Mohseninia retrofitted his 14-year-old Mercedes with a custom Android infotainment head unit using Arduino and a pair of CAN bus shields.
Custom Car Infotainment System for Old Mercs © GPL3+
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/rnd-ash/custom-car-infotainment-system-for-old-mercs-2e272f
Custom car infotainment system with Arduino and Android head unit, interacting with the car over CAN BUS.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/08/28/over-engineered-single-button-timer/
Tomi Engdahl says:
FoxyPI – Arduino Nano metal detector
Homebrew pulse metal detector on Arduino Nano
https://hackaday.io/project/167704-foxypi-arduino-nano-metal-detector
Tomi Engdahl says:
Robotic Biped Walks On Inverse Kinematics
https://hackaday.com/2020/07/03/robotic-biped-walks-on-inverse-kinematics/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/06/25/diy-tv-b-gone-is-a-ok/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arduino Rig Does Spectrophotometry
https://hackaday.com/2020/08/24/arduino-rig-does-spectrophotometry/
Tomi Engdahl says:
MegaDebug interposer board
If only you could disconnect that one pin…
https://hackaday.io/project/172282-megadebug-interposer-board
Tomi Engdahl says:
Simply connect your device to your computer and you’re ready to go with the Arduino Explore IoT Kit!
The new MKR IoT Carrier is an extension of the MKR WiFi 1010 board designed to help students and teachers focus more on prototyping and programming, rather than on wiring and troubleshooting, by making it easier to build circuits using plug-and-play connections: https://store.arduino.cc/explore-iot-kit #ExploreArduino
Tomi Engdahl says:
Use the new Arduino Explore IoT Kit to monitor regional air quality and display sunrise/sunset times.
Regional Air Quality with Arduino Explore IoT Kit © MIT
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/brianfive/regional-air-quality-with-arduino-explore-iot-kit-1bcc3f
Build an appliance that receives air quality and sunrise/sunset information from the cloud and visualize on 240×240 color display.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Thoughts and Prayers © GPL3+
An interactive installation made out of LED candles that light up in the shape of the silhouette of the user.
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/front404/thoughts-and-prayers-f47526
Tomi Engdahl says:
Thanks to the admin for letting me in to this group.
Bluetooth Controlled RGB desk lamp using Arduino and Android App
[https://youtu.be/BqNo510gvq0](https://youtu.be/BqNo510gvq0?fbclid=IwAR18bjv3rkZj0SGG-owTS-NTqzNSz_96i7QWuJU18uIDN8s-CgMTdvrOeFs)
This video illustrates how to add the Bluetooth Module, HC-05 to an RGB desk lamp. Thereby we can set the brightness & colour of the desk lamp by using an Android Application(*.apk) on any android mobiles. This Arduino project opens a wide range of possibilities to understand Bluetooth communication and its practical applications for beginners and aspirants.
Tomi Engdahl says:
This shield lets you test electronic components with your Arduino: https://bit.ly/2HAiM0s
Component Tester UNO Shield
Test all electronic components with Component Tester UNO Shield.
https://www.hackster.io/baweja_akshay/component-tester-uno-shield-272b06
Tomi Engdahl says:
Watch This Robotic Worm Wiggle Like the Real Thing
Pneumatic roboworm printed airtight with flexible filament.
https://www.hackster.io/news/watch-this-robotic-worm-wiggle-like-the-real-thing-a24b4f345335
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/baweja_akshay/component-tester-uno-shield-272b06
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to Make an Auto 35mm Film Scanner with Arduino Nano and Python
https://petapixel.com/2020/09/23/how-to-make-an-auto-35mm-film-scanner-with-arduino-nano-and-python/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kris Sekula’s EPROM Emulator Offers an Arduino-Compatible Open Source Way to Hack Old Hardware
Built around an Arduino Nano and off-the-shelf parts, the EPROM Emulator lets you replace physical EPROMs and reprogram on-the-fly.
