Forum - Recent Threads

Intelligent Extra Arm (IEA) grabs an iPhone for the prize

dixonselvan — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:58:39 GMT

While the Shift It Design Challenge was announced, I wasn't actively participating and contributing in Element14 Community (due to some personal reasons). But this challenge seemed to be a perfect opportunity to comeback, to learn and engage with the community.

I learned a lot from my project as well from the other contestants' projects. I learned how effectively I can use Edge Impulse and Object detection. I got a chance again to create projects with Arduino MKR WiFi 1010 and Raspberry Pi.

I learned how not to crimp connectors and to redo all connections again from scratch without wasting while having limited resources. Thanks to TE Connectivity, all their components were of premium quality and loved doing projects with them.

There were challenges regarding timeline, shipment of prizes but a huge thanks to Element14 Community team for proactively handling and making sure to keep us updated. Special thanks to E14Alice who didn't miss an update on the shipment of prizes and making sure I get the prize. Also, thanks to e14phil , cstanton for helping with shipment and other challenge related support.

Though my family were expecting the "iRobot Roomba Self Emptying Robot Vacuum Cleaner" which was the prize initially, due to the challenges with the shipment, it was replaced with a more rewarding iPhone 16 plus as prize! Now I have an additional phone to shoot the project videos 😅

youtube.com/.../7FFzIbiEhhI

Winners - Shift It! Warehouse Automation Design Challenge

e14phil — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 12:43:00 GMT

Shift it, Stack it, and Count it using TE Connectivity!

We are excited to be able to announce the winners of the Shift it! Warehouse Automation Design Challenge.

Winner taifur

For their Warehouse Enviroment Monitoring Robot who will be winning our first place grand prize.

This robot will move around a warehouse and monitor temperature, humidity and air quality and alert accordingly for any abnormality and ensure workers safety.
Please congratulate them and read their project here:

Warehouse Environment Monitoring Robot

Runner Up dixonselvan

For their Intelligent Extra Arm (IEA) Project.

youtu.be/b9B_jfnDjU0

"We find ourselves juggling multiple tasks be it soldering or managing inventory, having an extra arm would improve efficiency. The Intelligent Extra Arm (IEA) is a novel project that combines hardware, software, and AI to address this problem."

Intelligent Extra Arm (IEA)

Finisher Prizes

- Due to issues with Parts and Shipping we have chosen to support the people who worked hard on this project and were not able to complete -

manojroy123

rahulkhanna

dwinhold

Thank you for your patience and work in this project.

The Prizes

Prize	Prize Category
Grand Prize Winner	Approximate Value $1,393 USD* Apple iPad Pro 11-Inch (4th Gen) 128GB iRobot Roomba Self Emptying Robot Vacuum Clearer
Runner Up	Approximate Value $722 USD* iPad Mini 10.9 Inch - 64GB iRobot Roomba Self Emptying Robot Vacuum Clearer
Finisher Prize** To be a finisher you must complete 5 blogs and show us testing the resilience of their project.	Approximate Value $30 USD* MultiComp Pro Multimeter Set

Prize

Prize Category

Grand Prize Winner

Approximate Value $1,393 USD*

Apple iPad Pro 11-Inch (4th Gen) 128GB
iRobot Roomba Self Emptying Robot Vacuum Clearer

Runner Up

Approximate Value $722 USD*

iPad Mini 10.9 Inch - 64GB
iRobot Roomba Self Emptying Robot Vacuum Clearer

Finisher Prize**

To be a finisher you must complete 5 blogs and show us testing the resilience of their project.

Approximate Value $30 USD*

MultiComp Pro Multimeter Set

*Or local equivalent
**Grand Prize and Runner Up winners will also earn the finisher prize.

The Kit

The Sponsored Kit Buy Now
	TE Push Button TE Terminal Block TE RJ45 Connector TE Connector Housing TE Dynamic Insert connectors TE Connector Housing TE Rectangular Connectors TE Raised Momentary switch TE Wire To Board Connectors
Buy Now	Arduino ABX00023 MKR WiFi 1010 SBC

The Judges

element14 Community Judges
element14 Community Team

I wan't to complain about emergency stop switch ?

manojroy123 — Sun, 18 May 2025 13:35:31 GMT

I wan't to complain about emergency stop switch ?

The emergency stop switch automatically gets removed from it's place because of thread and nut design system. We heavily use stop switch for our application it is getting removed from it's place. Please use proper design than using thread and nut design for emergency stop switch.

Reuse the stepper and frame of DVD Player

fyaocn — Thu, 15 May 2025 09:09:48 GMT

1 Introduction

With previous g-code and grbl library, it is good for one CNC proto design with some handy parts .

Two dvd Player and ADI TM5272 shall be used in this case.

2 Stepper driver with ADI TM5272

Controlling with MKR wifi 1010 and driving stepper with ADI TM5272

The TMC5272 Evaluation Board (TMC5272-EVAL-KIT) is designed to assess the capabilities of the TMC5272, a compact, intelligent, and high-performance dual-axis stepper motor controller and driver IC. It features serial communication interfaces (SPI and UART) and comprehensive diagnostic functions, making it suitable for precise motion control applications.

