What do you think of when you want to make a simple electronic project?
You probably have two options:
1: Use a breadboard
2: Use PCB
If you’re a beginner and don’t know how to develop PCB, you’ll resort to making projects on a breadboard. It’s simple and easy to use and anyone with little technical knowledge can make a simple electronic project on a breadboard.
And if you know how to design PCB, you probably would want to develop your project on the circuit board. For instance, if you want to make a simple Alarm system you can easily make it on the PCB. But for that, you would require knowledge of circuit design software, how to buy the comments and install it on the board, and how to test it after the completion of your project.
However, if you don’t want to use the above options, you can easily pick the Arduino boards that come with digital and analog input and output pins with ready-to-use modules for your project.
Arduino boards are commonly used in robotics and embedded system projects. They are open-source, meaning that anyone can freely study, modify, and distribute them. The microcontrollers on the board act like small computers that can be programmed to control various devices and perform a wide range of tasks.
The pins on the board can be used to interface with sensors, actuators, and other devices. Additionally, most Arduino boards have a serial communication interface, such as USB, that can be used to connect the board to a computer and upload programs to it. These boards are easy to use and program, making them suitable for beginners and experienced users alike. Moreover, these boards can be powered through a USB connection or by an external power supply.
Know what makes them different from other electronic boards?
Versatility.
Yes, that’s true. These units are versatile in nature, each with its own set of features and capabilities. This allows users to choose the board that best fits their needs and projects.
The best part?
There is a large and active community of Arduino users and developers, who share knowledge, ideas, and resources online. This makes it easy for users to find help and support when working with Arduino boards.
What is Arduino UNO
A user-friendly small-size microcontroller board, Arduino UNO is based on the ATmega328 microcontroller. It comes with a 16 MHz crystal oscillator, 6 analog inputs, 14 digital input/output pins, a USB port, a power jack, an ICSP header, and a reset button.
Beginners who are just getting started with microcontroller programming and prototyping consider it the go-to option for their projects.
This board can be used to operate a wide range of devices, including LEDs, motors, and LCD displays. Additionally, it is compatible with many sensors and actuators, making it a great option for students who want to get their hands dirty with electronic projects.
What is Arduino Nano
A compact, breadboard-compatible variation of the Arduino UNO is the Arduino Nano. It is smaller and has a different layout than the UNO, but it has the same microcontroller and clock speed.
The Nano board comes with 8 analog inputs, 22 digital input/output pins, a USB port, and a power jack. It is powered by a USB connection or an external power source because it lacks a DC power port.
What’s more, it is a practical option for tasks that call for a small, low-power microcontroller because it is made to be easily integrated into breadboards and other prototype devices. The compact nature of the Nano board makes it an ideal choice for hard-to-reach places. Like the UNO board, it is also compatible with a variety of sensors and actuators, for making advanced projects.
Arduino UNO vs Arduino Nano
The following is a brief comparison of the Arduino UNO and the Arduino Nano:
1: Compared to the Nano, the Arduino UNO is larger. While the Nano is roughly 2.5 inches by 0.8 inches, the UNO is approximately 2.7 inches by 2.1 inches.
2: The pin layouts of the UNO and Nano are different. The UNO contains 14 digital I/O pins, six analog inputs, and a number of additional pins for programming, power, and communication. The Nano features comparable power and communication pins, 8 analog inputs, and 22 digital I/O pins.
3: The UNO features a DC power port and can be charged by an external power source or a USB connection. While the Nano board, on the other hand, can only be powered by a USB connection or an external power source because it lacks a DC power port.
4: A microcontroller, a clock crystal, and a USB port are the common features of the UNO and Nano. But, the Nano board comes with a tiny USB connector and a power jack, whereas the UNO additionally has a power jack and an ICSP header.
5: Both units are compatible with a wide range of sensors and actuators and can be used with the Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) to program and control devices.
6: These units differ in price. The Nano is generally less expensive than the UNO.
It’s worth noting that even though both boards come with certain features, however, the choice between the board will depend on the specific requirements of the project and the available resources.
Applications of Arduino Uno and Arduino Nano
Arduino UNO and Nano board carry in-built microcontrollers that are based on the ATmega328 microcontroller. They can be used for many applications, such as:
1: Both boards can be used to control devices such as LEDs, motors, and LCD displays. Moreover, they can be compatible with electronic shields and other expansion boards.
2: The analog and digital input/output (I/O) pins of the boards can be used to interface with sensors and other devices to acquire and measure data.
3: Home automation systems, weather stations, and remote monitoring systems are the common applications of these boards.
4: What makes them popular among various electronic projects is their easy prototyping and installation with other electronics and microcontrollers.
5: These boards are used for building and controlling robots, either as standalone microcontroller boards or as part of a larger system.
Top comments (1)
The nice thing about the Arduino platform is, that you can handle a varity of different controllers on the same platform and without deeper knowledge of the details, even if they are from a totally different manufacturer. That differs much from other "professional" development platforms provided by manufactueres like STM.
The Nano and the Uno are board that contain an USB to serial converter (FTDI), so you will only need a USB-cable to communicate and flash the boards. There are some very similar boards like the Arduino Mini, that do not contain a serial converter. You can buy an FTDI fairly cheap, but you will need to connect the FTDI before communication with the board. Beside of that, the boards are fairly similar with respect to pinout and supply.
It is also possible to program the bare controller chips like the ATtiny85 from the ARDUINO platform without very big investment. A programmer tool costs less than 50€, and these little chips may be really handy to do things you otherwise would need a computer for. The ATtiny has only 8 pins, of whitch 3 are occupied. So you have only 5 lines left. But in some cases this is enough to do some fairly complex tasks. The ATtiny costs less than 1€, so this is really the cheapest way to get a complex operation done.