ElectronParade

The Academy

Welcome to the core curriculum. Master the fundamentals of electronics.

Module 1: The Core Foundations

Electronics 101: Understanding Voltage, Current, and Resistance

Learn the fundamentals of electricity and Ohm's Law to start troubleshooting your circuits.

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Electronics 102: Capacitors – Storing and Releasing Energy

Discover how capacitors act as temporary batteries to smooth out voltage and provide power bursts.

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Electronics 103: Resistors – Controlling the Flow of Current

Learn how to use resistors to protect LEDs and delicate components from drawing too much current.

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Electronics 104: LEDs – Light Emitting Diodes

Master the rules for using LEDs safely, including polarity and current limiting.

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Electronics 105: Diodes – The One-Way Valves of Circuitry

Understand how diodes block reverse current to protect your circuits and convert AC to DC.

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Electronics 106: Transistors – Electronic Switches and Amplifiers

Learn how a small signal can control massive currents using transistors.

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Electronics 107: Inductors – Magnetic Energy Storage

Understand how inductors resist changes in current and filter out electrical noise.

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Lesson 108: Breadboards and Prototyping Basics

Learn how to use a solderless breadboard to prototype circuits quickly.

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Lesson 109: Meet the Multimeter

Discover the most important diagnostic tool in electronics: the digital multimeter.

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Lesson 110: Reading Schematics

Learn to decode the universal language of electronics: the schematic diagram.

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Module 2: The Brain (Intro to Arduino)

Lesson 111: Meet the Arduino Uno (Anatomy of the board)

Discover the brain of your future electronics projects: the Arduino Uno.

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Lesson 112: The IDE and Your First Code (Making it Blink)

Write your first lines of C++ code and upload them to the Arduino.

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Lesson 113: Variables and Loops (Making the LED do tricks)

Learn how to use variables and for-loops to take control of your circuits and write cleaner code.

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Lesson 114: Digital Inputs (Reading a Pushbutton)

Give your Arduino the ability to detect human interaction using a simple pushbutton.

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Lesson 115: Analog Outputs (Fading an LED with PWM)

Learn how to fake an analog voltage to fade an LED using Pulse Width Modulation.

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Lesson 116: Analog Inputs (Reading a Potentiometer)

Read continuously varying voltages using a potentiometer and the Arduino's Analog pins.

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Lesson 117: If/Else Logic (Smart Switches)

Teach your Arduino to make decisions based on multiple sensor inputs.

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Lesson 118: The Serial Monitor (Talking to your computer)

Learn how to send text and sensor data from your Arduino back to your computer screen.

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Lesson 119: RGB LEDs (Mixing millions of colors with code)

Control a multi-color LED to create any color in the rainbow.

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Lesson 120: Capstone Project: The DIY Mood Light

Combine everything you've learned in Module 2 to build a custom, color-changing mood light.

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Module 3: Sensing the World

Lesson 121: Seeing the Light - Introduction to Photoresistors (LDRs)

Welcome to Module 3! Start sensing the environment by using a photoresistor to detect light levels.

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Lesson 122: Feeling the Heat - Measuring Temperature with the TMP36

Discover how to read ambient temperature using an analog temperature sensor and convert the data into Celsius and Fahrenheit.

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Lesson 123: Sensing Motion - Working with PIR Sensors

Learn how to detect human motion using a Passive Infrared (PIR) sensor and trigger actions with your Arduino.

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Lesson 124: Making Some Noise - Creating Sounds with Piezo Buzzers

Give your Arduino projects a voice by generating tones and melodies using a piezo buzzer.

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Lesson 125: Reading Distance - Using Ultrasonic Sensors (HC-SR04)

Give your Arduino the ability to measure distance using the HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor, teaching it to 'see' like a bat.

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Lesson 126: Moving Things - Introduction to Servo Motors

Learn how to control precise physical movement in your Arduino projects using a micro servo motor.

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Lesson 127: Displaying Data - Introduction to I2C LCD Displays (16x2)

Learn how to use an I2C 16x2 LCD display to show text and data from your Arduino without needing a computer screen.

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Lesson 128: Sensing the Environment - Temperature & Humidity with DHT11

Give your Arduino the ability to measure ambient temperature and humidity using the popular and affordable DHT11 sensor.