Key Features & Advantages

Wide Power Supply Range: Operates from 2.1V to 20V DC, adapting to diverse power environments.
High Integration:
- Includes four 20V H-bridges with low Rds(on) (0.31Ω typ. at TA=+25°C) for reduced power loss and heat.
- Supports peak current per H-bridge: Imax=1.5A max, with full-scale current Ifs=0.8A rms (1.12A sinusoidal peak).
Silent & Smart Control Modes:
- StealthChop 2: Enables noiseless PWM operation for quiet environments.
- StallGuard 4: Sensorless load detection to monitor motor status in real time.
- Tricoder: Sensorless stall detection and full-step encoder functionality for reliability.
High-Resolution Motion Control:
- 8-point motion controller with minimum jerk (snap) control for smooth trajectories.
- Auto 2D linear trajectory and axis interpolation; step/direction interface with MicroPlyer™ interpolator (up to 256 microsteps per full step).
Flexible Communication: SPI/UART interfaces for easy integration with microcontrollers. Includes two quadrature encoder interfaces and reference switch inputs for precise feedback.

3 Parts from Old DVD Player

Here is the frame got from two DVD players

Core Idea

DVD players contain high-precision stepper motors (for disc rotation and laser tracking) and linear guides (for moving the laser assembly). These components can be salvaged and adapted to build a low-cost CNC machine, in this case a 3-axis plotter as the starter. It can be revised to router or mill.

Key Components to Salvage

Stepper Motors:
- DVD players typically use 2-phase hybrid stepper motors (e.g., for tray loading, spindle rotation, and laser positioning).
- These motors offer fine resolution (e.g., 200 steps per revolution) and precise control, suitable for small-scale CNC movements.
Linear Rails/Guides:
- The laser assembly’s sliding mechanism often includes smooth linear guides or lead screws, which can act as CNC axis rails.
Gears/Belts:
- Gears or timing belts from the DVD drive can be used for mechanical coupling between motors and axes (e.g., for X/Y/Z motion).
  But I remove them for now.

Benefits of This Approach

Low Cost: Reuses discarded electronics, minimizing hardware expenses.
Compact: Suitable for small-scale projects (e.g., PCB milling, 3D printing, or drawing).

Challenges & Limitations

Power and Torque:
- DVD stepper motors are small and low-power (often rated for <1A current). They may struggle with heavy loads or large CNC beds.

4 Next to do

This is proto type design for miniature plotter, including TE Connectors to fit for the design.

Working with TE Connectivity Connectors

taifur — Tue, 13 May 2025 09:55:08 GMT

Distributing power to a complex project is not a easy task where lots of power connections is required. In my project I need to distribute 12V supply from the battery to different parts like motor driver board, microcontroller unit and the sensor unit. A power distribution block can be a good choice for this purpose. Here I am using the TE DBLK POWER DISTRIBUTION BLOCKS based on PI-Spring (Push-In & Spring) technology, specially designed for power distribution in control panel. No screw is required for this block and helps to save connection time.

The sponsor TE for this challenge provided DBLK76-15 power distribution block which is a high power 15 port distribution block, highly overrated for my project.

Above connection diagram shows the power connections among different components with the TE emergency switch. The following images show the connection of TE Emergency Stop switch.

Porting GRBL 1.1 to MKR wifi 1010

fyaocn — Tue, 13 May 2025 08:49:59 GMT

1 GRBL and G-code

In the realm of computer numerical control (CNC) machining, G-code serves as the universal language for instructing machines on how to perform various operations. GRBL, an open-source software, has emerged as a powerful and efficient interpreter for G-code, enabling precise control over CNC machines. This introduction will delve into the key aspects of GRBL and its interaction with G-code, shedding light on how it simplifies the CNC machining process.

GRBL is a high-performance software that runs on microcontrollers, typically Arduino-based boards. It is designed to interpret and execute G-code commands, translating them into precise movements and actions for CNC machines such as mills, routers, and laser cutters. Developed with a focus on simplicity, reliability, and speed, GRBL has become a popular choice among hobbyists, makers, and small-scale manufacturers.

One of the standout features of GRBL is its ability to handle real-time control, ensuring smooth and accurate operation even during complex machining tasks. It also supports a wide range of G-code commands, covering everything from basic linear and circular movements to advanced functions like tool changes and feed rate adjustments. This versatility makes GRBL suitable for a variety of applications, from prototyping and woodworking to metal fabrication.

How GRBL Interprets G-code

When a G-code program is sent to a CNC machine running GRBL, the software reads and interprets each command in sequence. It analyzes the G-code commands, along with any associated parameters, and converts them into precise step and direction signals for the machine's stepper motors. These signals control the movement of the machine's axes, ensuring that the tool follows the desired path accurately.

GRBL also takes into account factors such as acceleration and deceleration, ensuring smooth transitions between movements and preventing sudden jerks or vibrations. It can handle complex G-code programs with multiple commands and nested loops, executing them efficiently and without errors.

2 Incompatible platorm for open-grbl

Here is the file structure for GRBL, this is for newest release of 1.1, previous version shows a little difference.

grbl
├── config.h
├── coolant_control.c
├── coolant_control.h
├── cpu_map
│ ├── cpu_map_atmega2560.h
│ └── cpu_map_atmega328p.h
├── cpu_map.h
├── defaults
│ ├── defaults_generic.h
│ └── ...
├── defaults.h
├── eeprom.c
├── eeprom.h
├── examples
│ └── ...
├── gcode.c
├── gcode.h
├── grbl.h
├── limits.c
├── limits.h
├── main.c
├── motion_control.c
├── motion_control.h
├── nuts_bolts.c
├── nuts_bolts.h
├── planner.c
├── planner.h
├── print.c
├── print.h
├── probe.c
├── probe.h
├── protocol.c
├── protocol.h
├── report.c
├── report.h
├── serial.c
├── serial.h
├── settings.c
├── settings.h
├── spindle_control.c
├── spindle_control.h
├── stepper.c
├── stepper.h
├── system.c
└── system.h

While this is for AVR core

and incompatible with SAMD core of MKR,

3 There are good software for g-code sender

One of the popular is laser-grbl

Here is another one engrave master.

