Category Archives: Embedded Lab Projects


Low cost temperature data logger using PIC and Processing

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This project describes an easy and inexpensive way of adding a digital thermometer and data logging feature to a PC. It involves a PIC microcontroller that gets the surrounding temperature information from the Microchip MCP9701 sensor, and sends it to a PC through an USB-UART interface. The USB port of the PC is also used to power the device. The open-source Processing  programming platform is used to develop a PC application that displays the temperature in a graphics window on the computer screen. The PC application also records the temperature samples plus date and time stamps on an ASCII file.

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Make your own animated LED Christmas sign

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Last year I made a simple LED Christmas sign with very basic animation effects controlled by a PIC MCU. One of my friends, who visited us during the last Christmas, liked it and asked me the recipe of the project so that he could make something similar to decorate his front porch during the next Christmas. In response I gave him the link on my blog where I have described the details of the project. As Christmas is just couple months away, I got an email from him two weeks ago, saying that he has just started working on the project.

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A DIY I/O board for experimenters

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I remember when I first stepped into the world of embedded electronics, I started with doing some basic microcontroller circuits on a breadboard. Breadboard is a wonderful tool for prototyping and testing circuits. When the test of a circuit is successful, you can dissemble it and the board is ready for a new circuit. While working on breadboard was a great learning experience, it was little bit frustrating sometimes when you realized after dissembling a circuit that you have to put it together again or just a part of it for your new project. It happens very often because most

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Voltage monitor for car’s battery and its charging system

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My 2010 Equinox has got every feature that a modern automobile should have. However, one thing that I personally find missing is the real-time monitoring of voltage across the car’s battery terminals. This may not seem to be that important but one of the most common reasons for a car battery failure is the faulty charging system. If the charging system is not working properly, the battery will not get the proper charging voltage (about 13.8 V for 12V battery) across its terminals and it could go flat. This project is about making a simple electronic voltage monitor system for

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A very simple IR remote control switch for an electrical appliance

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This project describes a technique of adding the remote control feature to an electrical appliance. The goal is to construct a black box where you can plug-in your 120V AC appliance (it can be easily modified for 220 V mains supply too) and control the ON and OFF operations with a TV or DVD remote that uses modulated infra-red (IR) pulse train of 38 KHz frequency. I did this project for my wife who studies late at night on her bed and later feels tired to stand up and turns the light off. Now she does it from bed with

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