The Engineering Projects

Introduction to DS3231

Hello friends, I hope you all are doing great. In today's tutorial, we are gonna have a look at a detailed Introduction to DS3231. DS3231 is a real-time clock (RTC) with an integrated temperature-compensated crystal oscillator. It consists of a battery that provides supply to DS3231 when the main supply is off. In this way, it continues working without any interference. It is available in industrial and commercial temperature ranges. It exists in a 16-pin, 300-mil  SO package. DS3231 is used in industrial projects and different electronic devices such as laptops, computers, and GPS for high accuracy of time. In today's post, we will have a look at its working, pinout, applications, protocol, etc. I will also share some links to projects where I have interfaced it with some other Microcontroller. If you have any questions please ask in comments, I will try my best to resolve your problems. So, let's get started with a basic Introduction to DS3231.

Introduction to DS3231

• DS3231 is a low-cost real-time clock (RTC), which has an integrated temperature-compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) and I2C working protocol. It also has a backup battery, which provides supply when the main supply is cut off.
• It has a crystal resonator which enhances the long-term accuracy of the device and reduces piece-part count in a manufacturing line.
• It is available in 16 pins, 300 mil SO package. This RTC module maintains seconds, minutes, hours, dates, months and yearly information. It changes to date and time at the end of the month automatically including corrections for the leap year.
• This module operates in either 24 24-hour or 12-hour format with an AM/PM indicator.
• It consists of temperature compensated voltage reference and comparator circuit, which monitors the status of Vcc to detect power failures. This circuit provides a reset output and automatically switches to a backup supply when necessary.

Now, we discuss DS3231 pinout with detailed.

DS3231 Pinout & Description

There are a main sixteen pinouts of DS3231, which are described below with detailed.

Pin#	Type	Parameters
Pin#1	32K	This is a 32 kHz output. This is an open drain pin requires an external pull up resistor. If it is not in use can be left open.
Pin#2	Vcc	This pin is for DC power supply. It should be decoupled with 0.1µF to 1.0µF capacitor. If not in use connected to ground.
Pin#3	INT/SQW	This is a low interrupt or square wave output pin. It requires an external pull up resistor.
Pin#4	RST	This is an active low reset. It is open drain input/output. It indicates the status of Vcc relative to the Vpf simplifications. As Vcc falls below Vpf, the RST pin is driven low.
Pin#5-12	N.C	These pins are not in use. These should be connected to ground.
Pin#13	GND	This pin is used for ground.
Pin#14	Vbat	This pin used for Backup Power Supply Input. It should be coupled with 0.1µF to 1.0µF low-leakage capacitor.
Pin#15	SDA	It is serial data input, output pin. This pin is the data input/output for the I2C serial interface.
Pin#16	SCL	It is a serial clock pin.

For better understanding, let's see the DS3231 pinout diagram.

Features of DS3231

• Features of an electronic component can help you a better understanding of major function associated with it. It will help you to make a final decision before picking a device for your relevant project. Following are some features of DS3231.
• Its accuracy from 0°C to +40°C is ±2 ppm and -40°C to +85°C is ±3.5 ppm.
• It is a low power consumption device. It has battery backup for continuous timekeeping.
• Its temperature range for commercial use is 0°C to +70°C and for industries is -40°C to +85°C.
•  This Real Time Clock Counts Seconds, Minutes, Hours, Day, Date, Month, and Year with Leap Year Compensation Valid Up to 2100.
•  It has two times of day alarms. It can operate up to 400kHz frequency.
• It has a simple serial interface which can Connect to Most Microcontrollers. Its working protocol is I2C.
• It is Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Recognized.

DS3231 Arduino Interfacing

Friends, now we discuss DS3231 Arduino interfacing with a complete description and circuit diagram. Components Required

• These are components of this circuit.
  • Arduino UNO
  • DS3231 RTC Module
  • Mini Breadboard
  • 16×2 LCD Display
  • Connecting Wires
  • 10 KO POT

Circuit Design & Description

• First of all, we discuss connections between Arduino and DS3231. As we already know interfacing between them is I2C, If you are using board other than UNO, then first you should identify the I2C pins on your Arduino Board.
• In Arduino UNO A4 and A5 are SDA and SCL pins. Connect these pins with corresponding SCL and SDA pins of DS3231 module. After this connect Vcc and ground pin of RTC Module with +5v and GND of Arduino.
• For output, I have interfaced LCD with this circuit. Connect E and RS pins of LCD to 7 and 6 of Arduino, also connect D4-D7 of LCD to 5-2 of Arduino pins.

For further information, let's see its circuit diagram.

Applications of DS3231

• These are some applications of DS3231.
  • It is used in Servers.
  • It used in Data Loggers
  • It can be used in GPS Modules.
  • It is also used in Power Meters

So, friends that were all about DS3231, if you have any question and query about it please ask in comments. I will resolve your problems. Take care.

How to Engage Your Online Audience

Hello friends, I hope you all are doing great. In today's tutorial, I am going to show you How to Engage Your Online Audience. When selling online, it can be all too easy to focus too heavily on chasing numbers and end up forgetting what really matters. Many business owners and marketers are busy growing lists of fans and followers, but fail to understand the importance of encouraging engagement, which can boost your brand by a whopping 300%.