It is good start to use one arduino UNO with hex download. This project needs MKR wifi 1010. That would take a great deal time to understand G-code and micro-core for this coding.

Implement G-code on MKR WiFi 1010 Using Arduino

fyaocn — Mon, 12 May 2025 02:46:47 GMT

1 Arduino with MKR Wifi 1010

The MKR WiFi 1010 is powered by the SAMD21 microcontroller, The SAMD21 provides a decent processing speed, allowing it to handle various tasks such as basic data processing, sensor reading, and control operations . MKR WiFi 1010 comes with built - in WiFi capabilities, enabling seamless connection to wireless networks. This feature allows it to communicate with other devices over the internet, facilitating data transfer and remote control. For instance, it can send sensor data to a cloud server or receive commands from a web - based interface.

2 G-code

G-code, short for Geometric Code, is a fundamental programming language in computer - controlled manufacturing processes, widely used in CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines and 3D printers.

Function in Manufacturing: In CNC machining, G-code commands precisely guide the movement of cutting tools. These commands determine the tool's position, the path it follows, and the speed at which it moves. This enables the creation of complex shapes by removing material from a workpiece. For 3D printers, G-code dictates how the print head deposits layers of material, building up a three - dimensional object layer by layer.

Common Commands: Some of the most frequently used G-code commands include G00 for rapid positioning, which moves the machine's axes at maximum speed to a specified location. G01 is for linear interpolation, making the tool move in a straight line at a set feed rate. G02 and G03 are for circular interpolation, with G02 for clockwise and G03 for counterclockwise circular motion. Additionally, commands like G20 and G21 are used to select units (inches or millimeters), and G90 and G91 set the positioning mode (absolute or relative).

Program Structure: A G-code program is composed of multiple lines of commands. Each line typically contains one or more G-code commands along with relevant parameters, such as coordinates and feed rates. The program may also include M-code commands that control functions like spindle operation (e.g., M03 to start the spindle in a CNC machine) and program flow (e.g., M02 or M30 to end the program).

3 Implement G-code in arduino

3.1 Install Library Files:

In the Arduino IDE, install the necessary libraries. To control the motor movement, libraries for controlling stepper motors or DC motors, like the Stepper library or AccelStepper library can be options.

3.2 Parse G-code Instructions

Write code to parse the received G-code instructions. You can create a function to extract information such as the movement mode (G00, G01, etc.), coordinate values (X, Y, Z), and feed rate (F) from the G-code instructions according to their format (e.g., G01 X## Y## Z## F##). Use string processing functions such as indexOf and substring to parse the G-code instruction string.

Control Movement: Control the device movement based on the parsed G-code instructions. For the G00 rapid positioning instruction, use the fast - moving function in the motor control library to move the motor to the specified coordinates at a high speed. For the G01 linear interpolation instruction, control the pulse frequency and number of steps of the motor according to the set feed rate to achieve linear motion. At the same time, consider the control of acceleration and deceleration during the movement process to avoid motor stalling.
Communication Implementation: Establish a communication connection with the host computer (such as a computer) via WiFi. Use the WiFi.begin() function to connect to the specified WiFi network, and then use the WiFiClient class to establish a TCP connection to receive G-code instructions sent by the host computer. You can create a loop to continuously monitor whether new instructions arrive, and process and control the device movement in a timely manner. Serial communication is used as bacis communication.
Error Handling: Add an error - handling mechanism. When parsing G-code instructions, if an unrecognizable instruction or format error is encountered, send an error message to the host computer and stop the device movement to prevent abnormal actions of the device. At the same time, during the device movement process, monitor the state of the motor, such as whether stalling occurs, and handle it in a timely manner if an abnormality occurs.

Install G-code parser library and test the following example code

The selected motors shall be controlled with arduino in G-code parser for precise control for this shift-it challenger.

This is not one CNC machine, but some sort of machine arm control. Use g-code as start.

Integrating Blynk to Arduino MKR WiFi 1010

taifur — Sun, 11 May 2025 19:35:13 GMT

In this stage I integrated the Blynk cloud to the Arduino MKR WiFi 1010 board. I downloaded the latest release of the Blynk library from the link: https://github.com/blynkkk/blynk-library/releases.

I created a template and made a dashboard for visualizing the sensors data. Initially I included temperature, humidity and air quality reading in the dashboard shown in the screenshot below.

Then for programming I started with the example program for Arduino MKR 1010 board that is included in the blynk library.

I made all the necessary modification in the code and uploaded the code to the Arduino MKR board.

This is the arduino program that sends the sensor reading every three seconds in the blynk cloud.

