Today we are going to work with the TB6612FNG, a MOSFET-based H-Bridge Motor Controller that has many advantages over the popular L298N.

Article with code and more information - https://dbot.ws/tb6612fng

When you want to control the speed and direction of a DC Motor an H-Bridge is what you need. And when working with low-voltage motors the go-to module has always been the L298N. It’s cheap, easy to use, and available from just about everywhere you buy electronic parts.

But the L298N is far from perfect. It drops the motor voltage by 1.4-volts and dissipates all of that lost power as heat, which is why it requires such a large heatsink. And it’s pretty large, mostly due to that big hunk of metal.

The problem with the L298N is that it uses bipolar junction transistors (BJTs). A better way to design an H-Bridge is to use MOSFETs.

Enter the TB6612FNG. This MOSFET-based H-Bridge can replace the L298N in most applications, and it is so efficient that it doesn’t even require a heatsink! It’s a few pennies more than the L298N, but as I’m sure you'll see, it’s well worth it.

This device is also much smaller than the L298N, it’s available on dedicated motor control modules, on Arduino shields, and HATs for the Raspberry Pi. And, perhaps best of all, you can wire it into your L298N circuit and use the same code with it!

Here is what we will be covering today in our look at this H-Bridge motor controller:

00:00 - Introduction
02:03 - Introduction to TB6612FNG
04:55 - Look at TB6612FNG
06:58- TB6612FNG vs L298N
09:50 - TB6612FNG Arduino Hookup
25:06 - Ugly Robot Car

Yes, the last one was an “ugly robot car”. I put the TB6612FNG onto one of those acrylic car bases and gave it a test using a versatile library from Sparkfun. I think you’ll agree, that’s one ugly car - but it does work!

It's the Battle of the Distance Sensors with the tiny TOF10120 Laser versus everyone's favorite HC-SR04 Ultrasonic. I'll compare the two sensors and test their accuracy on the DroneBot Workshop Distance Sensor Testbed!

Accompanying article at https://dbot.ws/disttest

I recently obtained a few TOF10120 Laser time-of-flight sensors and I wanted to see how they stacked up against the old faithful HC-SR04 ultrasonic range sensor. So I decided to put them both to the test. In fact, I even built a custom testbed to do the job!

The TOF10120 is a very tiny sensor that uses VCSEL (Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser) technology to measure distance. It communicates using I2C and also has a serial connection. It is available from many vendors, including Amazon and eBay.

The HC-SR04 is an ultrasonic sensor that I’ve used many times before, I even did a video and article about it a couple of years ago. It uses pulses of ultrasonic sound and measures the time it takes for them to be reflected back from a target. You then use the speed of sound to determine the distance to the target.

I helped out my HC-SR04 by adding a DHT-22 temperature and humidity sensor, as the speed of sound is affected by both variables.

After testing out both sensors I put them on my testbed, constructed from the finest quality scrap wood. Nothing is too good for you folks!

The results were a bit surprising in some senses, although I was limited by the confines of my workshop and that proved to be a problem with the ultrasonic sensor.

Here is a breakdown of today's exciting competition:

00:00 - Introduction
01:40 - Sensor Comparisons
08:43 - TOF10120 Hookup and Sketch
14:17 - HC-SR04 Hookup and Sketch
18:23 - Test Bed Setup
21:08 - Testing the TOF10120
24:12 - Testing the HC-SR04

Today we will learn how to use Transistors and MOSFETs to enable our Arduino to switch high-current DC loads, including a 12-volt RGB LED Strip Light.

Article at https://dbot.ws/bjtmosfet

Transistors are the basic building block of modern electronics. Just about everything uses transistors, including the Arduino itself.

Using a power transistor or MOSFET we can drive high-current devices using the logic-level outputs from our Arduino. Today we’ll learn to use both devices.

We will start with a simple transistor switch, you’ll see how easy it is to switch a high-current DC lamp using a popular power transistor.

Inductive loads like motors and relays present an additional challenge, as these devices generate a “back-EMF” that we need to deal with. We’ll use a diode to take care of the back-EMF and build a simple motor speed controller.

We will then turn our focus to MOSFETs. MOSFETs have a number of advantages over standard transistors. We will learn how to use popular MOSFET modules to control an RGB LED Strip in a simple but colorful experiment.

Here is what is in today's video:

00:00 - Introduction
02:49 - Transistors and MOSFETs
16:23 - Transistor Switching Demo
22:54 - Transistor Motor Control
29:52 - MOSFET RGB LED Strip Light Control

Please note that transistors and MOSFETs are great for controlling DC loads, but not AC. I’ll be showing you how to control AC loads in a future video.

Today I’ll show you how to convert an old notebook computer power adapter into a useful variable power supply for your workbench. This is a great project for beginners and experts alike!

Article with parts and wiring details: https://dronebotworkshop.com/simple-supply/

Today we will build a useful bench power supply that has both a fixed (5-volt) output and a variable 0 -17-volt output. It's a useful addition to any workbench, and it’s safe and easy to build.

