Geek Girl's Guide to Electronics and the Internet of Things

Audrey O'Shea is a professional educator. Her fascination with how things work began as a child and in high school she found herself as the only girl in what would now be called the electronics club. After a successful career in information technology, she turned to teaching and has taught courses in computer technology, electrical theory and practice for energy workers, general electronics, and other related fields. She holds a variety of computer industry certifications and is a member of the Phi-Kappa-Phi honor society, and active in helping young women prepare for STEM careers.

• Introduction xxiiiPart I IoT and Electricity Basics 1Chapter 1 IoT and Electronics 3IoT in a Nutshell 4Parts of an IoT System 4Devices 4Sensors 5Circuits, Software, and Microprocessors 6Communication 7Levels 7Protocols and Standards 7Data Analytics and Management 8The User Experience 8Challenges in Implementing IoT 9IoT into the Future 9Chapter 2 Electricity: Its Good and Bad Behavior 11Try This: Creating Some Static 11Levitate a Styrofoam Plate 12Bend Water 12Creating Light with Static 12Magically Move a Styrofoam Ball 13Electricity at an Atomic Level 14Conductors and Insulators 15Characteristics of Electricity 17Current 18Voltage 18Resistance 19Induction and Conduction 19Try This: Creating a Simple Breadboard Circuit 21Light-Emitting Diodes 28Jumper Wires 28Building the Circuit 29The Basic Circuit 31Ohm’s Law 31Resistor Values and Voltage Dividers 32Opens and Shorts 35Circuit Protection Devices 36Fuses 36Circuit Breakers 37Bigger is Not Better 38Chapter 3 Symbols and Diagrams 39Types of Diagrams 39Schematic Symbols 41So Many Switches! 43Drawing Your Circuit 48Try This: Adding a Switch and Creating a Schematic 48Chapter 4 Introduction to the Arduino Uno 53What is Arduino? 53The Arduino Board 54Analog vs. Digital 60The Arduino IDE 62Try This: Creating a Simple Arduino-Controlled Circuit 65What Went Wrong? 69What Does the Code Mean? 69Setup 70Void 71Try This: Changing Pins 71Try This: Creating Arduino Running Lights 72Try This: Adding a Switch to Your Circuit 74Try This: Using the Serial Monitor 78Chapter 5 Dim the Lights 83Using a Multimeter 84Try This: Repurposing a Power Supply 86Measuring Voltage, Current, and Resistance 88Measuring Voltage 89Measuring Current 89Measuring Resistance 90Continuity 90Try This: Dimming the Lights 91Try This: Measuring Circuit Values 93Using Arduino to Measure Electricity 95Try This: Using an Arduino Voltmeter 95Try This: Using an Arduino Ohmmeter 100Try This: Using an Arduino Ammeter 102Try This: Using an Arduino Continuity Tester 107Try This: Building a Dimmable Arduino Camp Light 109Soldering, Perfboards, and Shrink Tubing 115Soldering 115Perfboards 117Shrink Tubing 118Chapter 6 Feel the Power 121Watt’s Law and the Power Wheel 121Datasheets 122The Power Wheel 123Watts and Horsepower 123Horsepower 124Efficiency 124Battery Power 124The Other Resistor Value 125Wattmeters 126Wattmeter 126Power Distribution 127Try This: Using an Arduino Wattmeter 128Setting Up the LCD Screen 129Component Connections 130The Test Sketch 132Troubleshooting 132Building the Wattmeter 133Building the Wattmeter 133Building the Test Circuit 134Configuring the LCD 135Programming the Meter 138Chapter 7 Series and Parallel Circuits 143Series, Parallel, and Complex Circuits 143Try This: Testing Series and Parallel Configurations 144Calculating Values in Series and in Parallel 147Current 147Voltage 148Resistance 149Power 149Resistance of a Conductor 150Sources in Series and Parallel 152Sources in Series 152Sources in Parallel 152Aiding and Opposing Sources 153Try This: Calculating Circuit Values 155Calculating the Series Circuit 155What Went Wrong 156Calculating the Parallel Circuit 156What Size Resistor is Needed? 