//#define BLYNK_PRINT Serial

/* Fill in information from Blynk Device Info here */
#define BLYNK_TEMPLATE_ID "TMPL6ZkZE1Xre"
#define BLYNK_TEMPLATE_NAME "warehouse monitoring"
#define BLYNK_AUTH_TOKEN "PNyrxA02ZuutaYsfYdUJMj1x_jCM9gLx"


#include <SPI.h>
#include <WiFiNINA.h>
#include <BlynkSimpleWiFiNINA.h>
#include "DHT.h"
#include "Air_Quality_Sensor.h"

BlynkTimer timer;

#define DHTPIN 2
AirQualitySensor air_sensor(A0);

#define DHTTYPE DHT11
DHT dht(DHTPIN, DHTTYPE);

// Your WiFi credentials.
// Set password to "" for open networks.
char ssid[] = "*************"; //put your wifi name
char pass[] = "*************"; //put your wifi password

float temperature, humidity;
String air_quality = ""; 

void send_to_blynk()
{
  read_temp_humidity(); //read temperature & humidity
  read_air();           //read air quality
  Blynk.virtualWrite(V0, temperature);
  Blynk.virtualWrite(V1, humidity);
  Blynk.virtualWrite(V2, air_quality);
}

void setup()
{
  // Debug console
  Serial.begin(9600);

  Blynk.begin(BLYNK_AUTH_TOKEN, ssid, pass);
  // You can also specify server:
  //Blynk.begin(BLYNK_AUTH_TOKEN, ssid, pass, "blynk.cloud", 80);
  //Blynk.begin(BLYNK_AUTH_TOKEN, ssid, pass, IPAddress(192,168,1,100), 8080);
  dht.begin();
  air_sensor.init();
  timer.setInterval(3000L, send_to_blynk); //call in every three seconds
}

void read_temp_humidity(){
  temperature = dht.readHumidity();
  // Read temperature as Celsius (the default)
  humidity = dht.readTemperature();
}

void read_air(){
  int quality = air_sensor.slope(); 
  if (quality == AirQualitySensor::FORCE_SIGNAL) {
      air_quality = "High pollution!";
  } else if (quality == AirQualitySensor::HIGH_POLLUTION) {
      air_quality = "High pollution!";
  } else if (quality == AirQualitySensor::LOW_POLLUTION) {
      air_quality = "Low pollution!";
  } else if (quality == AirQualitySensor::FRESH_AIR) {
      air_quality = "Fresh air.";
  }
}

void loop()
{
  Blynk.run();
  timer.run(); 
}

Test Drive of the Robot Base

taifur — Sun, 11 May 2025 09:42:53 GMT

The motor, motor driver and Arduino connections are as follows:

For powering the motors a 3-cell Li-po battery is used. Below is the Arduino code for driving the motor in forward and backward direction.

#define LEFT_MOTOR_IN1 7
#define LEFT_MOTOR_IN2 8
#define RIGHT_MOTOR_IN1 4
#define RIGHT_MOTOR_IN2 5
#define LEFT_MOTOR_EN 9
#define RIGHT_MOTOR_EN 6


void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
  Serial.begin(9600);
 
  pinMode(LEFT_MOTOR_IN1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(LEFT_MOTOR_IN2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(RIGHT_MOTOR_IN1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(RIGHT_MOTOR_IN2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(LEFT_MOTOR_EN, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(RIGHT_MOTOR_EN, OUTPUT);
  
}

void loop() {

  move_robot(100, 100); //move forward
  delay(5000);
  move_robot(100, -100); //turn right
  delay(1000);
  move_robot(100, 100); //move forward
  delay(5000);
  move_robot(-100, 100); //turn left
  delay(1000);
  move_robot(-100, -100); //move backword
  delay(5000);
}



void move_robot(int left_speed, int right_speed){
  int left_motor_speed = abs(left_speed);
  int right_motor_speed = abs(right_speed);
  analogWrite(LEFT_MOTOR_EN, left_motor_speed);
  analogWrite(RIGHT_MOTOR_EN, right_motor_speed);
  if(left_speed>=0){
    digitalWrite(LEFT_MOTOR_IN1, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(LEFT_MOTOR_IN2, LOW);
  }
  else if(left_speed<0){
    digitalWrite(LEFT_MOTOR_IN1, LOW);
    digitalWrite(LEFT_MOTOR_IN2, HIGH);
  }
  if(right_speed>=0){
    digitalWrite(RIGHT_MOTOR_IN1, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(RIGHT_MOTOR_IN2, LOW);
  }
  else if(right_speed<0){
    digitalWrite(RIGHT_MOTOR_IN1, LOW);
    digitalWrite(RIGHT_MOTOR_IN2, HIGH);
  }
}

A demo video:

community.element14.com/.../IMG_5F00_0631.MOV

Making a Moving Robot Base

taifur — Wed, 07 May 2025 03:39:01 GMT

I am making a robot base for a part of Shift it! Warehouse Automation Design Challenge. Building hardware is hard and more than hard for building robots where you have to work with lots of motors and sensors. When you have several medium or high-power motors in your project, providing the required amount of power also appears as a real challenge. Even sometimes you will get unstable behavior from your robot for not choosing the right size/type of wire. Making a bot from scratch involves lots of soldering and wiring works. Choosing a ready-made chassis can help to save a plenty amount of time. As the total project contains many tasks and the deadline is approaching soon, I selected a DFRobot Rover 5 tank chassis for the robot base to reduce some unnecessary complexity. I attached an acrylic sheet on top of the chassis by using zip ties.

I used a Dual DC Motor Drive Module 7A 160W, 24V for driving the motors. Using some M3 screws and nuts I attached the motor driver board and Arduino board on top of the acrylic base as shown in the image below.

I used a 3-cell li-po battery for powering the motor driver board.

System software for checking motor temperature and for giving appropriate sound indication

manojroy123 — Mon, 05 May 2025 06:06:53 GMT

Flowchart for detecting motor temperature and giving sound indiction.

In the above flowchart you can see how the system software works. First it checks for motor temperature and gives proper indication about it. Bellow is the working video of the system.

community.element14.com/.../WhatsApp-Video-2025_2D00_05_2D00_04-at-10.29.02-PM.mp4

Arduino code

First we read sensor value from ADC.

