Consider that a digital camera uses an array of sensors to capture light from an object. Maker Marcio T, however, decided to turn this idea on its head and instead use an array of lights that are detected by a single sensor.

The way it works is that as each LED in a 32×32 matrix illuminates, a phototransistor picks up light if the path is clear or sees no change if the path is blocked. So when you put an object on the matrix, the sensor is able to get an accurate picture of it, enabling its Arduino Uno controller to then generate its silhouette. 

It’s a simple yet very clever hack, and if you pay close attention in the video below, you can see the lights scanning from the bottom to top before the image is produced.

Ordinary digital cameras work by using a large array of light sensors to capture light as it is reflected from an object. In this experiment, I wanted to see whether I could build a backwards camera: instead of having an array of light sensors, I have just a single sensor; but I control each of 1,024 individual light sources in a 32 x 32 LED matrix.

The way it works is that the Arduino illuminates one LED at a time, while using the analog input to monitor changes in the light sensor. This allows the Arduino to test whether the sensor can “see” a particular LED. This process is repeated for each of the 1,024 individual LEDs rapidly to generate a map of visible pixels.

If an object is placed between the LED matrix and the sensor, the Arduino is able to capture the silhouette of that object, which is lit up as a “shadow” once the capture is complete.

Arduino boards have been employed in all sorts of robotics and IoT applications, although working with air as a power source is less than straightforward. In order to make this experience easier, the Programmable-Air pneumatics kit puts everything you need for simple air power experimentation into one package.

It features pressure and vacuum pumps, as well as pneumatic valves and a pressure sensor. An Arduino Nano is implemented as the controller, and a custom library is available here, so programming should be a snap. 

Programmable-Air has a built-in high-pressure pump, vacuum pump, pneumatic valves, pressure sensor, and an Arduino Nano. The output from Programmable-Air is a single tube that goes into your soft robot or pneumatic actuator. By controlling the motors and valves, you can push air in or out of the actuator, or let it exchange air with the atmosphere. All the while you get feedback about the state of the actuator through the pressure sensor.

The kit is coming soon to Crowd Supply, so be sure to sign up there to be notified when it goes live!

When you need to take a measurement for a project, there are a wide variety of off-the-shelf devices available. Or you can make one exactly to your specs, like Patrick Panikulam did with his “Digital Multi-Function Measuring Tool.”

This Arduino-controlled gadget employs an MPU-6050 accelerometer / gyroscope that lets it act as a 2D level, as well as a digital protractor after zeroing it at a starting point. The unit also features straight-line measurement capabilities via an IR distance sensor, and even has an encoder/wheel that can measure rolled distance when that isn’t convenient.

Power is provided by a rechargeable battery, and the entire thing is packaged in a nice wood and carbon fiber facade. Check out the demo video below, or you can find more details on how to build your own here.

Off-the-shelf remote-controlled cars can be a lot of fun, but Clem decided to take things up several levels with his heavily modified rig. 

In the hack shown below, he outfitted an RC vehicle from the ’80s with an FPV camera, along with a MKR WiFi 1010. The WiFi-enabled MKR board was linked with a second ‘1010, controlled by a (formerly) broken PS1 racing wheel.

While old technology, this racing wheel is perfect for Arduino use, with steering, brake, and gas handled by potentiometers that are fed into analog inputs. The 2.4 GHz WiFi link between the MKR boards appears to work quite well when driving with an FPV headset, though “somehow” a wheel on the original car did manage to fall off during testing!

Clem scored a broken steering wheel for the PlayStation 1 (yes the first one) at a flea market. Thankfully it is broken so he decided to turn it into an RC transmitter for his old Remote controlled Car! Learn how to use the Arduino MKR WiFi 1010 to make your own transmitter and receiver from scratch! It even supports FPV head tracking! What features would you like to add into the system? 

Nikodem Bartnik enjoys running, as well as making things, and he’s been able to combine both pursuits in the form of an ultrasonic race timer. 

The device is placed at the finish line and mounted to a tripod. Once a runner gets into position, the start of the sprint is signaled with the beep of a small speaker.

Everything is controlled by an Arduino Nano, while user feedback is provided via a small ePaper display. A pair of buttons also enable the runner to adjust the distance from 50m to 1km.  

Although Bartnik is still no Usain Bolt, he’s planning to practice and hopefully improve his 100m dash time. Code is available on GitHub if you’d like to build something similar, along with 3D print files for the enclosure on Thingiverse.

Pictures can be a great way to record an object or project, but typically only does so in one perspective. In order to capture things in three dimensions, you’ll need to be able to snap multiple photos and stitch them together with software.

