Circuit's Blog :
Return to BlogPharmacy Cross Using LEDs
Posted Feb 09, 2012 at 11:09 am
Figure 1
The project utilizes several LEDs to create a Pharmacy cross which are usually found in pharmacy entrance so they can be seen easily from distance.
The device involves the use microchip ATmega64 microcontroller for customizing the project to make it look more cool and hi-tech. The LEDs are in a 5×7 matrix along with three ULN2003 that contains seven Darlington arrays. The circuit does not require several components. The whole operation depends on the functionality of the microcontroller which contains the programming sequence.
The messages were meant to be received by the circuit in this design by passing through a serial interface that is connected from a computer and will be later displayed. A custom terminal has been designed for windows that will provide an easy access to the display during the process. The data between the terminal and the ATmega64 microcontroller is being transmitted with the use of a wire from a serial interface. This is done during the testing phase of the project.
During the operation, the LEDs are not really bright when they light up. To achieve better illumination, the positive rails should be provided with drivers especially for bigger LEDs.
Comments on this post:
Featured Products
Sullins Connectors
Wire-to-board interconnection options from Sullins feature a wide range of sizes and applications
MCC Voltage Suppressors
MCC’s TVS series high-power suppressors protect sensitive components from voltage spikes and transients
Bourns RS-485 Eval Boards
Evaluation boards that streamline evaluating circuit protection on RS-485 serial device ports
2 years ago: I would like to try this on my mini food canteen but is it necessary to use the ATmega64 microcontroller or whatever microchip? What is the benefit of using it?