 // Read sensor value
         int newValue = analogRead(A1);

Than we filter those value using median filter. Median Filter function code is given bellow. There were many software filter available like SMA(Simple mean average), LMA(Logarithmic mean average), median filter. SMA was still giving lots of error, so we have used median filter for processing sensor data. it was still giving some error. We are looking for more better software filter for processing sensor values.

/*Median Filter */
// Median filter function
int median(int *array, int size) {
  int sorted[size];
  // Copy array
  for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
    sorted[i] = array[i];
  }

  // Simple bubble sort
  for (int i = 0; i < size - 1; i++) {
    for (int j = 0; j < size - i - 1; j++) {
      if (sorted[j] > sorted[j + 1]) {
        int temp = sorted[j];
        sorted[j] = sorted[j + 1];
        sorted[j + 1] = temp;
      }
    }
  }

After filtering the Raw ADC sensor data using median filter. We convert the filtered value to voltage. Code for which is given bellow.

 int rawValue = filteredValue;
  float voltage = rawValue * 0.00323 ;  // Convert to voltage
  const float Rref = 992.0; //1K ohm referance resistor
 
  // Calculate sensor resistance from voltage divider formula
  float Rt =  Rref*( voltage / (3.307 - voltage));

After converting to voltage. We convert the voltage value to temperature using "Invert Callendar-Van Dusen" technique which has some constant in it. bellow is the code for it.

// Callendar-Van Dusen coefficients for standard PT1000 (α = 0.00385)
const float A = 3.9083e-3;
const float B = -5.775e-7; 
const float R0 = 1000.0;  // PT1000 resistance at 0°C

//Function for voltage to temperature convertion
float calculateTemperature(float Rt) {
  float temp = -A + sqrt(A * A - 4 * B * (1 - Rt / R0));
  temp = temp / (2 * B);
  return temp;
}

After doing all the required processes we simply print this value in serial terminal and give appropriate buzzer indication based on algorithm shown in flowchart. bellow is the code for it.

// the loop function runs over and over again forever
void loop() {
    digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);
       delay(10);
      /*Median Filter Local Varibales*/
      // Read sensor value
         int newValue = analogRead(A1);
         int filteredValue;
      // Store new value in buffer
          readings[index1] = newValue;
          index1 = (index1 + 1) % windowSize;

      // Check if buffer is full
          if (index1 == 0) bufferFilled = true;


      // Apply median filter only when buffer is filled
  if (bufferFilled) {
    filteredValue = median(readings, windowSize);
    Serial.print("Raw: ");
    Serial.print(newValue);
    Serial.print("  Filtered: ");
    Serial.println(filteredValue);
  } else {
    Serial.print("Raw: ");
    Serial.print(newValue);
    Serial.println("  (Warming up)");
  }
         
       //Serial Read Write
     
       int rawValue = filteredValue;
  float voltage = rawValue * 0.00323 ;  // Convert to voltage
  const float Rref = 992.0; //1K ohm referance resistor
  float Res = (Rref*voltage)/(3.3-voltage);
 



// Calculate sensor resistance from voltage divider formula
  float Rt =  Rref*( voltage / (3.307 - voltage));

  // Invert Callendar-Van Dusen to get temperature (for T ≥ 0°C)
  float temp = calculateTemperature(Rt-20.0);

  Serial.print("Raw ADC Value: ");
  Serial.print(rawValue);
  Serial.print(" => Voltage: ");
  Serial.print(voltage, 3);  // 3 decimal places
  Serial.println(" V");
  Serial.println(" Resistance");
  Serial.println(Rt-20.0);
  Serial.println(" Temperature");
  Serial.println(temp);

//Buzzer program
  if(Rt > 1174 and Rt < 1194){
        digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);   // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
         delay(100);                       // wait for a 100 milisecond
           for(int a = 0; a<5; a++){
                            digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);    // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
                            delay(100);
                            digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);   // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
                            delay(100);  
                            }
        }
   else if(Rt >= 1194){
                         digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);   // turn the LED off (Low is the voltage level)
                         delay(1000);      
                      }
    

}

Robotic Arm - Assembly, Wiring and Programming

dixonselvan — Sun, 04 May 2025 17:59:22 GMT

Intelligent Extra Arm

Robotic Arm

In the last two forum discussions, I completed the Object Detection model setup, training and re-training using Edge Impulse and Raspberry Pi connected to a USB Webcam. In this forum discussion, I'll proceed with the robotic arm assembly, wiring and programming. This will help constitute the main arm part of the Intelligent Extra Arm which will pick up the objects identified from its location and hand it over to me in a different location where I'll be busy working let's say soldering.

Assembly

In this section, let's assemble the 3D printed parts of the robotic arm. I hadn't used the 3D printer I had for many months. After that, it was functional for a while until I used it one day and it stopped turning ON. So, I couldn't 3D print the robotic arm myself. I purchased the 3D printed parts of the robotic arm gripper in Amazon and it turned out to be much better than I expected at a reasonable price. Below is a stop motion video showing the assembly of the robotic arm.

youtu.be/SxRr2fXxsaE

Wiring

Now that I have the skeleton or the structure of the robotic arm, let's give it some life! I meant the functioning parts - Servo motors, wires to connect and Arduino MKR WiFi 1010 to control. I have used four SG-90 servo motors to move the robotic arm parts, and it seems to work without any hassle. One servo motor rotates the robotic arm, another controls the gripper and two for up and down movement with some stretches front and back. This way I could use this robotic arm to grasp the object I would need.

