Arduino Nano - Ultrasonic Sensor - LCD
This tutorial instructs you how to use Arduino Nano to obtain the distance from an ultrasonic sensor and show it on an LCD I2C display.
Hardware Preparation
| 1 | × | Arduino Nano | |
| 1 | × | USB A to Mini-B USB cable | |
| 1 | × | LCD I2C | |
| 1 | × | Ultrasonic Sensor | |
| 1 | × | Jumper Wires | |
| 1 | × | (Optional) 9V Power Adapter for Arduino Nano | |
| 1 | × | (Recommended) Screw Terminal Adapter for Arduino Nano |
Or you can buy the following sensor kits:
| 1 | × | DIYables Sensor Kit (30 sensors/displays) | |
| 1 | × | DIYables Sensor Kit (18 sensors/displays) |
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Overview of Ultrasonic Sensor and LCD
If you are unfamiliar with Ultrasonic sensor and LCD (including pinout, how it works, and how to program), the following tutorials can help you:
Wiring Diagram
This image is created using Fritzing. Click to enlarge image
Arduino Nano Code
/*
* This Arduino Nano code was developed by newbiely.com
*
* This Arduino Nano code is made available for public use without any restriction
*
* For comprehensive instructions and wiring diagrams, please visit:
* https://newbiely.com/tutorials/arduino-nano/arduino-nano-ultrasonic-sensor-lcd
*/
#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h>
#define TRIG_PIN 4 // The Arduino Nano pin connected to TRIG pin of ultrasonic sensor
#define ECHO_PIN 3 // The Arduino Nano pin connected to ECHO pin of ultrasonic sensor
LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x27, 16, 2); // I2C address 0x27 (from DIYables LCD), 16 column and 2 rows
float duration_us, distance_cm;
void setup() {
lcd.init(); // Initialize the LCD I2C display
lcd.backlight(); // open the backlight
pinMode(TRIG_PIN, OUTPUT); // config trigger pin to output mode
pinMode(ECHO_PIN, INPUT); // config echo pin to input mode
}
void loop() {
// Produce a 10-microsecond pulse to the TRIG pin.
digitalWrite(TRIG_PIN, HIGH);
delayMicroseconds(10);
digitalWrite(TRIG_PIN, LOW);
// Measure the pulse duration from the ECHO pin
duration_us = pulseIn(ECHO_PIN, HIGH);
// calculate the distance
distance_cm = 0.017 * duration_us;
lcd.clear();
lcd.setCursor(0, 0); // start to print at the first row
lcd.print("Distance: ");
lcd.print(distance_cm);
delay(500);
}
※ NOTE THAT:
The I2C address of LCD can differ depending on the manufacturer. In our code, we used 0x27 which was specified by DIYables manufacturer.
Detailed Instructions
- Connect your Arduino Nano to your computer using a USB cable.
- Launch the Arduino IDE and select the appropriate board and port.
- Click to the Libraries icon on the left bar of the Arduino IDE.
- Search for “LiquidCrystal I2C”, and locate the LiquidCrystal_I2C library created by Frank de Brabander.
- Then, click the Install button to install the library.
- Copy the code and open it with the Arduino IDE.
- Then, press the Upload button on the Arduino IDE to compile and upload the code to the Arduino Nano.
- Attach the sensor to both hot and cold water, or hold it in your hand.
- Then, observe the outcome displayed on the LCD.
Code Explanation
Check out the line-by-line explanation contained in the comments of the source code!
※ NOTE THAT:
- If the LCD screen is not displaying anything, please refer to Troubleshooting on LCD I2C for help.
- The code provided above is for educational purposes only. The ultrasonic sensor is very sensitive to noise, so if you want to use it in a real-world application, you should filter out the noise. For more information on how to do this, please refer to how to filter noise for ultrasonic sensor.