Alpha Plus board Arduino Uno Compatible for Robotics Development and DIY Projects

Description

Alpha Plus board Arduino Uno Compatible for Robotics Development and DIY Projects

Guaranteed by UGE Electronics

The UGE Alpha PLUS is an enhanced, Arduino UNO-compatible development board designed for DIY robotics and other creative projects. Built around the ATMega328P microcontroller with an UNO bootloader, it integrates various peripherals to save time and maximize productivity. The onboard CH340C USB-to-UART chip facilitates seamless code uploading and serial communication.

Key Features:

• Microcontroller: ATMega328P with UNO bootloader.
• USB Interface: CH340C for easy code uploads and communication.
• Power Options: USB, 7-12V DC Terminal Connector, or DC Jack.
• Motor Control: Built-in L293DD dual motor driver for two motors plus an auxiliary motor.
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, NRF24L01, I2C/OLED headers, and dedicated sensor headers (ultrasonic, IR, flame, servo).
• IR Receiver: 38KHz with jumper for connection control.
• Buzzer: Connect/disconnect via jumper.
• Voltage Regulator: AMS1117 3.3V, 800mA LDO.
• Pin Headers: Rich analog and digital headers with power pins.

Detailed Features:

• Power Options: Equipped with DC jack and terminal block for flexible power input, with reverse polarity protection via a diode. A 78M05 regulator supplies stable current.
• USB to UART: Built-in CH340C USB-to-UART converter with TX/RX indicator LEDs for programming ease.
• Arduino UNO Compatibility: Same form factor and female headers as the Arduino UNO, ensuring shield compatibility while managing shared pins for onboard peripherals.
• Easy Sensor Connections: All ATmega328 GPIO pins are routed to color-coded male headers with Signal, VCC, and GND, allowing easy sensor connections without expansion shields.
• Configurable Buzzer: Buzzer connected to D2 with a jumper, allowing enable/disable functionality.
• Infrared (IR) Receiver: 38kHz IR receiver on A2 with a jumper for connection control.
• OLED Display Header: 4-pin header for OLED display on A4 (SDA) and A5 (SCL) for I2C.
• Bluetooth Module Header: 4-pin header for HC-05 Bluetooth module on D0 (RX) and D1 (TX). Remove during programming to avoid UART conflict.
• Dual DC Motor Driver: L293DD motor driver for two DC motors.
  • Motor Speed Control: EN1 (D3) for Motor1 and EN2 (D5) for Motor2 using PWM with analogWrite().
  • Motor Direction Control: Motor1 direction via D6 and Motor2 direction via D7, with NOT gate logic to save pins.
• Auxiliary Motor Driver Output: A medium-power NPN transistor is connected to D2 (shared with the buzzer) for driving auxiliary DC loads (motors, pumps, solenoids, lamps). A dedicated 2-pin jumper enables/disables the output.
• NRF24L01 Wireless Header: Header for NRF24L01 wireless transceiver module, enabling wireless communication with other boards or RC remotes that use the NRF24 module.

Usage:

UGE Alpha PLUS is perfect for makers, hobbyists, and students working on robotics, automation, and IoT projects. The board’s extensive peripheral support allows for quick prototyping and flexible integration of various modules and sensors. Whether controlling motors, reading sensor data, or adding wireless connectivity, UGE UNO PLUS offers a versatile platform for a wide range of creative applications.

UGE UNO PLUS Getting Started Guide

1. Install the Arduino IDE:

• Download and install the latest version of the Arduino IDE from the official website.
• Ensure that the CH340C driver is installed to allow communication between your UGE UNO PLUS and your computer. The driver can be found here for different operating systems.

2. Connect the Board:

• Use a USB cable to connect your UGE Alpha PLUS to your computer.
• The board can also be powered via the DC Jack (7-12V) or the Terminal Connector if needed.

3. Select the Board and Port:

• Open the Arduino IDE.
• Go to Tools > Board and select “Arduino Uno.”
• Go to Tools > Port and choose the appropriate COM port for your board.

4. Upload a Sample Sketch:

• In the Arduino IDE, go to File > Examples > Basics > Blink.
• Click the “Upload” button to upload the sketch to your board.
• The onboard LED (usually connected to pin 13) should start blinking.

5. Using the Peripherals:

• Motor Control: Connect motors to the L293DD motor driver terminals, and use the relevant Arduino pins (as per the onboard labeling) to control motor speed and direction.
• Bluetooth: Attach a Bluetooth module to the dedicated 4-pin header. Use the UART pins for communication (TX/RX).
• IR Remote: The IR receiver is connected to a specific digital pin. Include the IRremote library in your sketch to use this feature.
• Sensors: Connect sensors to the dedicated 3-pin headers (GND-VCC-SIG) and use corresponding analog/digital pins in your sketches.

6. Working with I2C/OLED:

• Connect an OLED display or any I2C device to the 4-pin I2C header.
• Use the Wire library for I2C communication.

7. Using the NRF24L01 Module:

• Plug the NRF24L01 module into the dedicated header.
• Use the RF24 library to communicate with other NRF24L01 devices.

8. Upload Custom Sketches:

• Write your own Arduino code or modify existing examples to suit your project.
• Test the code by uploading and monitoring the serial output using the Arduino IDE’s Serial Monitor.

9. Power Management:

• The board includes an onboard AMS1117 LDO regulator providing 3.3V. Ensure your peripherals do not exceed the 800mA limit.

10. Explore Additional Features:

• Experiment with controlling the onboard buzzer and IR receiver via their respective jumpers.
• Use the available pin headers for quick prototyping and sensor integration.

Here’s a simple example code to drive a buzzer connected to pin D2 on your UGE UNO PLUS board:

Explanation:

• This code makes the buzzer sound on and off at 1-second intervals.
• pinMode(buzzerPin, OUTPUT); sets pin D2 as an output.
• digitalWrite(buzzerPin, HIGH); activates the buzzer.
• digitalWrite(buzzerPin, LOW); deactivates the buzzer.

Upload this sketch to your UGE Alpha PLUS board, and the buzzer will start beeping (remember you should put the short block to enable the buzzer sound).

Files to Downloads:

Arduino uno software download

If you use old windows and need the CH340 driver for our UGE Alpha PLUS By UGE Electronics instead of the Arduino Uno Rev3  you can get it from CH340  USB to UART Driver software download