For connecting the wires, I have utilized the TE Connectivity crimp terminal and connector housing (male and female) provided as part of the kit. Only one TE Connectivity female crimp terminal was provided to me in the kit. So, I had purchased few male and female crimp terminals, crimping tool in Amazon along with some Berg connector housing. Also, another reason for choosing this way of connecting wires was because I had kept jumper wires in a 3D printed (PLA) organizer inside a plastic container and haven't opened it or used it for quite a long time. The result of which I could see some plastic decomposition/ some residue settling down on the jumper ends leading to connectivity issues. I even tried showing the ends to the flame in an attempt to melt or burn them away. But still the connectivity was not as expected and there were frequent disconnections.

Below are some pictures to show the side effects of leaving the 3D printed organizer to decompose and cause some residue in the jumper ends.

Below is the circuit diagram/ representation of the Robotic Arm (some might not be actual representations of the parts used and are a close match). I had initially used single core wires throughout the circuit, but it seems to disconnect very often making the responses of the robotic Arm unstable to the input provided. As a result, I have done the wiring again with multicore wires. Now, the robotic arm is stable and works as expected.

I have used the TE Connectivity terminal block and Emergency stop switch in the 5V connection to the Servo from Arduino. All the red/ VCC wires from the servo motors are connected to the terminal blcok and one wire is connected to 5V of Arduino through the Emergency stop switch (NC). When I connect or plug in the Arduino, there are some signals passed to the robotic arm causing it to stumble at times. So, I have connected an emergency stop switch to stop this while turning it ON or powering up and later allow the circuit to behave as expected. Also, it can be used in case of emergency situations which gets out of hand.

All the ground wires are soldered together.

All the signal wires are connected to D2, D3, D5 and D6 pins of the Arduino through TE Connectivity crimp terminal (other brand also) inside TE Connectivity connector housing (male and female). This way we can easily connect and disconnect when required.

Below video shows the entire wiring process along with the challenges faced.

https://youtu.be/S_ODEu_9-Po

Programming

For quick testing purpose, I've written below code which uses serial connection to send the angles which I want each of the servos to rotate to. We can use it to test the servos individually as well by providing the last angle which was provided to the other servos. Be careful while giving the angles which might be obstructed by another servo as in the case of the two servos controlling the up, down, front, and back motion.

#include <Servo.h>

Servo s1, s2, s3, s4;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  s1.attach(2);
  s2.attach(3);
  s3.attach(5);
  s4.attach(6);
}

void loop() {
  if (Serial.available() > 0) { 
    String input = Serial.readStringUntil('\n');
    input.trim();
    int angles[4];
    
    int index = 0;
    char* token = strtok((char*)input.c_str(), " ");

    while (token != NULL && index < 4) {
      angles[index++] = atoi(token);
      token = strtok(NULL, " ");
    }

    if (index == 4) {
      char buffer[50];
      s1.write(angles[0]);
      s2.write(angles[1]);
      s3.write(angles[2]);
      s4.write(angles[3]);
      sprintf(buffer, "S1: %d, S2: %d, S3: %d, S4: %d", angles[0], angles[1], angles[2], angles[3]);
      Serial.println(buffer);
    } else {
      Serial.println("Invalid input!");
    }
  }
}

The input and output example can be seen below. I have used the Arduino IDE installed in my laptop and opened the serial monitor section for this.

Case

I have built a case to hold the robotic arm's control unit - Arduino MKR WiFi 1010, terminal block and emergency stop switch including the wiring. Below is a quick video showing the case.

https://youtu.be/Xrrqrji5pWI

I was able to fixed the wire resistance

manojroy123 — Sat, 03 May 2025 09:50:44 GMT

I was able to fixed the resistance in wire by using new wire but the joint still have resistance in ohms. One joints has 31.5 ohm and another joint has resistance of 12 ohm. I want to know how to compensate those resistance in the experiment.

soldering eternal wire was giving absurd resistance on RTD temperature sensor

manojroy123 — Fri, 02 May 2025 16:26:25 GMT

soldering eternal wire was giving absurd resistance on RTD temperature sensor. How to solve it.

Interfacing the Grove Air Quality and DHT11 sensor with the Arduino MKR WiFi 1010 Board

taifur — Fri, 02 May 2025 08:56:05 GMT

The Arduino MKR WiFi 1010 board comes with male pins on bottom side and female header on top. It makes it easy to connect external sensors with both female and male herders. The board also has a Qwiic connector but no Grove connector. For my warehouse worker safety project I need to connect a grove DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor and a grove air quality sensor. As the board has no grove connector and I don't have any grove shield for the MKR board, I prepared a PCB using a piece of perf-board.

I cut a Grove cable in the middle and solder both pieces into the PCB board so that I can connect two sensors. DHT11 sensor needs a digital pin and air quality sensor need an analog pin to communicate with Arduino.

The above image shows the connections of Grove cable with the PCB board.

Arduino MKR 1010 is plugged into the PCB.

After making the PCB and connecting the sensors I downloaded the DHT11 library to Arduino IDE.

Then I downloaded Grove Air Quality Sensor Library from the official GitHub link: https://github.com/Seeed-Studio/Grove_Air_quality_Sensor

Then from the board manager I downloaded Arduino SAMD Board file.

My environment is now ready to upload the code to Arduino MKR WiFi 1010 board and I am ready to go to the next step.

RTD P1000 wire was picking noise and is giving unsuitable reading

manojroy123 — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 18:36:37 GMT

RTD P1000 wire was picking noise and is giving unsuitable reading. How to filter those noise.

