Sensors

and Actuators
with Arduino

Hans-Pe4er Halvorsen, M.Sc.

h4p://arduino.cc

 Arduino is an open-source physical compu?ng

plaAorm designed to make experimen?ng with
electronics and programming more fun and intui?ve.
Arduino has its own unique, simplied programming
language and a lots of premade examles and
tutorials exists.
With Arduino you can easily explore lots of small-
scale sensors and actuators like motors, temperature
sensors, etc.
The possibili?es with Arduino are endeless.
2

Lab Topics
Overview of the Arduino PlaAorm
Sensors and Actuators Overview
Overview of Temperature Sensors
- Pt-100, Thermistor, Thermocouple

Basic Data Acquisi?on (DAQ), Data Logging

Calibra?on, Uncertainty, Resolu?on, Accuracy,
Range, etc.
Lowpass Filter implementa?on in SoWware
Network Communica?on
Reading Data sheets

Hardware

Breadboard

Arduino UNO Device

TinkerKit Sensor Shield
Tools

Tinkerkit Sensors and Actuators

Sensors and Actuators

Mul?meter

Arduino

SoWware

Programming with Arduino is simple and intui?ve!

Arduino Sketch IDE

Example:

// include the TinkerKit library

#include <TinkerKit.h>

// creating the object 'led' that belongs to
the 'TKLed' class
TKLed led(O0);


void setup()
{
//do something here
}

void loop()
{
led.on(); // set the LED on
delay(1000); // wait for a second
led.off(); // set the LED off
delay(1000); // wait for a second
}

The syntax is similiar to C programming

This program makes a LED blink

SoWware Installa?on: h4p://arduino.cc/en/Main/SoWware

Assignment Overview
1. Arduino Basics: Explore the dierent Sensors and
Actuators available with the Arduino Kit
2. Pt-100: Create your own Pt-100 sensor with
Transmi4er from scratch and Read Temperature
values using Arduino
3. Create a Temperature Data Logger/Embedded
DAQ System
See next slides for more details...
6

Sensors and Actuators

Theory

A Sensor is a converter that measures a physical

quan?ty and converts it into a signal which can be
read by an observer or by an (today mostly electronic)
instrument.
An Actuator is a type of motor for moving or
controlling a mechanism or system. It is operated by a
source of energy, typically electric current, hydraulic
uid pressure, or pneuma?c pressure, and converts
that energy into mo?on. An actuator is the mechanism
by which a control system acts upon an environment.
h4p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensor

h4p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actuator

Sensors
CalibraDon: A comparison between measurements. One
of known magnitude or correctness made or set with
one device and another measurement made in as similar
a way as possible with a second device. The device with
the known or assigned correctness is called the standard.
The second device is the unit under test, test instrument,
or any of several other names for the device being
calibrated.

Theory

Accuracy: How close the

measured value is the the
actual/real value, eg., 0.1 %

ResoluDon: The smallest change it can detect

in the quan?ty that it is measuring. The
followig formula may be used (where S is the
measurment span, e.g., 0-100deg.C):

In the assignment you need to deal with these parameters. You nd informa?on about these
parameters in the Data sheet for your device

h4p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calibra?on
h4p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Measurement_uncertainty

h4p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accuracy_and_precision

Part 1

Arduino Basics

Geeng Started with Arduino

Hans-Pe4er Halvorsen, M.Sc.

Books

These books gives you an introduc?on to Arduino. These books are availible on the lab.

Selected eBooks from Safari Online available for free

for Students and Teachers at TUC
h4p://proquest.safaribooksonline.com/book/
hardware/arduino/9781118446430

h4p://proquest.safaribooksonline.com/book/
hardware/arduino/9780133764147

h4p://proquest.safaribooksonline.com/
book/hardware-and-gadgets/
9781449314668

Arduino Uno Board

Arduino Basics

Breadboard

Sensors and Actuators

12

The Arduino Kit

Arduino Uno Board

Small-size Sensors and

Actuators

Geeng Started with Arduino: h4p://arduino.cc/en/Guide/HomePage 13

The Arduino Kit

Ardiono Home Page: h4p://arduino.cc
The Arduino Starter Kit:
h4p://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoStarterKit
Starter Kit Videos:

h4ps://www.youtube.com/playlist?
feature=edit_ok&list=PLT6rF_I5kknPf2qlVFlvH47qHvqvzkknd

14

Geeng Started: Explore some of the

the following sensors/actuators;
Arduino with Breadboard
LED, Push Bu4on
DC Motor
Temperature
PWM/Servo-motor and DC-motor
etc.