We’ll repurpose a common netbook power adapter, there are thousands of these lying around from computers that have seen better days. They commonly have a 19-volt output, with decent current capabilities.

The design is further simplified by using some buck converter modules, one for a fixed output and one with a variable output and a digital display. The convertor I used even has a memory feature, allowing you to store and recall multiple output voltages. It was easily available on Amazon.

This is really easy to build, so even if you are just getting started it's a great project. And as all the nasty high-voltages are safely tucked away in the power brick you don’t need to worry about shocking yourself.

Here is what we will be covering today:

00:00 - Introduction
05:56 - Power Supply Design & Components
06:42 - Wiring Diagram
07:54 - Getting all the parts together
11:44 - Testing the Modules
16:15 - Building the Power Supply
21:16 - Testing the Power Supply

I didn’t have time to paint or label the case but even so, this build looks pretty good, thanks to the “DROK 180081 Numerical Control Step Down Voltage Regulator” that forms the heart of the design. I picked mine up on Amazon, along with the “LM2596 DC to DC Buck Converter” modules used for the fixed output.

You don’t have to build the exact power supply I did, you can use this technique for repurposing old power adapters to create all sorts of custom power supplies. Just make sure to observe the current rating and the polarity of the supply output.

You’ll find an article accompanying this video on the DroneBot Workshop website at https://dronebotworkshop.com/simple-supply/. Between it and the video, you should have no trouble safely assembling this useful addition to your workbench.

Today we will be doing some “science experiments” with a popular thermoelectric cooling device, the TEC1-12706 Peltier Module. We will also learn about the Peltier and Seebeck Effects.

Article with more details: https://dbot.ws/peltier

In 1834 a French physicist named Jean Charles Athanase Peltier discovered that passing a current through two dissimilar metals could create either an increase or decrease in temperature at the junction of the two metals.

This phenomenon is known as the Peltier Effect.

Modern Peltier Coolers are semiconductor devices, While they are not as efficient as conventional air conditioning they still have many practical uses.

Peltier coolers are used to cool down hot CPU and GPU chips in high-end computers, to power portable coolers, to cool the water in water dispensers, and even to reduce heat in spacecraft.

Today we will do some experiments with the TEC1-12706, a very common and very inexpensive Peltier cooler module. It’s easy to use, and a lot of fun to play with!

We will see how the device works and learn about the Peltier Effect and the Seebeck Effect, the complementary effect that can convert heat into electricity. We will even make some ice on the workbench!

We’ll also test a popular Peltier Cooling assembly that you can get on eBay and use to build a personal cooler.

Here is what is in store for you today:

00:00 - Introduction
02:50 - Learn about the Peltier Effect
04:48 - TEC1-12706 Module
08:02 - Experiment 1 - Hooking up the module
09:50 - Experiment 2 - Making Ice
12:24 - Experiment 3 - Generating Electricity
14:32 - Using a Peltier Cooler Assembly

As always you’ll find an accompanying article on the DroneBot Workshop website at https://dbot.ws/peltier.

Keep cool and have fun!

Today we are going to explore the use of a special type of servo motor - an Analog Feedback Servo Motor.

Article with code: https://dbot.ws/afservo

We have used servo motors in many of our projects and tutorials, and for many good reasons. When you need a method of precisely positioning something a servo motor is an expensive and effective solution.

The small analog servo motors we have used before have three leads - power, ground, and a control signal. The latter is a connection that accepts a PWM signal and uses it to position the motor shaft to a specific position. And, in most cases, this works great.

But sometimes we need to know the exact position of the motor shaft, which may or may not correspond to the position we asked it to move to. External forces can move the shaft into another position, or the shaft may still be moving into position.

The Analog Feedback Servo Motor is a solution to this problem. This is essentially a standard servo motor that has a connection brought out from its internal feedback potentiometer. The feedback connection allows you to monitor the shaft position in “real-time”, so you always know exactly where it is.

An interesting benefit of this type of servo motor is that it can also be used as an input device. This is great for projects like a robot arm, where you can manually guide the arm through some specific movements and then play them back. Essentially this is a servo system that can memorize and repeat its movements.

I’ll be working with the S1213 Analog Feedback Servo Motor today. I’ll show you how to calibrate it, and I’ll also run a net sketch from Adafruit that can memorize servo movements and play them back.

Here is what we will cover today:

00:00 - Introduction
04:03 - Analog Feedback Servo Motor
07:54 - Calibrating the Servo Motor
13:44 - Servo Memory Sketch

You can actually modify a standard servo motor to become an analog feedback servo motor, but it’s a lot easier just to buy one - they are not that much more expensive than a regular servo.

Hopefully, this video and the accompanying article will give you some inspiration to start using this unique component in your own designs.

Today we will learn how to use EEPROM with an Arduino to add nonvolatile memory to our projects.

Article with code: https://dbot.ws/eeprom

Nonvolatile memory refers to memory that retains its data even after being powered down. While there are many ways to accomplish this one of the simplest is by using EEPROM - Electrically Erasable Read-Only Memory.

The Arduino already has some EEPROM built-in, not too much, but for many applications it will be more than enough. You can use it to retain settings in your project. If you need more nonvolatile memory you can add an external EEPROM chip.