156Calculating the Complex Circuit 157Part II Using Common Components 161Chapter 8 Diodes: The One-Way Street Sign 163Try This: Creating a Simple Polarity Tester 163Determining Polarity Tester Maximum Voltage 165Determining Resistor Needs 166Typical LED Voltages 167Putting It on a Perfbord 167LED Features 168The Inner Workings of Diodes 169Determining Anode and Cathode 171Types of Diodes 172Diode Uses 172Try This: Using a Seven-Segment LED 175Seven-Segment LED 176Bar LED 181Chapter 9 Transistors 187Try This: Using a Transistor as an Amplifier 187The Purpose of Transistors 192Types of Transistors 192Distinguishing Transistor Types 193Determining Transistor Connections 193Bipolar Junction Transistors 193Field Effect Transistors 194Try This: Using a Transistor as a Switch 196Verifying the Data 196Building the Circuit 198Troubleshooting 200Chapter 10 Capacitors 201A Quick Look at Capacitors 201Try This: Creating a Time Delay Circuit 205Capacitor Uses 209Try This: Creating an Astable Multivibrator 210Try This: Using Capacitors in Series and Parallel 213Capacitors in Parallel 214Capacitors in Series 215Chapter 11 The Magic of Magnetism 217The Electricity/Magnetism Relationship 218Magnetism 218Magnetism’s Relationship with Electricity 220Try This: Building an Electromagnet 221Magnetism in Circuits 223Motors and Generators 224Inductors 225Doorbells 227Relays 229Parts of a Relay 230Try This: Building a Relay Oscillator 231Connecting the Coil 231Connecting the Controlled Circuit 233Try This: Setting Up an Emergency Lighting System 234Connecting the Mains Circuit 236Connecting the Backup Circuit 237Chapter is Electricity’s Changing Forms 239Try This: Creating a Water Alarm 239Common Transducers 243Speakers and Microphones 243Light 245Light-Controlled Devices 245Light Output Devices 247Laser Light 250Other Transducers 251Try This: Creating a Night-Light Circuit 252Try This: Creating an Arduino Laser Security System 255Building the Circuit 255How the Voltage Divider Works 260Other Considerations 262Chapter 13 Integrated Circuits and Digital Logic 263Integrated Circuits 263Try This: Creating an Astable Multivibrator 265Determining Circuit Timing 266Examining the IC 267Building the Circuit 268Operational Amplifiers 272Digital Logic 272Logic Chip Construction 273The Binary Number System 274Logic Gates 275Try This: Exploring AND and OR Gates 277The AND Gate 278The OR Gate 280Logic Probes and Oscilloscopes 281Part III More Please 285Chapter 14 Pulse Width Modulation 287Pulse Width Modulation Explained 287Try This: Using a PWM LED Dimmer 289PWM vs. Potentiometer 290Building the Circuit 291Observing the Changing Duty Cycle 295Try This: Using a PWM Motor Control 295Try This: Trying PWM and an Arduino 299Chapter 15 Sources of Electricity 307Chemical Reactions 307Simple Experiment: Making a Voltaic Cell 308Types of Batteries 309Try This: Making a Thermocouple 311Light 312Try This: Displaying PV Output on an Arduino 315Friction 323Magnetism 324Pressure 326Wrapping It Up 326Chapter 16 Transformers and Power Distribution 327What is a Transformer? 327Phase Relationships 330Power and Turns Ratio 331Transformer Losses 332Taps, Autotransformers, and Variacs 334Try This: Verifying Transformer Output 335Alternating Current Values 342Power Distribution Using Transformers 343Chapter 17 Inverters and Rectifiers 345Inverters vs. Rectifiers and Their Uses 345Inverters and PV Systems 346Other Inverter Uses 347Rectifier Uses 348Construction of Inverters 349Try This: Filtering a Circuit 350Setting Up the Circuit 351Filtering the Circuit 353Construction of Rectifiers 355Single-Phase vs. Three-Phase Power 357Try This: Building a Small Variable Power Supply 357Chapter 18 Radio Waves and Tuned Circuits 363Radio Waves 363Try This: Building a Radio Receiver 364Making Waves 369Transmitting Radio Waves 369Receiving Radio Waves 370AM vs. FM 371Try This: Building an Arduino FM Radio 371The Shield 372The Libraries 373Verifying the Radio Works 375Adding Station Tuning 377Tuned Circuits 381Part IV Putting the I in IoT 385Chapter 19 Connecting Your Circuits to the Cloud 387The Arduino IoT Cloud 387Try This: Setting Up Your Device 389Try This: Using Things, Properties, and Widgets 391Chapter 20 Just for Fun 405Electronic Fabrics and Wearables 405Try This: Lighting Up a Teddy Bear 408Paper Circuits 413Try This: Creating a Conductive Paint Circuit 414Try This: Creating a Copper Tape Circuit 416Try This: Building Squishy Circuits 418Chapter 21 What’s Next? 423The World is Your Oyster 423Recommended Reading and Resources 424Words of Encouragement 425Index 427