To take all the photos required for this process, “thomas_openscan” has come up with an automated device that rotates the object as needed, allowing him to capture images using a DSLR camera or even smartphone.

An early prototype is shown here, which actually moves a phone around the scanned object. The later, more refined version manipulates the object itself using an Arduino Nano and a pair of drivers to control a pair of bipolar stepper motors. 

More information is available here and over on Thingiverse, and can be purchased or built depending on your needs.

When filming your projects—or day-to-day life—static shots can be fun, but having a moving perspective often looks even better. The challenge is keeping the camera pointed at your subject, which maker Saral Tayal addresses with his automated slider.

This Arduino Uno-controlled slider is powered by a pair of brushed DC motors with encoders attached for feedback. One pulls the camera along a pair of rails on a set of linear bearings, while the other adjusts the camera’s horizontal angle using trigonometry to keep a particular object in-frame. 

Code and print files are available in Tayal’s write-up, and some beautiful resulting shots with an explanation of the project can be seen in the video below. 

Ultrasound images are an important tool for medical diagnosis, and while units used by doctors can be very expensive, getting a basic image doesn’t have to be. Inspired by this attempt at a $500 ultrasound machine seen here, maker “stoppi71” decided to create his own using a 5 MHz ultrasound transducer via a paint-thickness gauge.

An Arduino Due provides computing power to turn sound pulses into images, while a 3.5-inch TFT display shows what it’s examining. Short pulses in the 100-200 nanosecond range are generated with the help of a monoflop and MOSFET, returning an echo corresponding to what it’s “looking” at. 

Although the results are not nearly what you’d expect at the doctor’s office, rudimentary readings of skin and bone are definitely visible. 

I’ve examined different objects from aluminum-cylinders over water-filled balloons to my body. To see body-echos the amplification of the signals must be very high. For the aluminum-cylinders a lower amplification is needed. When you look at the pictures you can clearly see the echoes from the skin and my bone.

So what can I say about the success or failure of this project. It is possible to look inside the body with such simple methods and using parts, which aren’t commonly intended for that purpose. But these factors are limiting the results too. You don’t get such clear and well structured pictures compared with commercial solutions.

Automated cocktail machines can be fun projects, but this device by CamdenS5 takes things to a whole new level. Not only can it pour liquids from multiple bottles, but it chops limes, dispenses sugar and mint, and even features a refrigerated compartment to keep ingredients at the appropriate temperature.

An Arduino Mega along with an Uno are employed for control, while user interface is provided by an Android tablet affixed to the front of the assembly. 

There’s a lot going on mechanically inside, including a linear actuator for chopping, and augers that dole out mint/sugar as needed. 

Details on the build are available here, with code/files ready for download, and an interactive Fusion 360 model that you can manipulate in your browser.

Back on Arduino Day, we announced the winners of the Arduino Day Community Challenge, awarding the best community projects and their impact on the local and global community.

The contest collected more than 120 projects from all over the world, broken down into seven different categories: home automation, social innovation, kids and education, environment and space, robotics, audio and visual arts, small scale manufacturing, and startups.

With this blog post, we want to inaugurate a series where we learn more about each of the winning entries. The first project highlighted is Andruino, the best submission from the ‘home automation’ category. Prototyped in Palermo (Italy) by Andrea Scavuzzo, Andruino is an Arduino-based smart home system that enables users to control the devices around their house in real-time via an accompanying app, the AndruinoApp.

What’s the project about?

‘The Andruino ecosystem is based on the AndruinoApp and a number of Arduino-compatible nodes (e.g. Arduino Mega, NodeMCU, ESP8266 or STM32 Nucleo boards). Once the hardware is configured with the AndruinoApp, users will be able to communicate with their nodes (over a proprietary IoT infrastructure), checking their status, and controlling the devices in real-time. For instance, with Andruino you can control the room temperature, the humidity, and check if your door is locked all in an instant via your phone. Moreover, you can also record the data and create graphs to analyse consumption around your home to make it more efficient.’

What inspired you to develop this project?

With my phone in my hands, I thought that my mobile device was the best interface for my Arduino.

What is the impact of Andruino on the local/global community?

I have created an easy to use, open-source and inexpensive remote control system for the home… almost everyone can benefit from it.  

What are the next developments for your project?

I want to prototype ‘Garagino,’ a remote control system for my garage.

How can we learn more about Andruino?

You can visit my website, or check out my write-up on the Arduino Project Hub.

Watch the video below as Andrea Scavuzzo presents Andruino to the Arduino community.