I got an arduino uno 2 years ago and I only made a hardware pomodoro timer with it and never got the time again to work on projects with it.
Unfortunately I have moved on from embedded programming to fpga so I’m struggling to find a use for it.
I’m planning to get a raspberry pi 5 for my homelab setup at my college dorm and I’m just thinking of a way to use my arduino as I don’t like to see it going to waste.
Did anyone use their arduino for any kind of homelab project? Or do you have any ideas for me?
Make a primitive version of a HEWLETT PACKARD 53131A 225 MHz UNIVERSAL COUNTER.
It would handle only logic levels signals and have nowhere near the range, and maybe only one channel and be nowhere near the instrument which is the HP.
But if you haven't any such thing, even a primitive knock-off would pay for itself.
And it's a nice little project to get carried away by.
Yes, I have solved some problems/needs for the house, so now I will try to list some projects here. But you need to identify your specific needs and then figure out what you could solve with Arduino.
My very first one (can't say how many years ago, I think more than 6) was a water level monitor for an old espresso machine using an ulrasonic sensor to detect the water level from the top lid (thus, no need to put anything inside water),
I wrote an Instructable you can find here:
I changed my espresso machine, but this device has been working for years.
Another project was an IR remote sender via WiFi to change the set top box channels (SkyQ in my case) from the kitchen where I have just video and audio because the current audio/video/remote sender/receiver has a very weak IR remote signal.
Keys are detected from kitchen remote, sent via WiFi client local as UDP packets to a living room "WiFi receiver" which decodes the received key to the corresponding IR signal, and finally sends it via local IR LED pointed to the box to change channels, play/pause/ffw recordings etcetera.
This project is quite specific to my requirements, but it could be used as an example for any kinda remote IR transmission/decoding.
Another project was a Boeing 737NG lights panel for Flight Simulator X for my son, this is the Instructable if you want to know more or peek the project details:
It includes some tips and hints about how control many regular (ON-OFF, ON-ON or ON-OFF-ON) 1-way lever switches and rotary switches with a small Arduino Nano.
Another project is a photovoltaic production monitor. A current sensor clamp is applied to the inverter output, read by an Arduino, shown locally over an LCD and sent via WiFi as UDP packets (I use a WeMos D1 not an arduino UNO). I have another WeMos D1 inside my house receiving the UDP packets, showing the current power over an LCD and stored the data via FTP on a file stored in my NAS to let me make production statistics.
That's it for now, I hope I've given you some possible ideas and inspiration for your own useful project.
Pretty good ideas so far but from what I’ve looked up so far, I couldn’t find anything either that would be directly useful for me besides just making a project.
I think I’m gonna donate this Arduino to some kids who need it.
The microcontroller limitations are too much for me to use it for my actual real life use
I have Raspberry Pi devices collecting dust and spend my time programming microcontrollers. I don’t know how someone could “move on” from Arduino devices. There are reasons why so many microcontrollers are manufactured and installed in circuits every day. One of those is the quality of the real-time control provided by microcontrollers. Another is the low power consumption of them. For software reliability, Arduino Uno trumps Linux due to simplicity and task focus.
Now, I am understanding of people choosing to focus their time on computers with operating systems and email access. Those devices have been optimized for their respective applications. Always important to choose the optimal tool for the intended use.
Your Arduino Uno could be used for a reliable alarm clock for your dorm room. I promise it will never be automatically installing updates instead of waking you.