Tinkerkit:
LED
Temperature
Poten?ometer
etc.

Part 2

Pt-100 Measurements

Hans-Pe4er Halvorsen, M.Sc.

Temperature Measurements
Pt100: Create your own temporary Pt-100 sensor with
Transmi4er (create the circuit on a breadboard) and
then Read Temperature values using Arduino.
Suggested Tasks:
Compare with exis?ng Pt-100 with Transmi4er
equipment (Reference Equipment)
Compare with Temperature Sensors available within the
Arduino Kit (TMP36, Thermistor,...)
Compare and Discuss the following Temperature
Measurements; Pt-100, Thermocouple, Thermistor
(Measurement principles, etc.)
17

Pt-100 Wiring

N
Cable clamp

Ground

Output

+24 V

RTDred

RTDwhite

Internal
terminal block

RTDred

Pt100
transducer

<<<<<<<

Pt100 element
0 V

+ 24 V
red

white
4-20 mA
~250

Pt100
24 V PSU

Output terminals

Output

red

Output +

RTD

transducer

1-5 V output
terminals

Important! Test the output of your circuit BEFORE connec?ng it to the Arduino Analog
Input with a Mul?meter to make sure the voltage is not higher than 5V, else the
Arduino will be damaged!

Create you own Pt-100 Sensor with Transmi4er

Test the Device using Arduino

Temperature TransmiSer (0-100deg. C)

Pt-100

h4ps://www.elfa.se/elfa3~eu_en/elfa/init.do?
item=76-690-51&toc=0&q=76-690-51

24VDC/0.25A Power Supply

h4ps://www.elfa.se/elfa3~eu_en/elfa/init.do?
item=76-895-74&toc=0&q=76-895-74

Breadboard

h4ps://www.elfa.se/elfa3~eu_en/elfa/init.do?item=69-061-79&toc=0&q=69-061-79

19

0 V

Important!!!

+ 24 V
red
RTD

transducer

red

white
4-20 mA
~250

Pt100

+
1-5 V output
terminals

Test the output of your circuit BEFORE

connec?ng it to the Arduino Analog Input
Use a Mul?meter to make sure the
voltage is not higher than 5V
If not, the Arduino will be damaged!

20

Small-scale Temperature Sensors

TMP36

h4ps://www.sparkfun.com/products/10988
h4ps://www.elfa.se/elfa3~eu_en/elfa/init.do?item=73-889-29&toc=0&q=73-889-29

NTC Thermistor

h4ps://www.elfa.se/elfa3~eu_en/elfa/init.do?item=60-260-41&toc=0&q=60-260-41
Tutorial: h4p://garagelab.com/proles/blogs/tutorial-using-ntc-thermistors-with-arduino

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Voltage-based Sensors
According to the TMP36 datasheet, the rela?on of the output voltage
to the actual temperature uses this equa?on:

TMP36

temp in Celsius = (voltage - 500) / 10

mV

Where the voltage value is specied in millivolts.

However, before you use that equa?on, you must convert the integer value that the
analogRead func?on returns into a millivolt value.
You know that for a 5000mV (5V) value span the analogRead func?on will return
1024 possible values:

voltage = (5000 / 1024) * output

Where

mV

output = analogRead(aichannel)
0-1023

A0-A5

Datasheet Calcula?ons
Theory

Linear rela?onship:

You have to nd a (slope) and b (intercept):

This gives:

23

TMP36 Temperature Sensor Example

// We'll use analog input 0 to read Temperature Data
const int temperaturePin = 0;
void setup()
{
Serial.begin(9600);
}
void loop()
{
float voltage, degreesC, degreesF;
voltage = getVoltage(temperaturePin);
// Now we'll convert the voltage to degrees Celsius.
// This formula comes from the temperature sensor datasheet:

Serial Monitor

degreesC = (voltage - 0.5) * 100.0;

// Send data from the Arduino to the serial monitor window
Serial.print("voltage: ");
Serial.print(voltage);
Serial.print(" deg C: ");
Serial.println(degreesC);
delay(1000); // repeat once per second (change as you wish!)
}
float getVoltage(int pin)
{
return (analogRead(pin) * 0.004882814);
// This equation converts the 0 to 1023 value that analogRead()
// returns, into a 0.0 to 5.0 value that is the true voltage
// being read at that pin.
}

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Resistance-based Sensors
The problem with resistance sensors is that the Arduino analog
Theory
interfaces cant directly detect resistance changes.
Thermistor
This will require some extra electronic components. The easiest
way to detect a change in resistance is to convert that change to
a voltage change. You do that using a voltage divider, as shown
below.