How to convert RTD sensor voltage to Temperature.

manojroy123 — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 12:48:01 GMT

I wan't to know how to convert RTD temperature sensor voltage to temperature. bellow is the link of the temperature sensor.

www.te.com/.../product-NB-PTCO-126.html

Updating and testing of buzzer and temperature sensor

manojroy123 — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 12:44:07 GMT

I have updated the buzzer to a larger buzzer with louder sound and it is an active buzzer. bellow is the video of the buzzer and sound of it.

community.element14.com/.../WhatsApp-Video-2025_2D00_04_2D00_30-at-5.38.46-PM.mp4

For buzzer to work, we have connected the -ve terminal of the buzzer to IO PIN 6 and positive terminal of it to 5 volt of mkr wifi 1010 board. Bellow is the connection image of it.

Arduino code for testing the buzzer

// the setup function runs once when you press reset or power the board
void setup() {
  // initialize digital pin LED_BUILTIN as an output.
  pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);
}

// the loop function runs over and over again forever
void loop() {
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);   // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
  delay(1000);                       // wait for a second
  for(int a = 0; a<5; a++){
                            digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);    // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
                            delay(100);
                            digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);   // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
                            delay(100);  
                            }
}

Setting up and testing RTD temperature sensor.

For setting up RTD we have build a voltage divider with RTD using 1% tolerance resistor of 1 K ohm. Bellow is the circuit diagram of connecting the RTD.

Bellow is the code for testing the temperature sensor.

// the setup function runs once when you press reset or power the board
void setup() {
    //Serial Setup
  Serial.begin(9600);
  while (!Serial);  // Wait for Serial monitor to open

}

// the loop function runs over and over again forever
void loop() {
  
       //Serial Read Write
       int rawValue = analogRead(A1);
  float voltage = rawValue * (3.3 / 1023.0);  // Convert to voltage

  Serial.print("Raw ADC Value: ");
  Serial.print(rawValue);
  Serial.print(" => Voltage: ");
  Serial.print(voltage, 3);  // 3 decimal places
  Serial.println(" V");
}

Output of the temperature sensor in serial monitor of arduino.

Output of RTD sensor in Serial plotter.

I am using this buzzer but it is not generating sound

manojroy123 — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 16:55:40 GMT

I am using this buzzer with arduino mkr Wifi 1010 but it is only vibrating and not generating any sound. I have connected the buzzer to pin no 6 that is generating 1k square wave frequency and the other terminal of the buzzer is connected to ground. I wan't to know why it is not generating any sound but it is only vibrating. Bellow is the image of the buzzer.

Setting up temperature sensor and buzzer

manojroy123 — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 14:46:19 GMT

In this forum, we will show how we have implement temperature sensor and buzzer.

temperature sensor

We have use RTD temperature sensor from TE connectivity. It is a PT1000 Thin Film element sensor. The resistance of the sensor is 1K ohm at 0'c. Bellow is the picture of how we have connected the sensor to the wire.

For checking weather the wire is properly connected to the RTD or not, check the resistance between both the wire. You will get resistance. If possible touch a heating soldering iron to the RTD. You will see increase in resistance.

Buzzer

We have used piezo buzzer for generating sound. Bellow is the image of the piezo buzzer. We need to provide square wave to it for generating sound in it. For checking its connectivity with wire and connector. We set multimeter in resistance mode and check the resistance between the two wire. No resistance means there is a connection breakage some where in the wire else it will show some resistance.

Can anyone help me in setting up thermocouple with mkr wif 1010

manojroy123 — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 09:52:41 GMT

Can anyone help me in setting up thermocouple with mkr wif 1010. I wan't to know how to connect thermocouple with mkr wifi 1010 board.

TE Connectivity Connectors and MKR wiifi 1010

fyaocn — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 07:40:34 GMT

1 Brief

*** it design challenge required TE Connectivity Connectors to be used in project and controlled with MKR wifi 1010.

Here are the parts to be used in my project, five different connectors as follows.

2 TE Connectivity Connectors

2.1 8 position TE Connectivity's AMP RITS connectors . This Max Current rating is 3 A with Voltage rating of 32 V DC.

This is easy to used in REMOTE INPUT/ OUTPUT TERMINAL SYSTEM (RITS). Just insert the wires and press the housing.

For detail, the chisel shaped contact can clamp the wire tightly

2.2 8-position DYNAMIC D1000 SLIM WIRE-TO-WIRE CONNECTORS

Max Current rating is 4.5A and Voltage rating of AC/DC 250V. This is more widely used.

Here is the socket and plug for interlock,

And these are connectors for above connector housing.

Here is the details for connectors, this guarantee best connections.

3 MKR wiifi 1010

The MKR WIFI 1010 includes SAMD21, 32-bit ARM Cortex-M0+ with the usual rich set of I/O interfaces, and low power Wi-Fi with a Cryptochip for secure communication using SHA-256 encryption. With Flash Memory of 256 KB and SRAM of 32 KB.

This is the development board easy to used and fast in development. That is good to try new applications.

4 Summary

It takes some time to receive and gather the parts. Glad to get them all in time for the project design.

On posting your updates and naming them

cstanton — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 12:45:06 GMT

Hey everyone,

Great to see all the updates coming in.

When titling your posts, there's no need to be overly methodical—this isn’t a strict table of contents.

Use titles that briefly describe what your post is about. For example, instead of:

"Forum Update 3: Updating Files"

Use something like:

"Updating My Model for Resistor Identification"

This gives others a better idea of what you're sharing.

