This neat project uses the power of Arduino to program cool patterns in an LED cube. A whole dimension above normal LED matrices, this cube has 64 LEDs wired together. You’ll also need some resistors and a battery.

The creator of this LED cube has written an extremely detailed tutorial, so even if you don’t have much experience with electronics, building this won’t be a challenge. There’s also a video showing it in action.

• Who designed it: KyleTheCreator
• Core components: 64x diffused LEDs, perf board, 4x resistors, 9-V battery
• Where to find it: Instructables

Tic-Tac-Toe is a simple game to play, and its Arduino implementation is the same. Using just two parts (an Arduino Uno and a 2.8-inch touchscreen LCD shield), you can build a simple handheld device that plays against you.

The creator of this project has included detailed diagrams of the algorithm used to play Tic-Tac-Toe along with a breakdown of the code, so if you want to learn about programming with Arduino, this is a great place to start.

• Who designed it: Nick Koumaris
• Core component: 2.8″ touchscreen LCD shield
• Where to find it: Arduino Project Hub

One of the most interesting applications of Arduino is making a levitation device! To build this, you’ll need an Arduino Uno, an ultrasonic sensor, a motor driver, and a battery.

This project uses the speakers from the ultrasonic module to create two opposing forces, which can suspend small objects. The motor driver is used to provide extra power to each of these speakers so heavier objects can levitate.

• Who designed it: milespeterson101
• Core components: HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor, motor driver controller board, 9-V battery
• Where to find it: Arduino Project Hub

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Do you have a knack for building things, but want to get started with Arduino? This project is a great introduction to combining Arduinos with real-life systems, such as this basketball scoreboard!

To build this scoreboard, you’ll need an Arduino Uno, an LED strip, and a transceiver board. The project is actually split up into two pieces – the controller and the scoreboard itself. Each of these has its own Arduino.

To assemble, you’ll need some skill with a soldering iron, laser cutter, and 3D printing.

• Who designed it: Collin Wentzien
• Core components: Arduino Mega, nRF24L01+ transceiver board, WS2812B LED strip, 16×2 LCD display, 9-V power supply, tactile switches, electro-mechanical horn
• Where to find it: Arduino Project Hub

This is a great tutorial on how to make a remote-controlled hovercraft! Using two brushless motors for lift, a servo motor for steering, and a couple of 3D printed parts for the chassis, you can make your own as well.

As with all their projects, HowToMechatronics have clear pictures, a step-by-step video, and all the 3D models and code you need to replicate this hovercraft. The creator also provides a separate tutorial showing how to make the radio controller if you don’t already have one.

• Who designed it?: Dejan
• Core components: SG90 servo, 2x brushless DC motors, LiPo battery, NRF24L01, RC transmitter, 3D printed parts
• Where to find it: HowToMechatronics

If you’ve ever wondered how a drone works, this project is for you! It’s a step-by-step guide on how to turn your Arduino Uno into a fully functional flight controller. Even if you don’t have any experience with drones, this guide was written for beginners, and details every part of the setup.

With purchasing options, part explanations, wiring guides, and fully written Arduino code for each aspect of the drone, you have plenty of resources to help you complete this. In addition to the written guide, there’s a series of videos detailing the entire build of a drone from scratch.

• Who designed it?: Jack Brown
• Core components: Gyroscope, quadcopter frame (or 3D print it!), brushless motors, propellers
• Where to find it: MyDroneLab

Do you like to sleep in but get woken by your hungry pets? This automatic pet feeder designed by Samuele Brunini is your solution.

One of the more complex projects on this list, you’ll need an Arduino Uno, an RTC (real-time clock) module, and a weight sensor. There’s also a completely 3D printed mechanism, bowl, and housing. With a feeder screw attached to a servo motor and a screen, you can set your pet’s feeding schedule and the amount of food to be dispensed!

The blog post outlines the decisions and choices behind the programming and explains in detail how the pet feeder works, down to the fixes implemented to prevent jamming issues. Even the menu options are fully documented, and while they’re in Italian, they can be easily changed in the code.

• Who designed it: Samuele Brunini
• Core components: RTC module, load cell, servo, 3D printed parts
• Where to find it: Open Electronics

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One of the most useful tools you can make with an Arduino is a CNC machine! In addition to the Arduino Uno, the most significant items you’ll need are a few NEMA 17 stepper motors, a Dremel, and some 3D printed parts.

While this machine won’t be able to cut through metal, it has more than enough power for cutting wood and plastic. It’s also capable of engraving PCBs. Strap a pen or a laser diode onto the toolhead and you’ve got a makeshift pen plotter or laser cutter.

User TheTNR has a great guide on how to create your very own CNC machine, with a video walking you through the whole process. This project is fairly involved and does require some soldering, so beginners beware. If you’re interested in more things to do with your CNC machine, check out our articles on Arduino CNC shields and the coolest router projects!