With over half of online visitors spending less than fifteen seconds on a page, it’s essential that you place less priority on advertising-influenced metrics such as page views and clicks, and focus more on the impact of social media and other online advertising campaigns with reach and activity. When it comes to valuable audience engagement, it’s all about quality over quantity. We’ve put together five key ways to improve engagement with your target audience.

#1. Get to Know Them:

First things first; it’s impossible to truly engage with your audience if you don’t know all that much about them. Just like our favorite sports teams can be determined by where we live or grew up, or our favorite food can be determined by our culture or heritage, our preferred methods of communication are often dependent on our life situation, choices and preferences. For business owners and marketers, knowing target audience preferences allow us to tailor content strategies in a way that will attract the customers we need, increasing the potential for highly successful engagement.

#2. Know What They’re Looking For:

Unless you’re fine with being one of the thousands of suppliers of memes and cat videos, chances are that your target audience is only going to engage with your brand if you’re providing what they are looking for. In most cases, this would mean that you are answering their question, or you have an insight into a topic that they are interested in. It’s important to be aware that today, the internet is a hugely saturated place for most industries. So, it’s crucial to do your due diligence on the current landscape, filling the gaps with insightful, valuable and high-quality content.

#3. Be Interactive:

Encouraging your target audience to engage with your brand can be done in several different ways. One of the best ways to do this is to directly ask your audience to engage by providing them with a selection of options through which they can interact with your brand. Quizzes and polls, for example, are a great way to get your audience to discuss relevant topics on your social media pages, and you can even use them as a method of discovering more about their preferences, likes and dislikes in a fun and interactive way. Business text messaging is a great way to engage with your customers. You can set up your business SMS platform with DialMyCalls to send out polls to your customers regarding your business and view all replies, instantly. Additionally, you may want to look into getting a business SMS gateway API so you can reach thousands of customers at a time. An SMS API is a defined set of instructions that enable applications to send SMS messages via an SMS Gateway. It is used to add native bulk SMS capability to existing software and applications. In other words, it allows you to unlock SMS capability in your existing software platforms. And, it’s not just for social media – there are even quiz plugins for WordPress sites that you can embed directly into your website.

#4. Maintain a Business Blog:

Blogging is one of the best ways to boost the amount of content that you’re providing to your audience and it’ll also help you improve your SEO, with more pages for your site to rank in Google search results. The key to encouraging engagement via a business blog is to provide content that’s going to get your readers talking. Content is king; the deeper and richer content that you can offer your audience, the more likely they will be to return to your site as a trusted information source. And, don’t forget to encourage them to engage with your content by sharing it, or wrapping up with a question so that you’re able to discuss their opinions, suggestions and ideas.

Today, audience engagement is more important than anything else when it comes to successful marketing. Creating a community of customers who trust you online is key to converting visits to sales.

Why Vulnerable Chrome Extensions are a Cybersecurity Threat

Hello friends, I hope you all are doing great. In today's tutorial, we are going to show you Why Vulnerable Chrome Extensions are a Cybersecurity Threat. It is probably no surprise that the majority of Google Chrome users have some kind of add-on or extension installed on their browser. Why? Chrome extensions are convenient and easy to use. However, what most fail to notice are the vulnerabilities that can leave users’ devices exposed to security risks. We’ll dig deeper into the benefits of finding the right VPN Chrome solution to avoid cybersecurity threats. While certain Chrome extensions are safe to use, some of them are designed for malicious purposes such as data theft and unauthorized access. The bad news is, we can never be 100% certain whether or not a specific extension is going to cause us a headache. Luckily, there are effective security measures that can help users determine which Chrome extensions to stay away from. Read on to learn more about VPN Chrome solutions and browser security.

Why Are Browser Extensions Dangerous?

Rogue browser extensions are one of the most common online security concerns. Many extensions abuse APIs and ask for high-level permissions. In other words, some extensions ask for way too many permissions than necessary. The truth is, Chrome users rarely pay attention to the installation process when it comes to extensions. They are often in a rush to get things done, so they end up hitting the “Allow” button without even reading what kind of permission the extension is asking for. That is how many users end up giving extensions permission to read their browser history, although that has nothing to do with what the extension is actually for. Hackers use these seemingly harmless browser extensions to get their hands on users’ data, browsing history, and even credentials. Some extensions go to the extreme and even perform unauthorized downloads. This can cause severe consequences in terms of security.

Consider Using a VPN Chrome Solution

One of the most important cybersecurity measure that will help users deal with security risks is to use a virtual private network or a VPN. A VPN will mask the user’s real IP address and replace it with the address of a server in another location. Every single piece of information that goes through the user’s computer will be encrypted or, in other words, hidden from third parties such as hackers or ISPs. A VPN Chrome solution will disable extensions from tracking the user’s data and tracing it back to their identity. Therefore, it is highly recommended to use a VPN on a regular basis to reduce the risks of data theft and unauthorized downloads. However, users should keep in mind that free VPN solutions won’t be very effective in terms of maintaining strong encryption and security. Make sure to opt for a paid and reliable service for best results.