You don’t need to number your posts—we can already track that. You can also go back and edit titles or content if needed.

Quality matters more than quantity, especially in competitions on the element14 Community.

Good luck!

[Forum #2 Shifted Design challenge] Setting up electrical and safety system for PCB cutter.

manojroy123 — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 13:29:22 GMT

This heavy duty PCB cutter requires 12 volt supply and around 5 amp for it's DC motor to work. The DC motor has gearbox to increase it's torque. The DC motor is a 555 DC motor. Bellow is the schematic diagram for the electrical circuit with an emergency stop switch.

Schematic

Steps for assembling the electrical system

Step 1:-

Building Aluminum Faceplate for Stop Switch. For building Aluminum faceplate for attaching stop switch in it. We first drill holes in each corner for screwing four screw through that hole on the wooden plank on the PCB cutter. After that we make a large hole at the center which allows the stop switch to be attached. As shown in Video bellow.

community.element14.com/.../VID_2D00_20250330_2D00_WA0003.mp4

Know we check weather the stop switch can pass through hole or not. Which is shown in the video bellow.

community.element14.com/.../VID_2D00_20250330_2D00_WA0000.mp4

Step 2:-

In this step, we are going to Drill a hole on the wooden plank of the PCB cutter. So that the bottom part of the Stop Switch can pass through it. Video bellow shows, how we have drilled holes on the plank.

community.element14.com/.../VID_2D00_20250330_2D00_WA0001.mp4

Step 3:-

In this step, we will attach stop switch to the wooden Plank of the PCB cutter. Shown in video bellow

community.element14.com/.../VID_2D00_20250330_2D00_WA0004.mp4

Step 4:-

In this step we connect the line connector provided by TE on the PCB cutter as shown in video bellow.

community.element14.com/.../VID_2D00_20250330_2D00_WA0002.mp4

Step 5:-

In this step we do the wiring as provided in the Schematic diagram above.

Retraining Object Detection Model

dixonselvan — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 12:17:34 GMT

Intelligent Extra Arm

Retraining the model

Adding to the last forum discussion, in this, I'll like to cover up on the retraining of the previously created object detection model. I followed below steps before retraining the model.

I added more images of the different electronic components like resistor, capacitor, diode etc. Also, focused on adding more than one component in an image.
Also, I limited the bounding boxes excluding the lead terminals. Below are the before and after images. Labels are case-sensitive, so make sure to name them uniformly.
Moved failed images in testing dataset to training dataset and then to replace the gap added even more similar testing data. Under 'Model Testing' you can click on the three vertical dots against the data which you would like to move and select 'Move to training set' option.

After the above changes, I clicked on the 'Retrain model' option. The updated dataset was fed to the model, it was then trained and tested. Below screenshot shows the final outcome.

Compared to previous, it is now able to identify two components in a single image.

But there is still room for further fine tuning and re-training. As can be seen in below classification output, capacitor is classified as resistor also.

Forum - Recent Threads

Intelligent Extra Arm (IEA) grabs an iPhone for the prize

Winners - Shift It! Warehouse Automation Design Challenge

Shift it, Stack it, and Count it using TE Connectivity!

Winner taifur

Runner Up dixonselvan

Intelligent Extra Arm (IEA)

Finisher Prizes

- Due to issues with Parts and Shipping we have chosen to support the people who worked hard on this project and were not able to complete - manojroy123

rahulkhanna

dwinhold

Thank you for your patience and work in this project. The Prizes

The Kit

The Judges

I wan't to complain about emergency stop switch ?

Reuse the stepper and frame of DVD Player

1 Introduction

2 Stepper driver with ADI TM5272

Key Features & Advantages

3 Parts from Old DVD Player

Core Idea

Key Components to Salvage

Benefits of This Approach

Challenges & Limitations

Working with TE Connectivity Connectors

Porting GRBL 1.1 to MKR wifi 1010

1 GRBL and G-code

2 Incompatible platorm for open-grbl

3 There are good software for g-code sender

Implement G-code on MKR WiFi 1010 Using Arduino

1 Arduino with MKR Wifi 1010

2 G-code

3 Implement G-code in arduino

Integrating Blynk to Arduino MKR WiFi 1010

Test Drive of the Robot Base

Making a Moving Robot Base

System software for checking motor temperature and for giving appropriate sound indication

Robotic Arm - Assembly, Wiring and Programming

Intelligent Extra Arm

Robotic Arm

Assembly

Wiring

Programming

Case

I was able to fixed the wire resistance

soldering eternal wire was giving absurd resistance on RTD temperature sensor

Interfacing the Grove Air Quality and DHT11 sensor with the Arduino MKR WiFi 1010 Board

RTD P1000 wire was picking noise and is giving unsuitable reading

How to convert RTD sensor voltage to Temperature.

Updating and testing of buzzer and temperature sensor

I am using this buzzer but it is not generating sound

Setting up temperature sensor and buzzer

Can anyone help me in setting up thermocouple with mkr wif 1010

TE Connectivity Connectors and MKR wiifi 1010

1 Brief

2 TE Connectivity Connectors

3 MKR wiifi 1010

4 Summary

On posting your updates and naming them

[Forum #2 Shifted Design challenge] Setting up electrical and safety system for PCB cutter.

Retraining Object Detection Model

Intelligent Extra Arm

Retraining the model

- Due to issues with Parts and Shipping we have chosen to support the people who worked hard on this project and were not able to complete -

manojroy123

Thank you for your patience and work in this project.

The Prizes