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Article By: Repon Sheikh,  LinkedIn Account The ESP8266 is a powerful and popular Wi-Fi enabled microcontroller, but its true potential is unlocked when you can run multiple processes simultaneously. This is where a Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) becomes invaluable. An RTOS allows a single processor to handle multiple tasks concurrently, which is crucial for applications that need to perform various functions like communication, sensor reading, and user interface updates without interruption. This article introduces a straightforward project that serves as a perfect entry point into the world of RTOS development on the ESP8266. Using the FreeRTOS SDK, a widely adopted open-source RTOS, this example demonstrates how to create and manage two independent tasks. The full source code for this project can be found on GitHub: ESP8266_Multi_Task_RTOS_Example . The Project Explained At its core, this project defines two distinct tasks: blink_task : This task is responsible for the class...

 Troubleshooting an EEPROM Write Issue in a Microcontroller—A Real-World Debugging Experience 🔧 Problem Statement While working on an embedded system at an R&D firm, I encountered a puzzling problem with EEPROM data writing. The EEPROM write operation was perfectly simulated, but when the compiled HEX file was uploaded to the actual microcontroller, the written data became unrecognizable. 🧪 Initial Assumptions At first, I assumed there might be a logical bug in my code. However, after carefully reviewing my EEPROM write functions and re-running simulations multiple times, everything appeared to be correct. 🛠 Step-by-Step Debugging Process 1. Verification via Custom Tool To confirm whether the EEPROM was actually writing incorrect data, I built a simple tool that could: Read the EEPROM data from the microcontroller Convert and display the raw bytes into human-readable formats like integer and character Upon reading the EEPROM content using this tool, I conf...

  Project Title: ESP8266_Serial_Python_GUI_RS232_v3 GitHub Repository: View on GitHub 📘 Overview This project demonstrates a PC-to-ESP8266 serial communication system using a custom-built Python GUI . The tool is developed for RS232-based command exchange, making it ideal for debugging and interacting with embedded systems like microcontrollers, development boards, and IoT devices. 🎯 Project Goals Establish two-way communication between PC and ESP8266 Create a simple Python GUI for sending and receiving serial data Log all serial commands with timestamps Automatically save communication logs in a text file Provide clickable link to the developer’s profile from the GUI 🧰 Tools & Technologies ESP8266 NodeMCU Python 3.x PySerial for COM port communication Tkinter for GUI design RS232 Protocol Windows platform for executable (.exe) build 🌟 Key Features ✅ GUI Interface with Command Input Box ✅ Auto Serial Port Detection ✅ View...

  Project Title: RFID_ESP8266_Interface_by_ReponSheikh GitHub: View on GitHub 📘 Introduction In this project, I have built a simple yet powerful RFID-based system using the ESP8266 NodeMCU microcontroller. The system reads RFID cards using the MFRC522 module and sends the UID data to a web interface over Wi-Fi. It can be used in access control , attendance tracking , or any kind of RFID-based identification system. 🧰 Components Used ESP8266 NodeMCU (ESP-12E) MFRC522 RFID Reader RFID Tags or Cards (13.56 MHz) Jumper Wires USB Cable and Power Source 🌐 Features Web-based interface to view UID logs Automatic Wi-Fi configuration using WiFiManager LittleFS file system support to store configuration and logs Easy-to-understand code structure with comments Arduino IDE compatible 🔧 How It Works On boot, the ESP8266 tries to connect to the last used Wi-Fi. If it fails, it starts as an Access Point for WiFi setup. Once connect...

🔧 Project Title: WiFi-based Temperature Monitoring System using ESP8266 and DHT11 🧠 Objective: The goal of this project is to measure temperature and humidity using the DHT11 sensor and display the data in real-time over WiFi using the ESP8266 microcontroller. 📦 Components Required: Serial Component Quantity 1 ESP8266 NodeMCU 1 2 DHT11 Temperature Sensor 1 3 Jumper Wires As Needed 4 Breadboard 1 🔗 Circuit Diagram: 💻 Arduino Source Code: #include <ESP8266WiFi.h> #include <DHT.h> #define DHTPIN D4 #define DHTTYPE DHT11 DHT dht(DHTPIN, DHTTYPE); const char* ssid = "YOUR_SSID"; const char* password = "YOUR_PASSWORD"; WiFiServer server(80); void setup() { Serial.begin(115200); dht.begin(); WiFi.begin(ssid, password); while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) { delay(1000); Serial.println("Connecting...")...

In this tutorial, we'll cover the basics of Arduino programming, focusing on variable types , functions , function return types , and constant declarations . We will use simple examples to demonstrate how each concept works. 1. Variables in Arduino Variables are used to store data that your Arduino program can use. There are different types of variables based on the data they store. Common variable types: int : Stores integer values (whole numbers). float : Stores decimal numbers. char : Stores a single character. boolean : Stores true or false . String : Stores a sequence of characters (text). Example: int ledPin = 13 ; // Integer variable to store LED pin number float sensorValue = 0.0 ; // Float variable to store sensor value char myChar = 'A' ; // Char variable to store a character boolean isOn = true ; // Boolean variable to store true/false String myText = "Hello" ; // String variable to store a string 2. Constants Constants a...

  When it comes to semiconductor devices, BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistor) and MOSFET (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor) are two of the most commonly used transistors. They both play a critical role in amplifying or switching electronic signals, but their underlying principles and applications are quite different. In this post, we’ll explore the fundamental differences between BJT and MOSFET to help you understand their unique features and decide which one to use in your project. What is a BJT? A Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) is a current-controlled device that has three terminals: Collector (C) , Base (B) , and Emitter (E) . BJTs can be either NPN or PNP types, depending on the arrangement of their semiconductor layers. BJTs work by using a small current at the base to control a larger current flowing between the collector and emitter. How BJT Works: Current-Controlled : In a BJT, the amount of current that flows from the collector to the emitter is cont...