Tips to Increase Online Security

While a VPN is the most efficient solution to cybersecurity problems, users should not neglect other much simpler safety measures that can make a big difference. For example, being aware of potential security risks tied to Chrome extensions already puts the user one step ahead of the hackers. The best way to ensure that the extensions are not a vulnerability in the user’s system is to install as few of them as possible. Users should also stay away from extensions that originate from unknown or suspicious sources. In other words, users should only trust the official, licensed extensions provided by popular and reputable companies or services. Besides keeping the extensions count low, users must pay more attention to details during the installation process. Any unusual activity during this process is a red flag you should act upon. Most importantly, make sure to carefully check the requested permissions before allowing the extension to do anything. It is highly recommended to stay away from Chrome extensions that ask for unnecessary permissions that are not connected to their purpose. For example, if an extension is asking for permission to read and change users’ data on websites, it is most likely not the safest choice to go for. Besides restraining from installing more extensions, go through the ones that are already installed on your devices and narrow down the list to necessary add-ons only.

Conclusion

Chrome extensions have caused numerous data breaches and security risks in the past few years, and this trend is not about to change. The only thing we can change is the way users respond to these threats. We strongly recommend all Google Chrome users to opt for a VPN Chrome solution to protect their data and device. A VPN combined with the right level of awareness will make for a strong security system against cybercriminals who exploit browser extensions for malicious purposes.

Introduction to DHT11

Hello Friends, I hope you all are fine and will be doing well in your life. In today's tutorial, I am going to give you a detailed Introduction to DHT11. It is an embedded sensor used to measure temperature & humidity in the surroundings and gives calibrated digital output. It can measure temperature in the range of 0°C to 50°C with ±2°C accuracy. Its humidity range is from 20% to 80% with ±5% accuracy. It is a small, low cost and easy-to-interface embedded sensor.

In this tutorial, I will explain its working, pinout, protocol and interfacing with other microcontrollers in detail.

• Here are a few important features of DHT11, given in the below table:

DHT11 Features & Specs
No.	Parameter	Value
1	Measures	Humidity & Temperature
2	Sensors Included	Capacitive Humidity Sensor & Thermistor
3	Humidity Range	20% to 80% with ±5% accuracy
4	Temperature Range	0°C to 50°C with ±2°C accuracy
5	Package	4 Pins in a single row
6	Operating Voltage	3.0V to 5.5V
7	Operating Current	0.3mA(measuring), 60uA(idle)
8	Resolution	1°C, 1%RH (8-Bit)
9	Response Time	6s-15s
10	Repeatability	±1°C, ±1%RH
11	Sampling Frequency	1Hz
12	Dimensions	27mm x 59mm x 13.5mm (1.05" x 2.32" x 0.53")

So, let's start with the Introduction to DHT11:

Where To Buy?
No.	Components	Distributor	Link To Buy
1	DHT11	Amazon	Buy Now

Introduction to DHT11

• DHT11 is a low-cost, small-sized & easy-to-operate embedded sensor, consisting of 4 pins, used to measure Temperature(0°C to 50°C with ±2°C accuracy ) & Relative Humidity (20% to 80% with ±5% accuracy ) and provides calibrated digital output.
• DHT11 Pinout consists of 4 Pins in total, listed below from left to right:
  1. Vcc: Need to provide +5V at this pinout.
  2. Data: It's the digital output pin, that gives either 0V or 5V.
  3. NC: Not Connected. (It's left open for future design)
  4. GND: Need to provide Ground at this pinout.

• DHT11 has a Capacitive Sensor for measuring humidity & NTC Thermistor for temperature sensing. (We will cover them in detail below)
• It comes in a single package comprising of 4 pins with 0.1" spacing between them and a special package can be provided according to user demand.
• DHT11 updates the output value once every 2 seconds.
• Small-size, low-cost, precise & calibrated output and up to 20 meters signal transmission stand it out from other sensors.
• DHT11 uses a single-wire serial interface for data processing.
• It calibrates the humidity using humidity coefficients, which are stored in the OTP program memory of the built-in controller.
• Its operating voltage is 3V to 5.5V, so it works with both 3.3V and 5V microcontroller systems.
• It has a sampling frequency of 1Hz, so it samples the data after every 1sec.
• DHT11 has a dimension of 27mm x 59mm x 13.5mm (1.05" x 2.32" x 0.53"), so it is very small and can easily be placed in autonomous embedded projects.
• It is quite accurate & precise in its readings as compared to other expensive sensors i.e. SHT10, DS18B20 etc.

We have discussed the basic features of our Moisture sensor DHT11. Now, let's have a look at DHT11 Pinout and description:

DHT11 Pinout & Description

• DHT11 Pinout consists of 4 Pins in total, which are shown in the below table:

Pin#	Type	Parameters
Pin#1	Vcc	Provide 3.3V to 5V at this pin.
Pin#2	Data	This pin provides a digital output.
Pin#3	N/C	Not Connected.
Pin#4	Ground	This pin is used for Ground ( Connected to 0V or GND ).