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Lesson 129: Spinning Up - Controlling DC Motors with the L298N Driver

Learn how to safely control the speed and direction of DC motors using your Arduino and the L298N motor driver module.

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Lesson 130: Power Up - Switching High Current with Relay Modules

Take control of higher voltage and current devices safely using a 5V relay module and your Arduino.

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Module 4: Moving the World & Special Sensors

Lesson 131: Precision Control - Introduction to Stepper Motors

Learn how to achieve exact rotational positioning using a 28BYJ-48 stepper motor and the ULN2003 driver.

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Lesson 132: Multiplying Outputs - Using the 74HC595 Shift Register

Expand your Arduino's capabilities by controlling 8 LEDs (or more!) using only 3 digital pins with a shift register.

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Lesson 133: Listening to Plants - Using Soil Moisture Sensors

Learn how to measure the water content of soil using a moisture sensor to keep your houseplants happy and healthy.

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Lesson 134: Building a Clap-Switch - Using Sound Sensors & Microphones

Give your Arduino ears! Learn how to use a microphone module to detect sound spikes like claps or loud noises.

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Lesson 135: Taking Control - Using an Analog Joystick Module

Learn how to use a standard dual-axis analog joystick module (like the ones on game controllers) to steer servos and control your Arduino projects.

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Lesson 136: Access Granted - Reading Smart Cards with RFID

Learn how to use an RC522 RFID module to read smart cards and key fobs, paving the way for custom security and access control systems.

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Lesson 137: Keeping Time - Using a DS3231 Real-Time Clock (RTC)

Learn how to give your Arduino a reliable sense of time using the DS3231 Real-Time Clock module, ensuring it remembers the time even when powered off.

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Lesson 138: Secret Codes - Entering Passcodes with a 4x4 Keypad

Learn how to wire and program a 4x4 matrix membrane keypad to let users type numbers, enter passcodes, and trigger events.

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Lesson 139: Crisp Graphics - Using an OLED Display (SSD1306)

Upgrade your Arduino projects from simple text screens to high-contrast, crisp graphics using the popular SSD1306 I2C OLED display.

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Lesson 140: Painting with Light - Using WS2812B Addressable LEDs (NeoPixels)

Discover how to control hundreds of RGB LEDs individually using just a single data pin with WS2812B addressable LED strips.

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Module 5: Displays & Communication

Lesson 141: Remote Control - Using an IR Receiver and Remote

Learn how to control your Arduino projects from across the room using a standard infrared remote and an IR receiver module.

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Lesson 142: Going Wireless - Introduction to Bluetooth (HC-05)

Cut the cord! Learn how to communicate with your Arduino directly from your smartphone using an HC-05 Bluetooth module.

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Lesson 143: Arduino to Arduino - Wireless Communication with NRF24L01

Learn how to make two Arduinos talk to each other wirelessly using the incredibly popular and inexpensive NRF24L01+ transceiver module.

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Lesson 144: Digital Smart Level with MPU-6050 and OLED

Learn how to read raw accelerometer and gyroscope data to build a functional digital level with an OLED display and a buzzer.

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Lesson 145: Finding Yourself - Location Tracking with NEO-6M GPS

Learn how to read latitude, longitude, altitude, and atomic time from satellites using the NEO-6M GPS module and TinyGPS++.

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Lesson 146: Saving Memories - Data Logging with a Micro SD Card Module

Learn how to save sensor data and text permanently to a Micro SD card using the SPI interface, perfect for offline data logging.

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Lesson 147: Infinite Turns - Mastering the Rotary Encoder

Learn how to use a KY-040 rotary encoder for endless rotational input and precise menu navigation in your Arduino projects.

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Lesson 148: Liquid Logic - Using a Water Level Sensor

Learn how to measure the depth of liquid in a container using an analog water level sensor to prevent overflows and build smart reservoirs.

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Lesson 149: Atmospheric Awareness - Using the BME280 Environmental Sensor

Take your weather station to the next level by measuring temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure with the highly precise BME280 sensor.

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Lesson 150: Air Quality Alerts - Detecting Smoke and Gas with the MQ-2

Build your own smart smoke and combustible gas alarm using the MQ-2 gas sensor module.

