├── .github └── FUNDING.yml ├── README.md └── _config.yml /.github/FUNDING.yml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | github: jdevstatic 2 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /README.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # Introduction To Electronics & Robotics 2 | 3 | *`updated August 3, 2024`* 4 | 5 | TOC 6 | 1. [Electrical & Electronics Engineering](#electrical-and-electronics-engineering) 7 | 2. [Electronics And Robotics](#electronics-and-robotics) 8 | 3. [The Microcontroller](#the-microcontroller) 9 | 1. [Arduino UNO](#arduino-uno) 10 | 4. [Circuit](#circuit) 11 | 1. [Two Basic Types of Circuits](#two-basic-types-of-circuits) 12 | 2. [To Series Or To Parallel](#to-series-or-to-parallel) 13 | 5. [Some Common Tech Terms](#some-common-tech-terms) 14 | 6. [Voltage Vs Amperage](#voltage-vs-amperage) 15 | 7. [Arduino and TinkerCAD](#arduino-and-tinkercad) 16 | 17 | ## Electrical And Electronics Engineering 18 | > Electrical and electronics engineering, the branch of 19 | engineering concerned with the practical applications of 20 | electricity in all its forms, including those of the field 21 | of electronics. Electronics engineering is that branch of 22 | electrical engineering concerned with the uses of the 23 | electromagnetic spectrum and with the application of such 24 | electronic devices as integrated circuits and transistors. 25 | > 26 | > In engineering practice, the distinction between electrical 27 | engineering and electronics is usually based on the comparative 28 | strength of the electric currents used. In this sense, electrical 29 | engineering is the branch dealing with “heavy current”—that is, 30 | electric light and power systems and apparatuses—whereas 31 | electronics engineering deals with such “light current” applications 32 | as telephone and radio communication, computers, radar, 33 | and automatic control systems. 34 | 35 | *source: * 36 | 37 | ## Electronics And Robotics 38 | Here are some interesting points: 39 | 40 | 1. **Microcontroller Integration**: 41 | - Microcontrollers are versatile components that can manage the operations 42 | of various electronic devices by executing pre-programmed instructions. 43 | - They serve as the "brain" of electronic devices, allowing for automation 44 | and complex functionalities. 45 | 46 | 2. **Programming Electronic Devices**: 47 | - Programming involves writing code that the microcontroller executes, 48 | enabling the device to perform specific tasks. 49 | - This can include tasks like turning LEDs on and off, measuring 50 | temperature with sensors, controlling motors, etc. 51 | 52 | 3. **Transition to Robotics**: 53 | - When electronic devices are equipped with sensors and actuators, and 54 | programmed to interact with their environment, they move into the realm 55 | of robotics. 56 | - Robotics involves the design, construction, operation, and use of robots 57 | for various applications, from simple automation to complex tasks like 58 | navigation and manipulation. 59 | 60 | 4. **Sensors and Actuators**: 61 | - Sensors gather data from the environment (e.g., temperature, light, 62 | distance). 63 | - Actuators perform actions based on sensor data and programmed 64 | instructions (e.g., moving a robotic arm, turning a wheel). 65 | 66 | 5. **Applications of Robotics**: 67 | - Robotics can be applied in numerous fields, including manufacturing, 68 | healthcare, space exploration, and everyday consumer products. 69 | - Examples include robotic vacuum cleaners, automated assembly lines, 70 | medical robots for surgery, and Mars rovers. 71 | 72 | ## The Microcontroller 73 | > A microcontroller is a compact integrated circuit designed 74 | to govern a specific operation in an embedded system. A typical 75 | microcontroller includes a processor, memory and input/output 76 | (I/O) peripherals on a single chip. 77 | > 78 | > Sometimes referred to as an embedded controller or microcontroller 79 | unit (MCU), microcontrollers are found in vehicles, robots, office 80 | machines, medical devices, mobile radio transceivers, vending machines 81 | and home appliances, among other devices. They are essentially simple 82 | miniature personal computers (PCs) designed to control small features of 83 | a larger component, without a complex front-end operating system (OS). 84 | 85 | *source: * 86 | 87 | ### Arduino UNO 88 | 89 | The Arduino UNO is a widely used microcontroller board designed for building 90 | digital devices and interactive objects. It features an ATmega328P 91 | microcontroller with 14 digital I/O pins (6 PWM outputs) and 6 analog inputs. 92 | Operating at 5V with a 16 MHz clock speed, it provides 32 KB flash memory, 93 | 2 KB SRAM, and 1 KB EEPROM. The board supports USB connectivity, 94 | a power jack, ICSP header, and a reset button. 95 | 96 | #### Pros: 97 | - user-friendly for beginners 98 | - extensive community support 99 | - versatile with many compatible sensors and shields 100 | - open-source hardware and software 101 | 102 | #### Cons: 103 | - limited processing power 104 | - limited memory 105 | - basic built-in connectivity options 106 | 107 | The Arduino UNO is perfect for those starting with electronics and 108 | prototyping, offering a robust platform for learning and development. 109 | 110 | ![image](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/a3207b29-0b7a-4472-a237-f30d59abf75b) 111 | 112 | *image source: * 113 | 114 | ## Circuit 115 | > In electronics, a circuit is a closed path that allows 116 | electricity to flow from one point to another. It may include various 117 | electrical components, such as transistors, resistors, 118 | and capacitors, but the flow is unimpeded by a gap or 119 | break in the circuit. 