• For better understanding let's check its picture, given below:

Now, we will discuss the DHT11 working principle in detail:

DHT11 Working Principle

• Now, let's understand the working principle of the DHT11 temperature & humidity sensor.
• As we have discussed earlier, it has two sensors inside it, so let's have a look at both of them separately:

DHT11 Temperature Sensing

• For temperature sensing, it has an NTC(Negative Temperature Coefficient) temperature sensor (also called a thermistor ) mounted on the surface inside the plastic casing.
• NTC temperature sensors are variable resistive sensors and their resistance decreases with an increase in the surrounding temperature.
• Thermistors are designed with the sintering of semiconductor materials, such as ceramic or polymers and they provide a large change in resistor with a small temperature change.
• Here's the graph showing the relation between temperature and resistance for the DHT11 sensor:

Now, let's discuss the Humidity Measurement of DHT11:

DHT11 Humidity Measurement

• For Humidity Measurement, it uses a capacitive humidity sensor, which has two electrodes and a substrate material in between.
• The substrate material is used for holding the moisture on its surface.
• As moisture content changes in our environment, they get saturated on the substrate material, which in turn changes the resistance between electrodes.
• This change in electrode resistivity is then calibrated using the humidity coefficient (saved in OTP memory) and the final relative humidity value is released.
• Here's the image showing the internal structure of the DHT11 humidity sensor:

Now let's discuss the communication Protocol of the DHT11 temperature & humidity sensor:

DHT11 Communication Protocol

• DHT11 sensor uses a single-wire, two-way Serial Protocol for communicating with third-party peripherals normally microcontrollers.
• We call it single-wire because the communication is performed through a single pin.
• It's two-way because DHT11 receives commands from the microcontroller and then responds required data.
• Data sent by the DHT11 sensor is 40 bits and it sends Higher Data Bits first.
• Data contains both Integral and decimal values of temperature and relative humidity along with a checksum value.

DHT11 Data Format

• DHT11 sends the 40Bit serial data in the below format:
  1. 8-Bit Humidity(Integral)
  2. 8-Bit Humidity(Decimal)
  3. 8-Bit Temperature(Integral)
  4. 8-Bit Temperature(Decimal)
  5. 8-Bit Checksum
• If DHT11 is sending the correct data, then it must send an 8-bit Checksum data at the end.

DHT11 Communication with Microcontroller

• The circuit diagram to interface DHT11 with the microcontroller is shown in the below figure:

• A pull-up resistance of 5k ohm is recommended to place at the Data Pin of the DHT11 sensor.
• At normal conditions, the data pin of DHT11 remains at the HIGH voltage level and the sensor remains in low power consumption mode.
• To receive data from the DHT11 sensor, the microcontroller should make the Data Pin low for at least 18us, so that the sensor could sense it.
• Once the DHT11 sensor senses the low signal at the Data Pin, it changes its state from low power consumption mode to running mode and waits for the Data Pin to get HIGH.
• As the Data Pin gets HIGH again by the microcontroller, DHT11 sends out the 40-bit calibrated output value serially.
• After sending the data, DHT11 returns to low power consumption mode and waits for the next command from the microcontroller.
• The microcontroller has to wait for 20-40us to get a response from the DHT11 sensor.

Applications of DHT11

Because of its small size, low cost and ability to sense two values, DHT11 has a wide range of applications:

• DHT11 is used in Home Automation Projects to maintain constant atmospheric values by controlling the appliances(i.e. AC, Fan etc.) based on the sensor's readings.
• It is also used at weather stations for temperature & humidity sensing.
• It is also used in automatic climate control appliances.
• Environment monitoring devices also utilize this sensor.
• Garden Monitoring Systems also use DHT11 sensors.

So, that was all about the DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor. I have tried to cover this sensor from all angles. Let me know about your experience with the DHT11 sensor in the comments. Take care!!!

How to Reduce the File Size of Videos in Various Ways

Hello friends, I hope you all are doing great. In today's tutorial, I am going to show you How to Reduce the File Size of Videos in Various Ways. Videos are known to have large file sizes that can range into several gigabytes. The longer the video and the higher its quality, the larger its file size tends to be. The fact that videos are so large can pose a lot of problems. Not only will they take up more storage space, but transferring them can present more of a challenge as well. That is why it can be helpful to know how to reduce the file size of your videos, in a number of different ways.

How to Reduce the File Size of Videos in Various Ways

Let's have a look at How to Reduce the File Size of Videos in Various Ways. All these ways are mentioned below in detail:

Transcoding the video codec

Most videos are already compressed in some fashion, but not all video codecs are equal when it comes to the efficiency of their compression. In general newer codecs are able to compress video data more effectively, and so you may want to transcode to one with better compression. The only caveat is that newer codecs aren’t as widely supported, so you will need to check that the device or platform your video is to be played on does support it. At very least you should transcode videos to H.264 as it is almost universally supported. If it is an option you can transcode to H.265 (HEVC) to reduce the file size even more, but it is not nearly as widely supported. The main advantage of this option is that you will be able to reduce the file size of your videos without affecting their quality.

Adjusting the video bitrate

By definition the video bitrate is the amount of data that the video can use each second. That directly affects the file size, which is essentially the video bitrate multiplied by its duration. Lowering the video bitrate will let you reduce the file size of the videos as much as you want. However it will affect the video quality as well, and compression artifacts will appear if you lower the bitrate too much. The optimal bitrate for videos depends on several factors, such as the video codec, resolution, and frame rate.

Extracting short clips from videos

As you can imagine this option won’t reduce the size of the overall video – but it will let you end up with a smaller-sized video. It is only useful in situations where you are interested in small parts from much longer videos. By extracting short clips from your videos and saving them separately, you will end up with videos that have significantly smaller file sizes. The exact difference will depend on the length of the clips you’re extracting compared to the length of the original video. Keep in mind that none of the options listed above are mutually exclusive, and you can use them in combination with one another if necessary. For example you could convert a H.264 video in MKV to MP4 with H.265 (HEVC) using Movavi Video Converter, then reduce the bitrate, and extract the clips that you want from your video. As you can see the exact options you’ll want to use will depend on your specific circumstances. It is ‘best’ to transcode the video without affecting its quality – though that may not always be an option that is available to you. If it isn’t (or if you need to reduce the file size further), reducing the bitrate or extracting short clips are your best bets.