https://www.hackster.io/news/kris-sekula-s-eprom-emulator-offers-an-arduino-compatible-open-source-way-to-hack-old-hardware-f8708629dfcd
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Synthesizer Built Using an Arduino to Control a Cassette Player
Zack Scholl turned an old cassette tape player into an analog synthesizer by controlling its playback speed with an Arduino Uno.
https://www.hackster.io/news/a-synthesizer-built-using-an-arduino-to-control-a-cassette-player-ab1d83dd3d54
Tomi Engdahl says:
No string attaches this tin can telephone
https://blog.arduino.cc/2020/06/09/no-string-attaches-this-tin-can-telephone/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arduino-powered solenoid carriage for computer typists who want to feel alive again
https://boingboing.net/2020/09/21/arduino-powered-solenoid-carriage-for-computer-typists-who-want-to-feel-alive-again.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hans Forsberg trained wild magpies to collect trash and rewarded them with food.
Training Wild Birds to Trade Litter for Food © MIT
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/hfor62/training-wild-birds-to-trade-litter-for-food-8f9a55
Put wild animals to work for a fee, follow my project, hardware, software AND, how I trained the bird.
Tomi Engdahl says:
WLAN Pi 2.0, Now Built on Armbian, Turns Your Raspberry Pi Into a Network Performance Analyzer
https://www.hackster.io/news/wlan-pi-2-0-now-built-on-armbian-turns-your-raspberry-pi-into-a-network-performance-analyzer-5311ba0c1aeb
Updated releases switches to Armbian, not only bringing new features but opening the door for supporting additional SBCs in the future.
“The goal of the WLAN Pi is provide wireless LAN professionals with a ready-to-use device capable of providing throughput measurements for assessing network performance,” project maintainer Scott McDermott explains. “The WLAN Pi can be used to test Wired-to-Wired, Wired-to-Wireless, and even Wireless-to-Wireless. These tests can be used to assist in establishing baselines, help with troubleshooting, testing consistency, as well as measuring end-to-end network throughput.”
WLAN Pi v2.0 is available to download now on GitHub, where the source code is also made available under the GNU General Public License 2.0.
https://github.com/WLAN-Pi/releases/releases/tag/v2.0.0
Tomi Engdahl says:
YouTuber Insert Controller Here hacked an exercise bike with an Arduino and an Xbox controller to play GTA 5.
Hacking a Stationary Bike Into the Ultimate Workout Game Controller
https://www.hackster.io/news/hacking-a-stationary-bike-into-the-ultimate-workout-game-controller-a2e75f718396
YouTuber Insert Controller Here modified an exercise bike with an Arduino and an Xbox controller to play Grand Theft Auto 5.
Video games and exercise don’t normally go together. However, using a stationary bike to control an on-screen bike would perhaps be the ideal way to merge the two, and — as it just so happens — you can ride a bicycle in Grand Theft Auto 5. With this idea in mind, YouTuber “Insert Controller Here” got to work creating a specially modified Xbox controller that allows for directional control as usual, with the speed of the bike regulated by your actual pedaling.
Motion is detected by a magnet attached to the stationary bike’s wheel, with two detector switches fixed in place on the frame. An “Arduino” Pro Micro board picks up these pulses, and sends the appropriate signals to the pad modded controller to ride at a normal pace, or virtually taps the “A” button repeatedly to sprint.
Tomi Engdahl says:
This solar-powered, MKR GSM 1400-equipped device eliminates mosquito larvae in stagnant water bodies to prevent epidemics such as malaria, dengue, and the Zika virus.
https://blog.arduino.cc/2020/10/02/solar-scare-mosquito-2-0-detects-and-destroys-potential-disease-carrying-insects/
Not only are mosquitoes extremely annoying, they can also carry deadly diseases like malaria, yellow fever, dengue, and the Zika virus. In order to prevent epidemics, Pranav Agarwal has developed the Solar Scare Mosquito — a solar-powered repellent device that allows the insects to lay their larvae at dusk and dawn, then produces intermittent ripples during the day to prevent the offspring from breathing at the surface of standing water.