120 | 121 | *source: * 122 | 123 | ![basic-electrical-circuit](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/08221a3f-ab19-4ce8-9d89-1013add1a15b) 124 | 125 | *image source: * 126 | 127 | ### Two Basic Types of Circuits 128 | ![series-parallel-circuits](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/f002b18d-406a-42ee-bc71-24d51e959938) 129 | 130 | *image source: * 131 | 132 | Series Circuit 133 | > a series circuit comprises a path along which the 134 | whole current flows through each component. 135 | 136 | Parallel Circuit 137 | > a parallel circuit comprises branches so that the 138 | current divides and only part of it flows through any branch. 139 | 140 | *source: * 141 | 142 | ### To Series Or To Parallel 143 | - **Voltage Requirements**: 144 | Series circuits are used to achieve specific voltage drops across 145 | components, while parallel circuits maintain consistent 146 | voltage across all connected components. 147 | 148 | - **Current Handling**: 149 | Parallel connections distribute current among multiple paths, making 150 | them suitable for applications where multiple components need 151 | to share the load. In contrast, series connections ensure that 152 | the same current flows through all components. 153 | 154 | - **Reliability and Redundancy**: 155 | Parallel circuits offer increased reliability and redundancy. If one 156 | component fails, others continue to operate, which is essential for 157 | applications needing high availability. 158 | 159 | - **Design Goals**: 160 | The design choice is driven by the desired characteristics such as 161 | stability, flexibility, and protection. It’s about meeting the 162 | specific performance and functional requirements of the device or circuit. 163 | 164 | ## Some Common Tech Terms 165 | `open circuit` - an electrical circuit that is not complete. 166 | 167 | `electric current` - the rate at which electric 168 | charge flows past a point on the electric circuit. 169 | 170 | `ground` - In electronics and electrical engineering, it is 171 | by convention, we define a point in a circuit as a reference 172 | point. This reference point is known as ground (or GND) and 173 | carries a voltage of 0V. Voltage measurements are relative 174 | measurements. That is, a voltage measurement must be compared 175 | to another point in the circuit. If it is not, 176 | the measurement is meaningless. 177 | 178 | *source: * 179 | 180 | An earth ground is when a circuit has a physical connection to 181 | the earth, in order to sink electrons, thereby saving lives. 182 | When an electrical system has a direct connection to 183 | the earth ground (the 3-prong plug: one is positive, 184 | one is negative, one is the earth ground prong), 185 | instead of the flow of charge going 186 | to our bodies in some instances, it will go directly to 187 | earth ground. 188 | 189 | *source: * 190 | 191 | *FYI - Even though one side of the circuit is the live wire, 192 | you CANNOT simply touch it even there is no apparent neutral wire 193 | completing the circuit: you yourself is standing 194 | on the earth ground! 195 | A bird will not be shocked by landing on a live wire because 196 | it is not touching the ground, so even if there is the live 197 | wire, there is no return path completing the circuit 198 | and there is no electric shock.* 199 | 200 | *source: * 201 | 202 | ![electric-shock](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/a04a9333-a1e2-4870-b7b6-0485ab2014ae) 203 | 204 | *image soure: * 205 | 206 | `hot wire` (electrical term) - carries the electricity, also called `live wire` 207 | 208 | `terminal` - is the point at which a conductor from a component, device or 209 | network comes to an end. It is the point other components can be connected. 210 | 211 | ## Voltage Vs Amperage 212 | 213 | Voltage and amperage are two measures of electrical current or the flow of electrons. 214 | `voltage` is a measure of the pressure that allows electrons to flow, 215 | while `amperage` is a measure of the volume of electrons. 216 | 217 | *source: * 218 | 219 | `volt` - The SI unit of electromotive force. It represents the potential 220 | difference that would drive one ampere of current against one ohm of resistance. 221 | 222 | `ampere` - The SI base unit of electrical current. 223 | 224 | ## Arduino and TinkerCAD 225 | Arduino is a prototyping platform consisting of both 226 | hardware and software. When we say `prototyping`, 227 | we want to create a working model first before 228 | we build the actual product, so that we can test 229 | first whether our idea will work and to reduce the 230 | cost of building the product. 231 | 232 | TinkerCAD is an online simulator for our circuit 233 | designs. It's just like you are in a Robotics 234 | laboratory and there is the complete setup, but 235 | this time, it's just virtual. And since it is 236 | accessible through a browser, all you need is 237 | a device with a browser and an Internet connection 238 | and you are good to go: no further setup, 239 | no additional downloads. 240 | 241 | ## More Of My Content 242 | - [jdevfullstack Profile](https://github.com/jdevfullstack) 243 | - [jdevfullstack Repos](https://github.com/jdevfullstack?tab=repositories) 244 | - [jdevfullstack Projects](https://github.com/jdevfullstack-projects) 245 | - [jdevfullstack Tutorials](https://github.com/jdevfullstack-tutorials) 246 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /_config.yml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | theme: jekyll-theme-cayman --------------------------------------------------------------------------------