A Number One Choice
The Arduino Uno is one of the most commonly used Arduinos currently in production. Its name was chosen to mark the release of the first version of Arduino IDE software, and it’s the first reference model of the entire Arduino platform. With 14 digital input/output pins, 6 analog inputs, a 16 MHz ceramic resonator, an onboard voltage regulator, and a user-replaceable ATMega328p chip, no extra hardware is required to use the Arduino. Just plug it in and play!
It’s a great device for beginners due to its ease of use and the plethora of documentation, tutorials, and guides around on the web. Head to a maker space or library, and chances are there will be a class using an Arduino Uno as its learning platform. Read on for a couple of projects to get you started! Once you master this list, you can move on to our list of the The Best Arduino Uno Projects.
And a final note, when we list what you’ll need for each project, we’ve just summarized the most important components, so don’t forget to check the full bills of materials. Now let’s get to the list!
Heart Rate and Blood Oximetery Sensor
This project makes our hearts beat faster! Using the spectacular MAX30102 chip, you can get a reading of your pulse and blood oximetry (oxygen saturation) just from your finger.
This project shows you how to interface the chip with an Arduino Uno, along with a nifty OLED readout and buzzer to get a fully functioning heart rate sensor. A comprehensive wiring guide, programming code, and explanations can be found on the Hackster project page below.
- Who designed it: SurtrTech
- What you’ll need: Adafruit OLED 128×32, buzzer, MAX30102 chip
- Where to get it: Hackster
SMARS
Get your start in robotics with the Screwless Modular Assemblable Robotic System, or SMARS for short. It’s an easy-to-build robot that you can upgrade piece by piece. The basic model runs on two 150 RPM brushed motors as a wheeled robot, but sports an Arduino Uno as its main controller. Mods and upgrades are aplenty; turn your robot from a small car to a quadraped, a firefighting robot, or a forklift!
The SMARS community is quite large and even has its own fan page, SMARSFan. There, you’ll find step-by-step instructions on how to print, assemble, and code your SMARS robot, with no prior experience needed!
- Who designed it: tristomietitoredeituit
- What you’ll need: 9V battery, 150 RPM brushed motors, 3D printed chassis
- Where to get it: SMARSFan
Cardboard Robot Arm
While this robot arm won’t be winning any prizes for strength or sturdiness, when it comes to price and ease of creation, this one takes the cake! Using simple cardboard and hot glue, this project takes you through the basics of creating a robot arm for pennies. The arm can swing on three axes and even has a gripper to pick up some red solo cups!
The tutorial takes you through programming a computer interface to control your robot arm. Different sliders are used to change the position of each joint of the arm, and you can record each position and play them back. No fancy tools necessary here!
Want to take the project further? Replacing the cardboard joints with 3D printed limbs or upgrade the servo motors for more strength.
- Who designed it: Ryan Chan
- What you’ll need: SG90 servos, 5V power supply
- Where to get it: Hackster
Weather Station
This weather station is a fun project with a real impact. With the Wunderground weather station network, a distributed community-driven project that can provide local weather data, maker Dan Feinintegrated their data using an Uno and a few other items.
It’s simple to assemble and using the Wunderground analytics, all the heavy lifting is done for you. Temperature, humidity, and UV levels are collected and uploaded straight to the Wunderground platform through a Wi-Fi connection on a CC3000 shield! Additionally, a full wiring guide and code are available on GitHub.
- Who designed it: Dan Fein
- What you’ll need: SparkFun CC3000 Wi-Fi shield, BMP085 barometer, DHT22 temperature sensor, SI1145 UV sensor
- Where to get it: Arduino Project Hub
Line-Following Robot
Line-following robots are a staple in the robotics beginner projects handbook. You’ll learn how to read sensor values, adjust actuators based on those sensor values, and work with motors and simple logic, all in an easy-to-visualize problem set.
This project takes you through the step-by-step process of understanding how the robot will work. Three other Instructables users have had success with this tutorial, even when using different frames and materials for the body. There’s also a YouTube video detailing the project from start to finish, if you’re more of a visual learner.
- Who designed it: Aarav G
- What you’ll need: L293D motor shield, IR proximity sensors, AA batteries
- Where to get it: Instructables
Door Lock
This RFID (radio-frequency identification) project turns your boring old door lock into a card tapping entrance system! With the RC522 RFID reader, you can keep track of RFID tags and unlock your door.
User MertArduino has made this project easy to replicate with a well-laid-out wiring diagram and explanation video. Everything is ready for you to assemble with pre-written code that can be adjusted and modified to your liking.
- Who designed it: MertArduino
- What you’ll need: RC522, 12V solenoid door lock, 12V relays
- Where to get it: Hackster
Stranger Things Lights
Send a message straight from the Upside Down! In this project, user bxl4662 has recreated a scene from the hit show Stranger Things where Joyce Byers receives a message from her son from an alternate dimension! Good to undertake any time of the year, this project would be especially cool when added to some Halloween decorations.
The individually addressable RGB lights make this project great for beginners. With a bit of code, each LED is assigned to a letter. A word or phrase is then selected to be displayed, and the RGB LED that’s associated with each letter is turned on in sequence. With some creepy fonts up on the wall, this project is a faithful recreation of the show. Five Instructable users have even recreated their own light show with their own customized messages!
- Who designed it: bxl4662
- What you’ll need: WS2811 LEDs, 9V power supply
- Where to get it: Instructables
RGB Hex Matrix
With a 3D printer, some WS2811 RGB LED strips, and an Arduino Uno, you could make your very own RGB LED art piece. Unlike traditional RGB matrices that typically have square pixels, this one is made of triangular units, giving it an interesting and futuristic look.
All the code and STL files have been provided, so it’s as simple as printing, plugging in, and playing! Looking for an upgrade? Simply swap the microcontroller from your Uno to the ESP8266 and this RGB matrix will become a Wi-Fi-enabled clock!
- Who designed it: Mukesh Sankhla
- What you’ll need: WS2811 strips, 5V power supply, 3D printed parts
- Where to get it: Hackaday
LED Stair Lights
No longer will you need to choose between blinding yourself with the lights or stumbling blindly down the stairs for a midnight snack. User snikogos has created a guide to upgrading your stairs with these automatic stair lights.
The way it works is that a length of WS2812B lighting is connected to a few PIR (passive infrared) sensors to detect when someone’s foot is close to the stairs. Then, your Arduino Uno sends a signal to turn on the LED strips. If you’d like to attempt the same with your stairs, snikogos’ guide features plenty of wiring information and example code.
- Who designed it: snikogos
- What you’ll need: WS2812B strips, PIR motion sensor, 5V power supply
- Where to get it: Instructables
Dual-Axis Camera Controller
Setting up your camera at the right angle for the perfect shot can be a pain. With this project, you’ll be able to move your camera so your subject is always in the shot!
Based on a simple two-axis, servo-driven cradle, the only parts you’ll need aside from your camera are an Arduino, two servos, and a joystick to control the assembly.
This is a simple project with great payoff and a lot of potential. Attach a Wi-Fi module to control the camera over the web, or strap a nerf blaster to the cradle for perfectly aimed shots. The possibilities are endless!
- Who designed it: SurtrTech
- What you’ll need: SG90 servos, joystick module
- Where to get it: Arduino Project Hub
Lead image source: Harrison Broadbent via Unsplash
License: The text of "The 10 Best Arduino Uno Projects for Beginners" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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