Best Data Recovery Software for Emergency Cases

Hello friends, I hope you all are doing great. In today's tutorial, we will discuss about Best Data Recovery Software for Emergency Cases. Do you know this nasty feeling when you need an important file and it is just not there? Or what about realizing that the huge block of data that you need so badly has been deleted just a couple of hours ago? That’s a feeling you can never forget even though you would like to. Don’t worry though. There are solutions for everything, and the offer is always there where the demand is. There are plenty of special tools used for files recovery. You might object that not all of them are efficient enough, and you are absolutely right. Some tools can recover only a limited volume of data. Others work only if the files disappeared from a PC, but not from connected devices, and so on. So, now you are selecting one of the best data recovery tools. What about checking Disk Drill then? It might be the solution you are looking for.

A Tool That Takes Care of Your Data

If you have deleted a file accidentally, it is an emergency. If the file was stored in an external disc, the situation would be lost with many other tools. However, Disk Drill, the best free data recovery software for Windows, is different. It restores files from everywhere. If you have deleted them from your PC or any other external device, just run the tool. It will recover whatever is still possible to recover. You might be wondering why it is the best professional data recovery software for Windows. Then, just a quick question: what would you do if your files were damaged by a virus? Or if they disappeared due to a computer failure? Do you know any free recovery tool that would handle this unpleasant situation for you? This best data recovery software for PC does it. It recovers files just from everywhere, even if they were lost in any circumstances. The tool works perfectly if the data has been lost recently. But if that happened a while ago, Disk Drill might need more time. Not everybody can sit in front of a lap waiting until the files are back. But that’s why we are talking about the best data recovery software. The process can be paused, stopped, resumed whenever you need it. So, you can start the process, then pause it, and resume it again when you want.

Paid Versions Offer More Opportunities

Now, you might be wondering why one would pay for a Premium Version if such opportunities are available for free. Well, as you can guess, there are some limitations:

• You can recover up to 500 MB for free
• Partition search is available only with paid versions
• Reconstruction of more than 300 file formats

For an individual use, a free version is probably more than enough. But if you run a business or if your work is connected with data, then a paid version would ensure for you the highest safety level of your data.

How to Power a Micro Linear Actuator

Hello friends, I hope you all are doing great. In today's tutorial, we will have a look at How to Power a Micro Linear Actuator. Before powering your micro linear actuator, make sure to pick the most quality option that fits your particular goals best. The four most important features your actuator of choice must have are technical features and capabilities like: pushing/retraction power, operating cycle, speed, load factor, and others. Check these and the following features as well in the manual that comes with your actuator.

How to Power a Micro Linear Actuator

• Operating features like temperature limits, sensors necessity etc.
• Price.
• Accessibility.

And don't forget about actuators' optimization. It is very important as well. So, after you've picked and got your micro linear actuator delivered, it is a high-time to power it up. Powering linear electric actuators is pretty much easy and it usually doesn't depend on what exact type of actuator you have. Most DC- and AC-type actuators operate from the power supply and a DPDT (Double Plie, Double Throw) switch. Make sure you get a switching power supply that has a 12V output cable of a 6A. With this, you are able to work and operate all of your struts at the same time. And those struts can be under the full load. Make sure you know how many struts you need to operate at once. If it is only one strut, then you'll be fine with a 3A supply. And you should know how much force is being pushed unto each one of your struts. Because the amount of the current drawn depends on that force. Try to wire them concurrently. It is the easiest way. But there is a possibility that they won’t work synchronously. You need to make sure that they are bolted together. In case if they are misaligned, there is a high possibility that the thing you mount the actuator to will break. Or just make separate switches for each strut. With that, you will be able to control each actuator separately. Here is the part where you can find out how to change the direction of the current via reversing the polarity. The easiest and the only thing to do is to use a DPDT switch or a relay. The scheme for wiring with a DPDT switch looks like this: And the scheme for wiring with a relay looks like this: When you buy switches, check that they are rated at least 3A (works well with one strut) or 6A (works well with two struts). Both of these switches can control the electrical current. If you go and get smaller or cheaper switches just know that they actuate the coils of bigger (10A) relays. And those are the subjects to the reversing and enabling the power. If you are attaching the actuator to your desk that has only one single strut which is in the middle, think about adding some additional stabilizing details at both sides of this table. You can add arms, or scissors, or anything else you might find interesting or handy. And with that, you have a possibility to get rid of alignment issues. And no additional synchronization is required if everything is done right. If you are planning to lift something that weighs more than 150 kg, consider adding another strut. This will enable the support of up to 300 kg on your desk. How cool is that? Btw you can also automate it by interfacing any Microcontroller like Arduino Nano etc.

Conclusion

There is nothing scary or difficult in powering a micro linear actuator. There are some schemes that you might find useful for your case. Remember that everything you do is an art, so building something with a dash of engineering makes it even cooler. Good luck with actuators!

