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An RS-485 Pressure Sensor Interface Board Compatible with Arduino

An RS-485 Pressure Sensor Interface Board Compatible with Arduino

This project brief describes how to build and use an Arduino-compatible interface board that reads an on-board pressure sensor and reports the measurement over an RS-485 network.


An Arduino-Compatible Joystick Interface for RS-485 Motion Control

An Arduino-Compatible Joystick Interface for RS-485 Motion Control

This project brief describes how to build and use an Arduino-compatible interface board that reads a 2-axis thumb joystick and transmits its position over an RS-485 network.


Preserving Battery Life: Waking the FPB-RA0E1 from Low-Power Mode Using a 32-Bit Interval Timer

Preserving Battery Life: Waking the FPB-RA0E1 from Low-Power Mode Using a 32-Bit Interval Timer

This article shows you how to configure Software Standby mode and implement a periodic wake-up routine on the Renesas FPB-RA0E1 Fast Prototyping Board, built around the Arm Cortex-M23-based RA0E1 MCU.


The Voice Echo: An Arduino Audio Project

The Voice Echo: An Arduino Audio Project

This project brief explains how to construct a PCB-based audio-processing platform with an ATmega328 microcontroller. A link to Arduino code for creating an audio echo is also provided.


The Kilo Lamp: An Interactive Lamp Controller

The Kilo Lamp: An Interactive Lamp Controller

This project brief provides the instructions for building a weight-sensitive LED lamp with an Arduino Uno and a handful of commercially available parts.


Using the Arduino Uno Q to Build a DDS Sine Wave Generator

Using the Arduino Uno Q to Build a DDS Sine Wave Generator

In this project, we'll construct and test a microcontroller-based system that digitally generates analog signals.


Projects Apr 19, 2026 by Don Wilcher
Building a Push-Pull Level Shifter to Connect an MCU and a Low-Voltage Display

Building a Push-Pull Level Shifter to Connect an MCU and a Low-Voltage Display

In this project, we'll build and demonstrate a discrete analog solution to the incompatible logic levels of an Arduino Uno and an Elecrow e-paper HMI display.


Projects Nov 23, 2025 by Don Wilcher
Programming Your Standalone Hardware Soundboard

Programming Your Standalone Hardware Soundboard

In Part 2 of this two-part series, we turn our hardware assembly into a functioning soundboard by adding the necessary code in Arduino IDE and uploading soundbites.


Craft Your Own Hardware Soundboard Using an Arduino Microcontroller

Craft Your Own Hardware Soundboard Using an Arduino Microcontroller

Learn how to turn an ATmega328 microcontroller and an assortment of readily available parts into a dedicated hardware soundboard.


The BBC Micro:bit Adjustable Brightness Alarm: A Radio Shack Remix

The BBC Micro:bit Adjustable Brightness Alarm: A Radio Shack Remix

In this project article, we’ll create a programmable device that alerts users to changes in ambient light levels. Along the way, we’ll learn about astable multivibrators and the Darlington pair.


Projects Nov 20, 2024 by Don Wilcher
Upgrading My Retro Handheld Gaming Console with Motion Control and an LCD

Upgrading My Retro Handheld Gaming Console with Motion Control and an LCD

Follow my upgrade of a handheld game controller as I add a new 1.8-inch color LCD for animated graphics and an accelerometer module for motion control input.


Building a Resistor Color Code Calculator and Ohmmeter Using Arduino

Building a Resistor Color Code Calculator and Ohmmeter Using Arduino

For this project, I built a handheld resistor color code calculator and ohmmeter using the ATmega328 microcontroller and a 1.8-inch color LCD display.


A Cortex-M Microcontroller-Enabled Electronic Timer: A Radio Shack Remix

A Cortex-M Microcontroller-Enabled Electronic Timer: A Radio Shack Remix

In this Radio Shack Classic Circuits Remix, we add modern microcontroller functionality to the vintage Electronic Timer project for the Science Fair 65-in-1 kit.


Projects Sep 15, 2024 by Don Wilcher
The Wireless Alphabet Flasher: A Radio Shack Classics Circuit Remix

The Wireless Alphabet Flasher: A Radio Shack Classics Circuit Remix

In this project, we mix the old and the new by integrating present-day BLE technology with a vintage Science Fair computer kit.


Projects Jul 21, 2024 by Don Wilcher
Creating a Parallel-Load Shift Register in LTspice

Creating a Parallel-Load Shift Register in LTspice

We explore the design and functionality of a digital shift register intended for use in mixed-signal circuit simulations.


Power Dissipation of a CMOS Inverter

Power Dissipation of a CMOS Inverter

This article explains dynamic and static power consumption in a CMOS inverter circuit.


An Explanation of Undervoltage Lockout

An Explanation of Undervoltage Lockout

Learn how undervoltage lockout (UVLO) can protect semiconductor devices and electronic systems from potentially hazardous operation.


Building a Handheld Retro Gaming Console With Local Wireless Connectivity

Building a Handheld Retro Gaming Console With Local Wireless Connectivity

In this project article, we design a handheld gaming console with wireless multiplayer functionality using ESP8266 microcontrollers. We then program a game for it with the Arduino IDE.


Using a Raspberry Pi Pico to Enhance a Vintage Radio Shack Microcomputer Kit

Using a Raspberry Pi Pico to Enhance a Vintage Radio Shack Microcomputer Kit

In this project, we’ll use a Raspberry Pi Pico to build an adjustable clock with an LED display. We’ll then integrate the clock with a Radio Shack Science Fair Microcomputer Trainer programmed to function as a 7-bit binary counter.


Projects Feb 11, 2024 by Don Wilcher
Building and Certifying an Open-Source IoT Controller, Part 4: Regulatory Compliance

Building and Certifying an Open-Source IoT Controller, Part 4: Regulatory Compliance

In the final installment of our series on the development of the Anthilla Controller, we look at the legal requirements for bringing the project to market in the European Union.