Here are some best Arduino board for projects
There are a lot of Arduino board variants, the differences between them are highlighted here. And for beginners, we will also help you in choosing the right board to get started with your projects.
What is Arduino?Â
Arduino is used for making computers that can interact with the environment with the help of various sensors and control devices like lights, motors, etc.
It is an open-source platform based on microcontrollers. All the resources for the board including the design files, CAD files, etc are free and open to all. This means anyone can modify it according to their need. Arduino was designed to provide a cheap and easy way for students and professionals to create devices and projects using a microcontroller that can interact with the physical environment.
Arduino is very famous among makers, students, and enthusiasts with its simple design. It has two segments: 1. a hardware part including the Arduino board and 2. a software part which includes the Arduino IDE. The IDE is a simple software for writing Arduino programs. The Arduino is so popular because It is easy and simple to use and program.
What you can do with Arduino?Â
Arduino is very flexible, you can make almost anything for your projects. It can be easily connected to various sensors and equipment like fire sensors, obstacle sensors, presence detectors, gyroscope sensors, humidity sensors, GPS modules, GSM Modules, or anything that you want for your dream project. You can find many Arduino projects on Google and in the Arduino hacks section of the Arduino website.
Arduino was designed to provide an inexpensive and easy way for students and professionals to create microcontroller computers that can interact with the physical environment.
The best introduction to Arduino for beginners You can kick start your first Arduino projects with the help of an e-book, YouTube videos, and the Arduino official website.
How to select the Best Arduino board for your needs?Â
Since Arduino is an open-source platform anyone can make Arduino-compatible boards. Many such kinds of similar boards are available in the market like the FreeDuino and NetDuino. To differentiate between the original boards and the compatible models is to look for the trade name on the board. The name Arduino is trademarked and reserved. These boards are made by the original parent company in Italy. All compatible Arduino boards look the same but the trademarked one is the original one.
The best way to get cheap Arduino boards is to buy them online from sites like eBay, Amazon, Sparkfun, Aliexpress, etc. They are also available in local electronics stores, you can buy from there.
Along with the Arduino Uno, you can start to Arduino world.
While purchasing you should look at the following stuff
1.) NameÂ
2.) Processor
3.) Operating Voltage
4.)CPU Speed
5.) Analog In/ Out
6.) Digital IO/ PWM
7.) EEPROM
8.) SRAM (KB)
9.) Flash (KB)
10.) UART
Here are some Best Arduino board you should look
1. Arduino Uno
2. ATmega328 | 5 V/7-12 V | 16MHz |
3. Due | AT91SAM3X8E | 3.3 V/7-12 V | 84 MHz |Â
4. Leonardo | ATmega32u4 | 5 V/7-12 V / 16MHz /
5. Mega 2560 | ATmega2560 | 5 V/7-12 V | 16MHz |
6. Mega ADK | ATmega2560 | 5 V/7-12 V | 16MHz |
7. Micro | ATmega32u4 | 5 V/7-12 V | 16MHz |
8. Mini | ATmega328 | 5 V/7-9 V | 16MHz |
9. Nano | ATmega168 ATmega328 | 5 V/7-9 V | 16MHz |
10. Ethernet | ATmega328 | 5 V/7-12 V | 16MHz |
11. Esplora | ATmega32u4 | 5 V/7-12 V | 16MHz |
12. ArduinoBT | ATmega328 | 5 V/2.5-12 V | 16MHz |
13. Fio | ATmega328P | 3.3 V/3.7-7 V | 8MHz |Â
14. Pro (168) | ATmega168 | 3.3 V/3.35-12 V | 8MHz |
15. Pro (328) | ATmega328 | 5 V/5-12 V | 16MHz |
16. Pro Mini | ATmega168 | 3.3 V/3.35-12 V 5 V/5-12 V | 8MHz 16MHz|
17. LilyPad | ATmega168V ATmega328V | 2.7-5.5 V/2.7-5.5 V | 8MHz |Â
18. LilyPad USB | ATmega32u4 | 3.3 V/3.8-5V | 8MHz |
19. LilyPad Simple | ATmega328 | 2.7-5.5 V/2.7-5.5 V | 8MHz |
20. LilyPad SimpleSnap | ATmega328 | 2.7-5.5 V/2.7-5.5 V | 8MHz |
21. Yun | ATmega32u4 | 5 V | 16MHz |
It is best to get started with the most commonly used versions such as the Arduino Uno, Arduino Mega or the Arduino Mini, as these have greater support available online than others.
Let’s Compare the basic three versions:
Arduino Uno: If you are a beginner trying to get into the world of Arduino, the best option for you would be the Arduino Uno R3 which costs around 500.Rs. this Arduino has 14 Digital pins and 6 Analog pins. So you have a total of 20 GPIO pins (General Purpose Input Output pins), which is good enough for much of the beginner and intermediate level projects. It has a pair of Rx and Tx pins to connect Serial Communication Devices. We can define a separate pair of Rx and Tx pins.
The Arduino Uno R3 has two models 1. the normal version and 2.SMD version. In the SMD version, there is an Atmega328 controller IC. Since in SMD chip is soldered into the board but in the normal version, the IC is on an IC Holder. The better option for beginners is, to begin with, the Normal version.
If you damage your controller IC accidentally while working on your project, you can restore normal working by just replacing the IC. If you have an SMD Arduino, then you may end up replacing the Arduino board if you get the IC damaged.
Arduino Mini:
If you want a cheaper or smaller size, then Arduino mini is best. mini has all the functionalities of the Arduino Uno in a smaller size and cheaper price. It has a length of about 3cm, it is suitable for projects like small robots. But in the mini version, the controller IC is mounted on the board surface.
Arduino recently announced two Nano boards, the Nano 33 BLE and BLE Sense which come with onboard sensors.
Arduino Mega:
 For a big Arduino project which has a lot of wires running all around and requires more than 20 pins. you can opt for an Arduino mega.
For example, you are working on a 5×5 LED Cube which has a total of 30 inputs. Then the Arduino Uno or the Mini is insufficient with 20GPIO pins. In this case, you may either use a Decoder IC74595 to increase the number of pins or you may buy an Arduino Mega which is a good option.
To make your project simple and easy Arduino Mega 2560 can be used. It has 4 pairs of Tx and Rx pins to connect more serial communication devices.
Arduino Lilypad:
 This variant of the Arduino board is specially used for Arduino projects which are embedded in clothes. Here, the board is designed in such a way that it can be easily stitched onto textiles and fabrics. There are specially designed sensors and components available for this board. Here, a special conductive thread is used instead of connecting wires. So Arduino Lilypad is the best option if you want to integrate the circuit into your clothing.
If you are making a sensor mounted on your hands then you should use Lilypad.
Conclusion:
Uno and Mini are best for small and simple Arduino projects depending upon the size and cost limits. For more pins or serial communication devices to be processed with the same controller the Arduino Mega is always better. As a beginner, the Arduino Uno is the most recommended board to get started with your Arduino.
L293D Pin Diagram, Working and Interfacing of L293D with Arduino