E.g., the Steinhart-Hart Equa?on can

be used to nd the Temperature:

By keeping the power source output constant, as

the resistance of the sensor changes, the voltage
divider circuit changes, and the output voltage
changes. The size of resistor you need for the R1
resistor depends on the resistance range
generated by the sensor and how sensi?ve you
want the output voltage to change.

Generally, a value between 1K and 10K ohms
works just ne to create a meaningful output
voltage that you can detect in your Arduino
analog input interface.

NTC Thermistor Example

// Read Temerature Values from NTC Thermistor
const int temperaturePin = 0;
void setup()
{
Serial.begin(9600);
}
void loop()
{
int temperature = getTemp();
Serial.print("Temperature Value: ");
Serial.print(temperature);
Serial.println("*C");
delay(1000);
}
double getTemp()
{
// Inputs ADC Value from Thermistor and outputs Temperature in Celsius

Serial Monitor

int RawADC = analogRead(temperaturePin);

long Resistance;
double Temp;
// Assuming a 10k Thermistor. Calculation is actually: Resistance = (1024/ADC)
Resistance=((10240000/RawADC) - 10000);
// Utilizes the Steinhart-Hart Thermistor Equation:
// Temperature in Kelvin = 1 / {A + B[ln(R)] + C[ln(R)]^3}
// where A = 0.001129148, B = 0.000234125 and C = 8.76741E-08
Temp = log(Resistance);
Temp = 1 / (0.001129148 + (0.000234125 * Temp) + (0.0000000876741 * Temp * Temp * Temp));
Temp = Temp - 273.15;
return Temp;
}

// Convert Kelvin to Celsius

Steinhart-Hart Equa?on:

// Return the Temperature

26

Part 3

Temperature Data Logger/

Embedded DAQ System

Hans-Pe4er Halvorsen, M.Sc.

Temperature Data Logger/

Embedded DAQ System
You use the PC when crea?ng
the soWware, then you
download the soWware to the
Arduino and disconnect the USB
cable. Use a 9V ba4ery as
Power Supply.

NTC Thermistor

See next slides for details...

Use dierent Temperature

sensors for comparison, i.e
log data from at least 2
dierent sensors at the same
?me.
28

Temperature Data Logger/

Embedded DAQ System

Create a Temperature Logger/Embedded DAQ System. Suggested

Tasks:
Create and use a Lowpass Filter/Average Filter
Alarm func?onality: Use LEDs with dierent colors when
Temperature is above/below the Limits
Use e.g., Arduino Wi- Fi/Ethernet Shield for Communica?on over a
network (or use the microSD card on these shields)
Save the data to a microSD card located on the Wi- Fi/Ethernet
Shield - or connect e.g., to xively.com or temboo.com which is free
datalogging sites.
Log Temperature Data for e.g., 24 hours and import Data into Excel,
LabVIEW or MATLAB for Analysis and Visualiza?on
Use e.g. a 9V ba4ery as power source to make it portable and small
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Arduino Wi-Fi/Ethernet Shield

h4p://arduino.cc/en/Reference/WiFi

With the Arduino Wi-Fi/Ethernet Shield, this library allows an Arduino

board to connect to the internet. It can serve as either a server
accep?ng incoming connec?ons or a client making outgoing ones.

Arduino Wi-Fi Library: h4p://arduino.cc/en/Reference/WiFi

Arduino Ethernet Library: h4p://arduino.cc/en/Reference/Ethernet
SD Library: h4p://arduino.cc/en/Reference/SD
30

Discrete Lowpass Filter

Lowpass Filter Transfer func?on:

We dene:
Inverse Laplace gives the dieren?al Equa?on:

We use the Euler Backward method:

This gives:

This gives:

Filter output

Noisy input signal

This algorithm can be easly implemented

in a Programming language

Xively
You may want to connect e.g., to xively.com, a free
datalogging site
Use the Xively for Arduino library in order
h4ps://xively.com
to connect and store measurement data
from your Arduino device into the Xively
cloud

Arduino xively.com:
h4ps://xively.com/dev/tutorials/arduino_wi-

Another alterna?ve is:

www.temboo.com
www.temboo.com/arduino

32

Hans-PeSer Halvorsen, M.Sc.

Telemark University College
Faculty of Technology
Department of Electrical Engineering, InformaDon Technology and CyberneDcs

E-mail: hans.p.halvorsen@hit.no
Blog: hSp://home.hit.no/~hansha/

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