Arduino Uno
The brain
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CONTROL LAB
PICTOBLOX + ARDUINO UNO
01 / 18
FROM BLOCKS TO REAL-WORLD HARDWARE
LET'S MAKE
LIGHT!
Control a real LED using PictoBlox + Arduino Uno
“
Today, you're not just learning code... You're going to control something in the real world!
WHEN FLAG CLICKED
∞UNO
READY TO BUILD
01 / TODAY'S MISSION
YOUR MISSION
By the end of this practical, you will be able to:
- ✓Connect an LED to Arduino
- ✓Connect Arduino to PictoBlox
- ✓Use a digital output
- ✓Write your first hardware block program
- ✓Turn a real LED ON
BIG CHALLENGE
CAN YOU MAKE
THE LED LIGHT UP?
02 / THE BIG IDEA
WHAT IS PICTOBLOX?
PictoBlox is a block-based programming environment that lets us control hardware using visual programming blocks.
PictoBloxBUILD THE COMMAND
Arduino UnoRECEIVE THE COMMAND
LEDDOES THE ACTION
We don't need to type complicated code yet. We can build our instructions using blocks.
03 / GET READY
OUR TOOLS
Everything we need for our first hardware mission.
LED
Our light
220Ω Resistor
Protects the LED
Breadboard
Helps us build
Jumper wires
Connect everything
Computer
Runs PictoBlox
04 / KNOW YOUR COMPONENT
KNOW YOUR LED
An LED has two legs. Their lengths help us connect it the right way.
LONG LEG = POSITIVE (+)
Connects toward Arduino Pin 8
SHORT LEG = NEGATIVE (−)
Connects through a resistor to GND
LONG LEG
SHORT LEG
05 / PROTECT THE LIGHT
WHY THE RESISTOR?
Arduino
LED
Resistor220Ω
GND
GND!
WITHOUT THE RESISTOR
The LED can receive too much current.
✓
WITH THE RESISTOR
The LED is protected.
06 / BUILD THE CIRCUIT
CONNECT THE LED
Follow the path: output pin to light, light to protection, protection to ground.
01Long leg → Arduino Pin 8
02Short leg → 220Ω resistor
03Resistor → GND
PIN 8
GND
UNO
07 / GO ONLINE
LET'S CONNECT!
1
Connect Arduino Uno to the computer.
2
Open PictoBlox.
3
Select: Arduino Uno
4
Select the correct serial port. Example: COM12
5
Click: Connect
Device connection
Arduino Uno⌄
COM12⌄
CONNECTED!
UNO
08 / SPEAK ARDUINO
MEET THE DIGITAL PIN
Arduino has pins that can be controlled by our program. For this project, we use Pin 8.
8
↓
HIGHsend power↓
ON
8
↓
LOWstop power↓
OFF
09 / WRITE THE FIRST COMMAND
OUR FIRST BLOCK
This tells Arduino: “Send HIGH to Pin 8.”
WHEN GREEN FLAG CLICKED
SET DIGITAL PIN 8 TO HIGH
UNO
PIN 8 → LED → ON
10 / YOUR TURN
NOW YOU TRY!
PictoBlox workspace●
BUILD YOUR BLOCK STACK HERE+
LOOK→FIND→DRAG→CONNECT→RUN
Can you find the block that controls a digital pin?
11 / THE BIG MOMENT
RUN YOUR PROGRAM!
●
GREEN FLAGUNO
ARDUINO UNO8
PIN 8LED LIGHTS UP!
DID YOUR LED TURN ON?
✓YES
You just controlled hardware!
⌁NO?
Check your wiring and COM port.
12 / SWITCH IT
NOW LET'S TURN IT OFF
Change one word in the block: HIGH becomes LOW.
WHEN GREEN FLAG CLICKED
SET DIGITAL PIN 8 TO LOW
HIGH = ON→LOW = OFF
LED → OFF
13 / CHALLENGE MODE
YOUR FIRST CHALLENGE
Can you make the LED follow this rhythm?
ON for 2 seconds
↓
OFF for 2 seconds
↓
↻REPEAT
✦
VISUAL HINT
HIGH → WAIT → LOW → WAIT
14 / SOLUTION REVEAL
YOUR FIRST AUTOMATIC LIGHT
FOREVER
SET PIN 8 → HIGH
WAIT 2 SECONDS
SET PIN 8 → LOW
WAIT 2 SECONDS
↻
BLINKING CONTINUOUSLY
15 / QUICK RECAP
THINK LIKE A PROGRAMMER
01
What does HIGH mean?
ON02
What does LOW mean?
OFF03
Which pin did we use?
PIN 804
What does the resistor do?
PROTECTS THE LED05
What does PictoBlox do?
PROGRAMS ARDUINO USING BLOCKS16 / KEEP EXPLORING
WHAT CAN WE BUILD NEXT?
Traffic light
Smart doorbell
Security alarm
Distance sensor
Automatic night light
Robot
This tiny LED is your first step into robotics.
MISSION COMPLETE
YOU DID IT!
PictoBlox
→Arduino Uno
→LED
BLOCKS → CODE → CIRCUIT → REAL WORLD
You didn't just make an LED light up.
You gave a computer the power to control the physical world.
NEXT MISSIONBUILD A TRAFFIC LIGHT!