How to Interrupt an Arduino Board

Interrupts are an important concept in every microcontroller platform. From executing a totally new function to stopping the whole program, interrupts form an important part, especially when multi functioning gadgets are to be designed.

Demonstrating interrupt’s usage in Arduino is this project where square waves generated work as interrupt. To program this Arduino unit, one needs to connect a computer through USB. For that an additional accessory, USB to TTL logic converter is needed. Adding this doesn’t make the system bulkier at all and hence is not resource wastage.

Invoking an interrupt is not that of a tough task in terms of programming for other micro controllers. However, since Arduino provides a structured approach towards hardware designing makes it easier to test features and model prototypes.

This project is not an application of Arduino but is more of a demonstration of features of the gadget. Arduino pro mini is one of the smallest Arduino board and all the accessories are to be soldered to it. Find out more details about the project at this link:

http://www.engineersgarage.com/embedded/arduino/how-to-interrupt-arduino-board-periodically

Arduino Based Color Detector Circuit Diagram

Coming to the basics, colors are just functions of frequency and wavelength. For all the multi colored gadgets we see around us: televisions, mobile phones, tablets, handheld gaming consoles etc etc all have their screens working on this game of frequency and wavelength only. When one can make a gadget emit waves of a particular frequency, it is particularly difficult to make a device which is able to recognize a color. In electronics, the frequency-wavelength extends to voltage supply to the light sources to get various shades of a color.  On this principal is what the LCD, LED and other high definition screens are based.

Shown here is an Arduino based color detector circuit which uses photodiodes and is able to detect the color which is dominating in the given picture/scene.  Adding open source hardware like Arduino makes such systems to be developed by any curious mind who intends to do it. Moreover, this circuit can even be tested on the breadboard meaning that no specialized PCB is needed. 

The outputs can be taken in quite varied form, for instance, one can make a color sensitive gadget, show the output on a computer monitor or program Arduino to show color on the LCD.

Want to make this circuit? Click here to find out some exclusive images, codes and content detailing with the basics and DIY’n of this circuit.