Introduction to DHT22

Hello friends, I hope you are all fine and will be doing something interesting in your life. in today's post, I am going to discuss Introduction to DHT22. It is a temperature and humidity measure sensing device. It is easily used but it needs a specific time for an operation. Its temperature measuring range is from -40 to +125 degrees Celsius with +-0.5 accuracy. This sensor measures moisture content and temperature. This sensor is easily connected to other microcontrollers. DHT22 plays an important role in our environment in measuring temperature and moisture. It is a low cost easy-to-use small sensor. This sensor is used at different weather stations to measure temperature and ratio of moisture in the air, in this way, they tell about temperature or rain prediction. In today's post, I will talk about its working protocol, pinout, application and interfacing with other microcontrollers. I will also share some links to projects where I have interfaced with other Arduino. If you have any queries about it please ask in the comment I will resolve your queries. So let's start with Introduction to DHT22.

Introduction to DHT22

• DHT22 is a low-cost humidity and temperature measuring sensor. It consists of thermister for temperature measurement and capacitive humidity sensor humidity measurement. The feature which gives importance then another sensor is that you can get data after two seconds.
• It is very easy to use, just connect the first pin from left with supply then get data from the second pin. Its last pin used for ground.

• It has higher accuracy and precision, due to this feature it can replace expensive imported SHT10 temperature and humidity sensor.
• This sensor is used to measure environment temperature and humidity to meet the high demand.
• This sensor has reliability and good stability. It is easy to combine with a special sensor Arduino expansion board, which is easy to use for temperature and humidity perception.
• DHT22 is digital humidity sensor, designed for analog sensor interfacing.
• It consists of 4.7 K to 10 K resistor, which can be used as pull up from data pin to Vcc.
• It has four pins with 0.1" spacing.

For better understanding now discuss its pin configuration.

DHT22 PINOUT & Description

There is main four pinout of DHT22 we use three pins which are discussed below with details.

No.	Pin Type	Parameters
1.	Vcc	This is Power Pin at this pin we apply 3.5 v to 5.0 volts.
2	Data	Through this pin, we get outputs both Temperature and Humidity through serial Data.
3	Ground	Ground Pin ( Connected to 0V or GND )

Better understanding lets see its pinout picture. Now discuss its working and its principle at which it works.

Working of DHT22

• Now discuss how it works, It consists of two main parts one measure temperature and other is used for humidity measurement it also has IC to send data to Microcontroller. Discuss these component ones by one.
  •  Humidity Sensing Component
    • For humidity measurement, it uses the humidity measurement component, which has two electrodes with moisture holding substrate between them.
    • As humidity changes, the conductivity of substrate changes or resistance between electrodes changes. This changes in resistance are measured, then processed by IC which make it ready to be rad by Microcontroller.
  • Temperature Measuring Component
    • To measure temperature this sensor uses an NTC temperature sensor or Thermistor.
    • A thermistor is a variable resistor that changes its resistance with a change of temperature. These sensors are made by sintering of semiconductive materials, such as ceramic or polymers in order to large change in a resistor with small changes in temperature. As temperature changes, there is a change in the value of resistance by which we measure the temperature of our environment.

For a better understanding of its working, Lets its picture. Now, discuss the features and specifications of DHT22.

Features & Specification of DHT22

These are some features of DHT22.

• The voltage it operates is 3.5v to 5.5v.
• Its operating current is 0.3v to 5.5.
• The protocol which it uses to send data is a serial transmission of data.
• Its temperature at which it operates is -40°C to 80°C.
• Its humidity range is 0% to 100%.
• Its temperature and humidity resolution are 16-bit.
• Its Accuracy is ±0.5°C and ±1%
• Its sampling rate is 0.5 Hz once every two seconds.
• Its dimensions are 27mm x 59mm x 13.5mm (1.05" x 2.32" x 0.53").
• It has four pins with 0.1" spacing.
• Its weight is 2.4g.
• It is a low-cost sensor. Its price is just $1 to $5.
• It has long term stability of ±0.5% per year.

Now we discuss the DHT22 Serial Data Transmission protocol by which it sends data.

DHT22 Serial Protocol

• DHT22 sensor is calibrated in industries it is designed for serial output data transmission. I have to interface it with Microcontroller for its serial data transmission.
• As you can see that the data pin is connected with an input-output pin of Microcontroller and 5k pull up resistor is used. This data pin sends output values of both temperature and humidity as serial data.

For a better understanding of serial transmission, let's see its picture. Now discuss DHT22 Arduino interfacing.

DHT22 Arduino Interfacing

• In given circuit diagram I have interfaced Arduino with DHT22. By providing source code to Arduino we can use it according to desire requirement and also can use it for temperature and humidity measuring purpose.

Application of DHT22

These are some application of DHT22.

• It is used for temperature and humidity measurement.
• It is used as a weather station to measure temperature and humidity in the air.
•  It is an automatic climate control sensor.
• It is also used as an environmental monitoring device.

So, friends, this was all about DHT22, if you have any query regarding it please ask in a comment. I will resolve your queries. Thanks for reading. Take care until the next tutorial.....

