Design and Implementation of Arduino Microcontroller Based Automatic Lighting Control with I2C LCD Display

Abstract

The project uses closed loop control system to automatically operate a lighting system. It employed Light Dependent Resistor LDR to sense the illumination level and compare the measured signal with the reference voltage realized through the usage of a potentiometer forming a potential divider. It highlights how an operational amplifier can be used as a comparator. This idea was transferred into Arduino Microcontroller. The latter is used to compare the signals using Arduino programming functions. The Arduino is multitasked using millis() to sound alarm at system switch-On or Reset. An i2C is used to interface a Liquid Crystal Display with an advantage of using two analog pins A4 and A5 instead of four or eight I/O pins for four and eight LCD modes respectively. The innovation will allow those I/O pins dedicated to other tasks plus its attendant simplicity. The usage of i2C scanner in identifying i2C programming address as 0 × 3F is explained. The step by step explanation of Arduino codes is an asset. The paper recommends among others further improvement in the display interactivity through robust programming. An alarm could also be made to sound at each switch- over. It is believed that its simplicity will encourage its mass production with its attendant socio economic benefits.