An Arduino MKR GSM 14000 controls the Solar Square Mosquito and provides IoT communication capabilities, with the goal of alerting affected populations to potential outbreaks using a smartphone app.
Solar Scare Mosquito 2.0
https://hackaday.io/project/174575-solar-scare-mosquito-20
An open-source IoT platform to monitor and prevent epidemics such as Malaria, Dengue and the Zika Virus.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://blog.arduino.cc/2020/09/29/watch-your-houseplants-growth-really-take-off-in-this-saturn-v-planter/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Guiye Perez Bongiovanni recreated the 137-year-old optical toy using an Arduino and a stepper motor.
Phenakistoscope © GPL3+
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/Guiye_Perez_Bongiovanni/phenakistoscope-4f21b7
First optical toy (1832), which allowed to reproduce the movement of an image. Here motorized and reproduced with Arduino.
Tomi Engdahl says:
YouTuber Mr Innovative was apparently tired of winding bobbins, which is why he built an Arduino machine to do the job for him.
This Arduino-Based Winding Machines Can Automatically Prepare a Bunch of Bobbins
https://www.hackster.io/news/this-arduino-based-winding-machines-can-automatically-prepare-a-bunch-of-bobbins-40c12e9e912b
YouTuber Mr Innovative was apparently tired of winding bobbins, which is why he built an Arduino machine to do the job for him.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=kGyuscK9GaA
Tomi Engdahl says:
This Arduino Device Plays Conway’s Game of Life on Old Tube TVs
https://www.hackster.io/news/this-arduino-device-plays-conway-s-game-of-life-on-old-tube-tvs-bfc1abae732b
Emily Velasco used an Arduino to build a device capable of running the Game of Life on old tube TVs — or any display with a composite video.
Tomi Engdahl says:
This fully customizable, Arduino-compatible mouse runs QMK and is now available for preorder.
Ploopy’s New 3D-Printed Computer Mouse Is Built on Arduino
https://www.hackster.io/news/ploopy-s-new-3d-printed-computer-mouse-is-built-on-arduino-3ab7a6802a6f
The fully customizable, Arduino-compatible mouse runs QMK and is now available for preorder.
Ploopy Is an Open Source Trackball Mouse You Can 3D Print Yourself
https://www.hackster.io/news/ploopy-is-an-open-source-trackball-mouse-you-can-3d-print-yourself-035f401a57d4
If a trackball sounds appealing to you, there is an open source design called Ploopy that you can 3D print yourself.
https://github.com/ploopyco/mouse
Tomi Engdahl says:
Earthquake Detector with Accelerometer
https://www.eeweb.com/earthquake-detector-with-accelerometer/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=link&utm_medium=EEWebEngInsp-20201008
This article is not an introduction to the concepts of seismology and seismograph; it will only describe the project in all its parts. The device is not intended to replace the professional models used by geological institutes and it does not provide precise measurements of seismic events. It is an aid for the passive determination of a seismic event without providing the distance or magnitude. The designer will then discover the place of the epicenter of an earthquake by consulting the official authorities online or on TV. This device made by us does not produce a traditional seismogram but detects any high-frequency ground vibrations, between 1 Hz and 20 Hz. Therefore, it is particularly suitable for nearby earthquakes.