Today I will show you how to do both.

The Arduino's internal EEPROM is very easy to work with, thanks to the EEPROM library included within the Arduino IDE. The library comes with several small example sketches, and we’ll see how to use those sketches in our first demo.

We will also work with the AT24LC256, also called just the 24LC256 or 24C256. It’s an EEPROM chip that can store 256 Kilobits (or 32 KB) of data, and it uses the I2C bus for easy interfacing.

We will use the external EEPROM to record servo motor movements and then play them back. This would be perfect for an automated display. Of course, you can build upon the sample code to add EEPROM to almost any project.

Here is what we will cover today:

00:00 - Introduction
02:46 - Understanding EEPROMs
07:16 - Using Internal EEPROM
16:02 - Using External EEPROM

I’ll also cover some of the limitations of using EEPROMs, they are not entirely perfect. The biggest limitation is that they have a limited number of write operations, I’ll show you how you can reduce writes to the internal EEPROM by using the ”update” method.

In the third installment of the I2C series, I will show you two ways to interface a 3.3-volt Raspberry Pi with a 5-volt Arduino Uno.

Article with code samples - https://dbot.ws/i2c3

Today we are back working with the I2C bus, and this time we’ll be interfacing an Arduino with a Raspberry Pi.

By hooking an Arduino to a Raspberry Pi we can get the best of both worlds. The Raspberry Pi is a powerful single-board computer, capable of running a Linux operating system and connecting natively to the internet. The Arduino is a very capable microcontroller with several I/O pins, an Analog to Digital converter, and precise timing and interrupt capabilities. Together, they make an incredible team.

But one issue is that the two devices use different logic levels. The Raspberry Pi GPIO (General Purpose Input/.Output) bus operates using 3.3-volt logic, while most Arduino’s use 5-volt logic. Incorrectly interfacing them can lead to a non-functional Raspberry Pi, a situation best avoided!

You CAN hook the two devices together directly, providing that certain specific conditions are met. Alternatively, you can use a very inexpensive logic level converter to isolate the 3.3-volt and 5-volt logic safely. In this video, I will show you both methods.

Here is what you will see in today's video:

00:00 - Introduction
03:42 - I2C Logic Levels
06:47 - Raspberry Pi I2C Busses
08:30 - Setting up the Raspberry Pi
14:15 - Direct Hookup
15:35- Arduino Sketch
17:31- Raspberry Pi Python Code
20:30- Running the Demo
24:02- Using a Logic Converter

While the demonstration is extremely simple it does effectively illustrate how easy it is to interface these two popular boards.

After we learn how Hall Effect switches work, we’ll use them to build limit switches and homing sensors for stepper motors.

Article with code samples - https://dbot.ws/hallsw

Today we will learn about Hall Effect sensors and switches.

These devices are sensitive to magnetism and can be put to use in a number of interesting applications. Hall Effect switches are inexpensive and are very easy to use, with or without an Arduino.

After we do a few simple experiments we will see how to control a stepper motor using Hall Effect switches and an Arduino. We will look at two common arrangements:

Limit Switches - Controlling the end of travel of the motor, or of the mechanism being powered by the motor.

Homing Sensor - Having the motor or mechanism move to a predetermined position on command.

The hookup and code for all of the experiments are very simple, and if you don’t want to use Hall Effect switches you can substitute other switches instead.

In my experiment, I used a NEMA-17 size stepper, an A4988 stepper motor driver, and a 12-volt power supply. But you could easily adapt the design to use any stepper motor, driver, and power supply combination.

Here is what is covered in today's video:

00:00 - Introduction
04:24 - How Hall Effect switches work
07:08 - Simple Hall Effect experiments
10:24 - Simple Arduino experiment
14:19 - Build a Limit Switch
22:59 - Build a Homing Sensor

If you need more information or want a closer look at the code you’ll find an article at https://dbot.ws/hallsw that accompanies this video.

Today we’ll learn how touchscreen displays work, both Resistive and Capacitive. We will also create a simple touchscreen interface using an inexpensive Arduino shield.

Detailed Article with code - https://dbot.ws/tscreen1

Today we are back in the workshop, working with an inexpensive Arduino LCD Touchscreen Display Shield.

We’ll begin by looking at how touchscreens work, both the Resistive and Capacitive variety. Then we’ll check out a great resource to download all of the spec sheets, libraries, and sample code for dozens of popular LCD displays.

After we get some sample code for pour resistive touchscreen display we will run through it and put our display to the test.

Finally, we’ll design a simple touchscreen interface to control three LEDs. You can use it as the basis for a more complex design.

Here is a breakdown of today's video:

00:00 - Introduction
03:13 - How touchscreens work
06:57 - Look at touchscreen shield
11:09- Obtaining touchscreen software
14:14 - Installing libraries and demos
16:24 - Touchscreen demos
23:13 - Arduino hookup
24:18 - Arduino sketch
34:48 - Our Interface in action

This isn’t the last time we’ll be looking at touchscreens, I have a capacitive touchscreen that I'll be showing you very soon.