HC-06 Bluetooth Module Pinout, Datasheet, Features & Applications

Hello friends, I hope you all are doing great. In today's tutorial, we are gonna have a look at detailed Introduction to HC-06. HC-06 is a class 2 slave Bluetooth module designed for serial communication. Once it is paired to a master Bluetooth device such as PC, smartphones, and tablet, its operations become easier to the user. It sends and receives data in a bidirectional manner. HC-06 is used in different devices which works on Bluetooth for sending and receiving data. In today's post, we will have look at its pinout, working, circuit diagram, protocol, etc. I will also share some links of projects where I have interfaced it with Arduino and some other microcontroller. Friends if you have any questions please ask in comments I will try my best to solve your problems and I will give you a comprehensive answer. So let's start with basic Introduction to HC-06: 

Where To Buy?
No.	Components	Distributor	Link To Buy
1	HC-06	Amazon	Buy Now

HC-06 Bluetooth Module

• HC-06 is a Bluetooth module which is designed to work on serial communication. When we paired it with Bluetooth working devices such as smarts phones and tablet, its use becomes easier for device users.
• Its working depends on the wireless system, for sending and receiving data, it uses transceiver module RS 232 TTL. We do not use any cable for sending and receiving data for this module.

• The main feature of this Bluetooth module is that it can easily achieve serial wireless data transmission protocol.
• The frequency band at which it operates is 2.4 GHz ISM frequency.
• HC-06 adopts famous 2.0+EDR Bluetooth standard. The benefit of this standard is that data can be sent in less time interval. It can send data in 0.5 seconds of an interval. By this feature, the workload on Bluetooth chip can be reduced and a large amount of data can be sent in small time.

Lets discuss some parameters and pin configuration.

PIN Name	PIN No	Description	Pad type	Note
GND	13 21 22	Ground pot.	Vss
1V8	14	Integrated 1.8 V (+) supply with On-chip linear regulator output within 1.7-1.9 V.	Vdd
AIO0.	9	Programmable input/output line.	Bi-Directional
AIO1	10	Programmable input/output line.	Bi-Directional
PIO0	23	Programmable input/output line, control output for LNA (if fitted)	Bi-Directional RX EN
PIO1	24	Programmable input/output line, control output for PA(if fitted)	Bi-Directional TX EN
PIO2	25	Programmable input/output line.	Bi-Directional
PIO3	26	Programmable input/output line.	Bi-Directional
PIO4	27	Programmable input/output line.	Bi-Directional
PIO5	28	Programmable input/output line.	Bi-Directional
PIO6	29	Programmable input/output line.	Bi-Directional	CLK_REQ
PIO7	30	Programmable input/output line.	Bi-Directional	CLK_OUT
PIO8	31	Programmable input/output line.	Bi-Directional
PIO9	32	Programmable input/output line.	Bi-Directional
PIO10	33	Programmable input/output line.	Bi-Directional
PIO11	34	Programmable input/output line.	Bi-Directional
RESETB	11		CMOS Input with weak intemal pull-down
UART_RTS	4	UART request to send, active low.	CMOS output, tri-stable with weak internal pull-up
UART_CTS	3	UART clear to send, active low.	CMOS input with weak internal pull-down
UART_RX	2	UART Data input.	CMOS input with weak internal pull-down
UART_TX	1	UART Data output.	CMOS output, Tri-stable with weak internal pull-up
SPI_MOSI	17	Serial peripheral interface data input.	CMOS input with weak internal pull-down
SPI_CSB	16	Chip select for the serial peripheral interface, active low	CMOS input with weak internal
Vcc	12		3.3V

  Lets discuss pinout of HC-06.

HC-06 PINOUT

• There is four main pinout of HC-06, now we discuss each one by one and their function.
  • Vcc: This pin is used for input supply. At this pin, we provide an input voltage to HC-06.
  • GND: This pin use for ground.
  • TXD: By this pin, data is transmitted by the serial interface.
  • RXD: The purpose of this pin is to receive data by a serial interface.
• For better understanding lets have a look at the pinout diagram of HC-06.

Let's discuss some features of HC-06.

Features of HC-06

• These are some features of HC-06.
  • Bluetooth protocol which we connect with it is Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR.  2.0+ EDR is a standard Bluetooth protocol which is used.
  • It is at the Bluetooth class 2 power level.
  • USB protocol used for it is USB v 1.1/2.0.
  • The frequency on which it operates is a 2.4 GHz ISM frequency band.
  • The modulation mode which is used in this module is Gauss frequency Shift Keying.
  • Its transmitting power is = 4 dBm.
  • Its sensitivity rate is =-84 dBm at 0.1% Bit Error Rate.
  • The speed at which it transmits data is 2.1 Mbps (Max)/160 kbps (Asynchronous) and 1 Mbps/1 Mbps (Synchronous).
  • The Safety feature which it provides is authentication and encryption.
  • Its supported configuration is based on Bluetooth serial port (major and minor).
  • Its supply voltage is 3.3 V DC  and operating current is 50 mA.
  • Its operating temperature is 20 to 55?.
  • The weight of this module is 4g.
  • The dimensions of this module are 36.5*16 mm.
  • Its Default baud rate is 9600.
  • This module can also be used in SMD.
  • This module is made through ROHS process.
  • Board of this module PIN is half hole size.
  • It based upon CSR BC 04 Bluetooth technology.
  • It has a high-performance wireless transceiver system.
  • It is a Low-Cost module.
  • It has the external 8 Mbit flash.
  • It has a built-in 2.4 GHz antenna, the user does not need a test antenna.

Now, let's discuss the HC-06 Application:

Application of HC-06

These are some applications of HC-06

• HC-06 is a Bluetooth module, it is used in different electronic devices such as a mobile, laptop, personal computer, etc.
• It can also use in different industrial projects for sending and receiving data, Let's see pictures of HC-06 use in projects.

I hope you enjoyed today's tutorial on the HC-06 module.  If you need any help about this module, please ask in comments. Will meet you guys in the next tutorial. Till then take care.....

