Chapter 3. The First Project – Motion-triggered LEDs

In the preceding chapter, you learned the basics of Python-Arduino interfacing. We went through some exercises to provide hands-on experience with a useful Arduino protocol, Firmata, and the Python library. Now, it's time for your first 'Python + Arduino' project.

We will start this chapter by discussing the project goals and the required components to design the software flow and the hardware layout for the project. Just like any other microcontroller-based hardware project, you can use code and implement the entire logic of your project on Arduino itself. However, the goal of this book is to help you to utilize Python in such a way that you can simplify and extend your hardware projects. Although we will be using a hybrid approach with a Python program assisted by an Arduino sketch in the upcoming chapters, we would like you to get familiar with both ways of programming. As this is your first experience of building a hardware project, the chapter provides you with two different programming methods for the project: just using an Arduino sketch and using a Python program with the Firmata protocol on Arduino. The method with the Arduino sketch is included so that you get the complete experience with the Arduino components such as I/O pins and serial communication.