• Who designed it: TheTNR
• Core components: CNC shield, NEMA 17 stepper motors, threaded rods, linear rods, 3D printed parts, a rotary tool
• Where to find it: Arduino Project Hub

If you’re having trouble keeping a plant alive or want to have some vegetables or herbs growing inside your place, this is the project for you! It’s a fully automatic greenhouse that you can build yourself using a Raspberry Pi and an Arduino Uno.

Through an array of sensors and actuators, it can measure the ambient and external temperature. Then, based on those values, the system regulates the temperature inside the greenhouse using a lamp, a motor to open a window, and a PC fan.

It maintains a consistent soil moisture level by measuring and then waters the plants with a pump. And the entire project is connected to the internet, for stats and control!

• Who designed it: ViDes
• Core components: Raspberry Pi 3, temperature, humidity, and soil moisture sensors, servo motors, PC fans, 42-W lamp, solenoid valve
• Where to find it: Instructables

Keep Your Plants Alive

10 Arduino Watering Systems to Keep Your Plants Alive

Making art can be hard, but not if you have a robot to draw for you! This project is a wall plotter that uses an Arduino Uno and two stepper motors. Hung from a wall by strings on two nails, the stepper motors vary the length of the strings to control the XY position.

Theoretically, you can make art as large as your string will allow. There’s a comprehensive guide that shows the lifecycle of the project, with the different iterations of the design process, the 3D OpenSCAD files, and instructions for generating your own art files.

• Who designed it?: Fredrik Stridsman
• Core components: 2x stepper motors, SD card reader, IR receiver
• Where to find it: Hackster

Data is all the rage these days, and the more data, the better! You can use Arduino to collect data from various sensors and collate it in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. The “Data Streamer” add-in for Excel lets you stream data via USB to your computer, similar to how the Arduino IDE’s Serial Monitor works.

To build this yourself, all you need is an Arduino Uno, a computer with Excel installed, a USB cable, and a sensor of your choice. For example, you can use an electroconductivity sensor or a pressure sensor. Or, you can build on the code and schematics given and build something even better!

• Who designed it: Hacking STEM, Jen Fox
• Core components: A-to-B USB cable, sensor
• Where to find it: Arduino Project Hub

This project will show you how to make “GoodBoy”, a robot dog, using an Arduino Uno and 3D printed parts. Inspired by the Boston Dynamics Spot robots, user Daniel Hingston designed and 3D printed his own that runs off an Arduino Uno. Also, with some built-in ultrasonic sensors, this robot dog can “see” and avoid obstacles!

On the project page, you’ll find all the 3D model files, Arduino programs, and instructions needed for success. The creator has also put together multiple YouTube videos to help you. Check out the retrospective post to see what he would have changed with his design and build your own very GoodBoy!

• Who designed it: Daniel Hingston
• Core components: HC-SR04 sensors, Adafruit PowerBoost 1000C, 9-g servo motors
• Where to find it: Instructables

While robotic arms aren’t a novel concept in the Arduino world, this project is based on the SCARA (Selective Compliance Articulated Robot Arm) kinematics system. With a servo gripper on the end of the arm, you can use the user interface to manually control its movement or record a set of moves for the arm to do!

This project isn’t for the faint of heart, with many moving mechanisms and 3D printed assemblies. Thankfully, there’s a great guide with many pictures and a full video on how to create your own robot arm. The project includes a full SolidWorks model and a guide on how to set up the user interface, as well.

• Who designed it: Dejan
• Core components: CNC shield, NEMA 17 stepper motors, MG996R servo, power supply
• Where to find it: HowToMechatronics

Sudoku can be an incredibly fun and, at times, frustrating game. Finish your Sudoku puzzles in record time with this robot! Maker Sanahm has created a robot that scans, solves, and writes down the answers to any Sudoku puzzle. By using a Raspberry Pi and camera combo, a TensorFlow Convolutional Neural Network “reads” the puzzle and then solves it. Then using a simple 3D printer-like design, the answers are plotted using a pen.

The entire project has been uploaded to GitHub, including the TensorFlow model and Python script. The mechanical design is no longer available, but you can recreate the design from the many pictures and videos of the machine.

• Who designed it: Sanahm
• Core components: Raspberry Pi 4, Raspberry Pi camera, aluminum extrusions, NEMA 17 stepper motors
• Where to find it: GitHub

With the Covid-19 pandemic, new devices have emerged to help prevent the spread of the disease. One interesting take is this autonomous UV disinfectant robot. It uses a Raspberry Pi running ROS to enable the robot to map its own environment using LiDAR and SLAM technologies. Narrow hallways and corners, no problem!

Using both an Arduino Uno and an Arduino Mega, this robot can drive around, disinfecting surfaces as it goes, mapping out the surrounding environment, and reporting back to the Raspberry Pi. When it runs low on batteries, the robot can drive itself back to its dock for a recharge. The robot even has a Bluetooth-enabled app so that manual control is possible!

• Who designed it: Robin Kanattu Thomas, alex m sunny
• Core components: Arduino Mega, Raspberry Pi 3, Seeed studio Wio terminal board, YD LiDAR, UVC lamps, 650-W power inverter, relays, IBT motors and drivers
• Where to find it: Hackster