Introduction to NRF24L01

Hello Friends, I hope you all are fine and having fun in your lives. In today's post, we are gonna have a look at detailed Introduction to NRF24L01. NRF24L01 is basically a wireless transceiver, which is used to send and receive data by using radio waves. It is a single chip transceiver module. It uses SPI protocol for transmitting data. Its data transmission speed is up to 2Mbps. NRF24L01 is normally used in industrial devices and projects for data transmission. It is mostly used in computer, toys, remote control, games, and other electronic devices. In today's tutorial, I will discuss its working, protocol, pinout, and features. I will also share some links of its interfacing with Arduino and some other microcontrollers. if you have any questions regarding it, please ask in comment box & I will resolve your queries.  So let's start with Introduction to NRF24L01:

Introduction to NRF24L01

• NRF24L01 is a wireless transceiver module (works on SPI Protocol), which is used for sending and receiving data at an operating radio frequency of 2.4 to 2.5 GHz ISM band.
• This transceiver module consists of a frequency generator, shock burst mode controller, power amplifier, crystal oscillator modulator, and demodulator.
• When transmitting power is zero dBm it uses only 11.3 mA of current, while during receiving mode, it uses 13.5 mA of current.

• This module is designed for long distance and fast transmission of data.
• It is designed to work through an SPI protocol.
• Air data transmission rate of NRF24L01 is around 2 Mbps.
• Its high air data rate combined with power saving mode makes it very favorable for ultra-low power applications.
• Its internal voltage regulator controls a high power supply rejection ratio and power supply range.
• This module has a compact size, and can easily be used in confined spaces.
• This module is designed to operate at 3.3 volts.
• This module has an address range of 125 and it can communicate with six other modules. By using this feature, we can use it in mesh networks and other networking applications.

For better understanding, let's discuss NRF24L01 pinout and description:

NRF24L01 PINOUT & Description

• There is main eight pinouts of NRF24L01 but it also has some additional pins.
• Let's discuss all of its pinout with detail:

No.	Pin Name	Description
1	CE	This pin is chip enable, it used to activate RX or TX mode.
2	CSN	This pin is used for SPI protocol interfacing
3	SCK	This pin is used for serial clock provider.
4	MOSI	This is used to get data from a master microcontroller device and to send data to a slave device.
5	MISO	This pin is used to get data from a slave device and to send data to master device.
6	IRQ	This pin is used for interrupt data.
7	Vdd	At this pin, we apply 3.3V DC supply.
8	Vss	This pin is for ground.
9	XC2	This pin is used for analogue out put crystal providing pin.
10	XC1	This pin is used for analogue input crystal pin.
11	VDD_PA	This is pin is used to a power amplifier.
12	ANT1	This pin is used for antenna interfacing.
13	ANT2	This pin is also used for antenna interfacing.
14	Vss	This are two ground in NRF24L01, this is the second one.
15	IREF	This pin is used for reference current .
16	DVDD	This pin is used for Positive Digital Supply output for de coupling purposes.
17	GROUND	This is used for ground.

• Now let's discuss its transmission protocol which is SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface):

NRF24L01 SPI Interfacing

• NRF24L01 uses SPI protocol for transmission. SPI is an abbreviation of Serial Peripheral Interface.
• Let's have a look at How to interface NRF24L01 with any Microcontroller using SPI Pins.
• In the below figure, I have connected SPI pins (MISO, MOSI, SCK) with SPI pins of microcontroller, while the signal pins (CE , SCN) has connected with the GPIO pins of Microcontroller.
• Now Lets discuss the specifications and features of NRF24L01.

Features of NRF24L01

These are some features of NRF24L01.

• It is a single chip GFSK transceiver.
• It has complete OSI hardware layer.
• It has on air data rate of 1 to 2 Mbps.
• Its operation is 124 RF channel.
• It is fully compatible with nRF24XX.
• It has a 20 pin package (QFN 20 4x4 mm).
• It uses low cost +/- 60 ppm crystal.
• It uses low cost chip inductors and two layer PCB.
• Its power supply range is 1.9 to 3.6 V.
• Its nominal current is 50 mA. Its operating current is 250 mA.
• It uses SPI protocol for communication.
• Its baud rate is 250 kbps to 2 Mbps.
• Its channel range is 125.
• Its Maximum Pipeline or node is six.
• It is a low cost wireless solution.
• Its antenna can send and receive data up to 250 kb and it can cover a distance of 100 meters.
• Its sensitivity is 85 dBm at 1 Mbps.
• The communication mode it uses is Enhanced Shock Burst TM or Shock Burst TM.
• The mode of wiring it follows is Power Down Mode or Standby Mode.
• Its operating temperature is -40°C to 85°C and storage is 40°C to 125°C.
• It has a PA gain of 20 dB and LNA gain of 10 dB.
• Its Emission Mode operating current is 115 mA and receive mode operating current is 45 mA.
• This module can be easily programmed and can connect with a microcontroller.
• Its maximum output power is +20 DBm.
• Its compact size is 18 mm * 30 mm.

Applications of NRF24L01

These are some applications of NRF24L01:

•  It is used in wireless control applications.
•  It is used in mesh networks.
•  It is also used in RF Remote Controllers.

So friends this was all about NRF24L01, If you have any question regard it lease ask in comments i will tell you in every thing in detail. Take care....