Knight Rider Circuit
Today marks the beginning of a journey into the captivating world of Arduino programming. To kick off the series, we will be exploring the classic Knight Rider LED circuit. Before delving into the code, we will be making use of the Wokwi online tool for this tutorial. If you are unfamiliar with it, please check out our previous video, where we provide a comprehensive overview of the wonders of Wokwi. The link to the video can be found in the description.
Hardware Setup
Let us get our hands dirty with the hardware. We have an Arduino Mega board, and on the virtual breadboard, we have added three LEDs to create a snazzy LED strip. To make things simple, we will connect the ground of our Arduino board to the breadboard, creating a common ground. Each LED ground pin then connects to this common ground. After that, we will connect the LEDs to pins 0, 1 and 2 on the Arduino board.
Coding
Now for the fun part: coding. We will configure pins 0, 1 and 2 as output pins, and then write a basic code snippet to create the iconic Knight Rider LED pattern. This classic pattern symbolizes the iconic scanning motion of the car’s front light, moving back and forth. Each LED turning on and off creates a visually striking effect. Here is a step-by-step breakdown of the code:
DigitalWrite(0, HIGH); – This will turn on the first LED
DigitalWrite(1, HIGH); – This will turn on the second LED
DigitalWrite(2, HIGH); – This will turn on the third LED
Delay(500); – This will pause the program for half a second
DigitalWrite(0, LOW); – This will turn off the first LED
DigitalWrite(1, LOW); – This will turn off the second LED
DigitalWrite(2, LOW); – This will turn off the third LED
Delay(500); – This will pause the program for half a second
And so on and so forth.
Knight Rider Circuit
The Knight Rider circuit is an iconic LED setup that creates a mesmerizing back and forth motion reminiscent of the Night Rider cars. This effect is achieved by lighting each LED in succession, creating a visually appealing effect. To create this circuit, one must use digital right commands to turn on and off the LEDs in a specific order.
Pro Coding
The code for the Knight Rider circuit can be optimized using Pro coding techniques. This involves introducing a variable LED count, which can be changed according to the number of LEDs in the project. This allows for flexibility in the code, making it easier to add or remove LEDs in the future. The code for the optimized Knight Rider circuit is as follows:
Simulation
To test the Knight Rider circuit, one can use the simulation button. This will turn on the first LED to initiate the scanning motion, followed by a brief pause. The middle LED is then activated, simulating the scanning motion moving towards the left. This cycle repeats, creating the iconic Night Rider effect.
Beginner #arduino
The Knight Rider circuit is a great project for beginners to get started with Arduino. It requires basic coding skills and understanding of digital right commands. With a few simple steps, one can create a visually appealing effect that captures the essence of the iconic Night Rider circuit.
Declaring LED Count
In order to create a Knight Rider circuit, we must first declare the number of LED that will be used. To do this, we use a variable called ledCount and assign it a value. In this case, we set ledCount to three. This variable will dictate the number of LED in our circuit, and if we decide to change the number of LED, we only need to update this single variable.
Forward Scanning Loop
Once the LED count has been declared, we can move on to creating the forward scanning loop. This loop iterates through the LED from the first index (zero) to the last index (ledCount – 1). For each LED, it turns it on, introduces a delay, and then turns it off. The effect is a seamless forward scanning motion.
Backward Scanning Loop
Next, we initiate a backward scanning motion. This loop starts from the second to last LED and goes backward to the second LED. It works in a similar way to the forward loop, turning each LED on, introducing a delay, and then turning it off.
Testing the Circuit
Once the code is written, we can give it a test run. The code works just like the previous code, but with the added benefit that if we decide to change the number of LED, we only need to update the ledCount variable. The loops will dynamically adjust, ensuring that the scanning motion remains consistent, regardless of the number of LED.
As an example, here we change the LED count to four and do a test run. We can see that there are no big changes in the code, but it adjusts with our project easily.