The module used is the GY-521 with the MPU6050 chip, which is very powerful and cheap (Figure 2). Inside, there are several devices:
A three-axis accelerometer
A three-axis gyroscope
A temperature sensor
An internal clock oscillator
A digital motion processor
The chip must be powered at 3.3 V, but a regulator on the GY-521 allows using a voltage up to 5 V
Using the appropriate libraries for I2C communication, it is relatively simple to exchange information with the accelerometer module. The listing for Arduino is very clear (see Figure 4). It deals with the acquisition of data from the displacement sensor and their sending to the COM serial port
The pendulum must be positioned inside a piece of furniture, away from any physical, electromagnetic, and atmospheric source of disturbance (see Figure 6). Even a slight breath of wind, vibrations, electromagnetic waves, noise, thunder, and loud music, in fact, could cause the system to oscillate and any perturbation could disturb the measurement. This also works as a nice case for the device; therefore, its realization should be carried out with good construction criteria. Any construction material is suitable. Metal is recommended, but wood is also fine provided it is not used in damp rooms. We recommend the construction of a door to allow it to be opened for maintenance operations.
The testing process is really simple to perform. You need to power up the Arduino board and then start the software on your personal computer. The system will immediately start and display the first measurements. On the graph, you can see microscopic vibrations, a sign that the accelerometer is doing its job correctly.
Conclusions
The device we have created is a primordial means of informing that the ground is vibrating. For this reason, it should be installed in the open countryside, away from the city and on the ground floor and, in any case, not on the upper floors of a building, which always oscillate. In this way, the detection of city events and false positives would be avoided. The best location is a basement. For more precise determinations of earthquakes, however, it is necessary to build pendulums tuned to low frequencies, capable of also determining the magnitude of the P waves and L waves, in order to also calculate the distance of the epicenter. With the device created, it is possible, at the software level, to implement an alarm message, should some vibrations exceed some set value.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arduino – Button – Long Press Short Press
https://arduinogetstarted.com/tutorials/arduino-button-long-press-short-press
We will learn:
How to detect the button’s short press
How to detect the button’s long press
How to detect both the button’s long press and short press
Long press and short press with debouncing
Tomi Engdahl says:
Take your flight sim experience to new heights with this Leonardo-based, 3D-printed throttle quadrant and trim wheel.
Throttle Quadrant and Trim Wheel © CC BY-NC-SA
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/markbennettuk/throttle-quadrant-and-trim-wheel-d746e8
A modular 3D printed throttle quadrant and trim wheel for use with flight simulators.
run MS FS2020, I was inspired to improve the controls I was using. A keyboard does not really have the right feel for flying and I wanted to upgrade the experience to something better
Tomi Engdahl says:
Build this Arduino-controlled, metal-detecting robot yourself on the cheap and then go search for some lost valuables.
Comb the Beach for Valuables with This DIY Metal-Detecting Robot
https://www.hackster.io/news/comb-the-beach-for-valuables-with-this-diy-metal-detecting-robot-c99ac55978bf
You can build this Arduino-controlled, metal-detecting robot yourself for very little money, including the remote.
Check Out This DIY Arduino-Powered Metal Detector Robot
https://interestingengineering.com/video/check-out-this-diy-arduino-powered-metal-detector-robot
This remote-controlled metal detecting Arduino-powered robot is legit.
Everyone loves metal detecting. But when you combine it with remote-controlled robots, the experience is taken to a whole new level.
Read on to find out how to build one for yourself!
Tomi Engdahl says:
This Arduino-powered pinpointer metal detector can be used to help find coins and small objects anywhere.
DIY Pin Pointer Metal Detector © GPL3+
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/mircemk/diy-pin-pointer-metal-detector-1391ff
Simple metal detector capable of detecting a small coin at a distance of 4-5 cm.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arduino Based Digital Voltmeter
https://circuitdiagrams.in/arduino-digital-voltmeter
Tomi Engdahl says:
How robots made this food commercial look effortless
For beautiful food, sometimes you need a robot.
https://www.vox.com/21515004/robot-commercial-film
Giralt’s toolkit includes Arduino programming, Maya, welding, epoxies, super-expensive cameras that can shoot incredible slow motion, and a lot of elbow grease and ingenuity. This form of commercial art shows how technology can make amazing images happen — and you don’t always need computer graphics to do it.