Microcontrollers

Microcontrollers are small, self-contained computers designed to interact with the physical world through sensors, motors, lights, and other electronic components. They contain a processor, memory, and input-output pins on a single chip, allowing them to read signals, make decisions, and control devices almost instantly. These systems play a major role in everyday technology, powering appliances, wearables, toys, vehicles, and medical tools. By programming a microcontroller, developers can create responsive behaviors such as detecting motion, measuring light, or activating indicators. Their low cost, simplicity, and versatility make them a practical entry point for learning how software and hardware work together.

Tech Kits are part of the walk-in service provided by Innovate Labs. There are three levels of difficulty meant for different users and their experience with the different technologies. Many of the Tech Kits build off each other as you progress.

Beginner

Introducing Microcontrollers

Length: 30 Minutes

Description: Microcontrollers allow you to interact with the real world through external facing components like motors and lights. Students will assemble a simple circuit and program it through the Arduino IDE to make an LED blink at regular intervals. Further expanding the circuit by adding a photoresistor, we can simulate dusk-to-dawn lights such as the streetlamps found around the campus. Through building, students can observe how micro controllers read electrical signals, execute programmed logic, and produce visible changes in real time.

Intermediate

Arduino Motion System

Length: 45 Minutes

Description: Motion sensor systems use passive infrared (PIR) sensors to detect movements and heat signatures. Students will be able to build a circuit that connects between the Arduino and sensors to program a sensor detection system. When motion is detected, the sensor sends a signal that activates the LED and displays changes on the monitor. By experimenting with sensor sensitivity and observing how the Arduino interprets incoming signals, students will gain experience with microcontroller-based sensing systems and see how digital inputs support interactive hardware behaviors.

Advanced

Raspberry Pi Servo Controller

Length: 60 Minutes

Description: A Raspberry Pi is a small computer that plugs into a monitor and functions using a mouse and keyboard. It operates as a compact computer capable of outputting precise electrical pulses through its GPIO pins, which determine the servo’s position within a 180-degree range. After connecting components such as the ribbon cable, GPIO extension board, breadboard, and servo wires, students use commands to configure pulse-width modulation and adjust movement. This setup demonstrates how software instructions influence physical hardware, offering a hands-on example of how microcontrollers manage timing, signals, and mechanical response in interactive systems.