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Module 6: Advanced IoT & Smart Devices

Lesson 151: The Magic of Hardware Interrupts

Learn how to use hardware interrupts to instantly respond to buttons or sensors, no matter what else your Arduino is doing.

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Lesson 152: Fetching Live Web Data

Connect your ESP32 to the internet and fetch live data from web APIs, unlocking a world of real-time information for your projects.

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Lesson 153: Setting up a Local Web Server

Turn your ESP32 into a mini web server to host a local webpage that can control LEDs, relays, and read sensors remotely.

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Lesson 154: The Language of Smart Homes

Master MQTT, the lightweight messaging protocol used by millions of smart home devices to talk to each other.

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Lesson 155: Dashboarding Your Data

Send your sensor data to the cloud and build beautiful, interactive dashboards using Adafruit IO or Blynk.

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Lesson 156: Battery Super-Saver

Learn how to use Deep Sleep to make your ESP32 run for months or even years on a single battery charge.

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Lesson 157: Over-The-Air (OTA) Updates

Cut the cord! Discover how to flash new code to your ESP32 over Wi-Fi, perfect for hard-to-reach smart devices.

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Lesson 158: E-Paper Displays

Explore E-Paper displays that use zero power to keep an image on the screen, ideal for low-power IoT projects.

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Lesson 159: Audio Basics

Give your projects a voice! Learn how to play crisp audio and sound effects using the I2S protocol on the ESP32.

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Lesson 160: Capstone Project: A Wi-Fi Connected E-Paper Desk Ticker

Combine everything from Module 6 to build a beautiful, low-power smart desk display that fetches and shows live data.

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Module 7: The Analog World

Lesson 161: The RC Circuit

Discover how combining resistors and capacitors creates the foundation of analog timing and signal smoothing.

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Lesson 162: Voltage Dividers & References

Master the most important math in electronics to step down voltages and read analog sensors accurately.

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Lesson 163: The Legendary 555 Timer

Meet the most popular microchip in history. Learn how to blink LEDs and generate square waves without a single line of code using Astable mode.

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Lesson 164: The 555 Timer Part 2

Explore Monostable mode on the 555 timer to create perfect one-shot pulses and cleanly debounce messy mechanical switches.

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Lesson 165: Introduction to Op-Amps

Discover how Operational Amplifiers can act as comparators, bringing decision-making logic directly into your hardware.

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Lesson 166: Amplifying the World

Learn how to use Op-Amps in linear mode to boost tiny, weak signals from sensors and microphones so your microcontroller can read them.

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Lesson 167: Analog Filters

Clean up noisy sensor data and shape audio signals by building active and passive low-pass and high-pass filters.

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Lesson 168: Logic Gates from Scratch

Demystify digital logic by building your own AND, OR, and NOT gates using nothing but pure discrete transistors.

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Lesson 169: Power Regulation

Keep your circuits safe by understanding the difference between simple linear regulators (LM7805) and highly efficient switching buck/boost converters.

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Lesson 170: Capstone Project: The Atari Punk Console

Combine everything from Module 7 to build the legendary Atari Punk Console, a purely analog synthesizer that makes awesome retro 8-bit sounds.

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Module 8: Robotics & Motion

Lesson 171: Build a Robotic Arm with Servos

Take control of physical space by building and programming a desktop robotic arm using multiple servos, an Arduino Uno, and the PCA9685 16-Channel Servo Driver.

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Lesson 172: Capstone Project: Line Following Robot

Combine everything we've learned about motors, IR sensors, and control logic to build a robot car that autonomously follows a line.

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Module 9: Making It Permanent (PCBs)

Lesson 173: From Breadboard to Protoboard (Advanced Soldering)

Learn how to transition your fragile breadboard prototypes into permanent, durable electronics using protoboards and advanced soldering techniques.

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Lesson 174: Introduction to EDA (EasyEDA / KiCad Basics)

Take the next step from physical breadboards to digital schematics. Learn the basics of Electronic Design Automation using EasyEDA and KiCad.

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Lesson 175: Designing Your First PCB (Schematic to Layout)

Transform your digital schematics into a physical circuit board. Learn how to route traces, place components, and run Design Rule Checks (DRC).

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