Project Based Engineering Instrumentation High Level Coding and Microcontrollers

July 1st, 2020 - Original tutorials in Google Docs created

July 15th, 2020 - Tutorials purchased by Tangibles that Teach

December 21st, 2021 - Updated links for manuscript and hardware

May 30th, 2022 - Tangibles that teach went out of business and chapter began the move to Github

June 28th, 2022 - Work began on a Chromebook. Unfortunately the Figures folder is not back up on Git. As such a main_latest.pdf has been created that’s the latest full version. The main.pdf is the version created by the Chromebook so it has new chapters but none of the older chapters. Figure files are now backup on Git but only figures from the ’Voltage Potentiometer’ are currently there.

July 2nd, 2022 - All figures backed up and latest manuscript completed

October 18th, 2022 - A pedometer lab has been added.

November 8th, 2022 - Edited the Servo and feedback control servo lab to be one big lab with 3 parts

January 8th, 2023 - Removed all mentions of Tangibles that Teach in the main body of the text.

February 6th, 2023 - Changed an assignment description for LEDs and push buttons

February 22nd, 2023 - Moved the Bluetooth module to be before the modules lab so this will end up being a few updates to make those projects more uniform. I also created a backup called Bluetooth original in case you wanted to go back to the other version.

June 16th, 2023 - Cleaned up the ``changes needed" list and updated Method 3 with some new software updates.

August 9th, 2023 - Edited the preamble for assignments and made a note in the servo lab

September 5th, 2023 - Updated hyperlinks to show up on Microsoft Edge using underlines and different color text.

September 7th, 2023 - Fixed the TL;DR section

September 15th, 2023 - Updated a link in the DAQ lab

September 20th, 2023 - Made the modules installation section a standalone tex file

October 4th, 2023 - Added a new potentiometer photo

November 16th, 2023 - Edited the lists of parts

November 22nd, 2023 - Edited acceleration lab

December 5th, 2023 - Edited the troubleshooting section

January 12th, 2024 - Edited chapters 1 and 2

January 22nd, 2024 - Edited the bootloader update notes in the troubleshooting chatper

January 25th, 2024 - More edits to the bootloader notes

March 20th, 2024 - Added a preamble about where this textbook is located

April 27th, 2024 - Previously edited servo lab and pendulum lab just the assignment portion and then added this change log to the manuscript

May 7th, 2024 - Title page changed and many sections moved around. Added a new results and discussion section following data analysis from course surveys of this course.

August 12th, 2024 - Added a new requirement for the servo lab

September 12th, 2024 - A few edits to assignment descriptions

October 25th, 2024 - Updated the photocell lab to include the number of data points for the histogram

November 11th, 2024 - Updated Method 3 quick list

March 26th, 2025 - Updated servo, pitot probe and photocell assignments

May 24th, 2025 - Made a few changes to chapters 2 and 19 to transition between the projects and the results and discussion about lab at home frameworks and project based teaching. Also overhauled the feedback control project.

June 16th, 2025 - Updated the assignment directions for all projects.

June 17th, 2025 - Added more theory to the photocell, thermistor and pitot probe assignment

June 20th, 2025 - Added more figures and wiring diagrams to many assignments to help students wire up their circuits.

June 21st, 2025 - Added a few problems from a standard instrumentation textbook. Probably need more statistics questions

July 2nd, 2025 - Moved changes needed to the preamble. Added learning objectives and parts list for a few projects that had them missing.

September 26th, 2025 - Updated the potentiometer assignment to include converting voltage to angle in degrees.

October 1st, 2025 - Updated the thermistor modules assignment with the thermistor equations so it’s easy to find in two places.

November 12th, 2025 - Fixed an equation, link and figure in the feedback control assignment

November 14th, 2025 - Fixed a broken link

November 20th, 2025 - Added a GPS requirement to the integrating acceleration lab

December 5th, 2025 - Added the settling time to the list of parameters for the time constant assignment and edited the overall assignment directions to have a better description of the video requirements. Also edited the servo second order systems equation for an aircraft to be stable since the equations were unstable open loop. I also moved the changes needed to Github. I also edited the purchase assignment to have bold text for some important information.

February 2nd, 2026 - Updated the push button and LED assignment to fix a mistake in the voltage source description.

February 5th, 2026 - Added an update from Jan 18th that I forgot to push which highlighted the ``Rubric" for each assignment. Also added a missing grade to the push button and LED assignment.

February 9th, 2026 - Moved the future project ideas to Github

February 26th, 2026 - Edited the trouble shooting guide for updating the CPB bootloader on Windows

March 21st, 2026 - Book officially converted from LaTeX and published to new repo

March 22nd, 2026 - Made a few major formatting changes and updated the assignment directions to be better viewable and digestable to students

March 23rd, 2026 - Updated the servo lab assignment to fix a broken png and added a link to an equation.

March 26th, 2026 - Added an I2C scanner code snippet to the troubleshooting guide as well as many many figures to help with troubleshooting. The IMU wiring photo was also updated to be correct. Also added annotations to the circuitpython kit photo and added the high level sound code to the bluefruit.

March 27th, 2026 - Moved the thermistor, accelerometer angles and photocell equations into one place. Also added another simulation to the servo lab.Also added the pitot probe wiring diagram. Also added proper citations for all links. Also started the systems engineering chapter.

March 30th, 2026 - Finished the systems engineering chapter and printed and deployed book.

March 31st, 2026 - Added a new assignment to the photocell histogram lab and underlined all hyperlinks in LaTeX document

April 2nd, 2026 - Edited all the titles to be shorter and made the parts lists/objectives lists rather than sections and also moved all youtube tutorials into an Extra Help section.

April 3rd, 2026 - Updated the pitot wiring photo.

April 4th, 2026 - Added more alerts to acceleration lab.

April 9th, 2026 - Edited the photocell lab to explain that the resistor can be whatever value the student wants. Also added a CPX wiring diagram for the CPX and also added the voltage divider equations depending on where you measure the voltage.

April 10th, 2026 - Added an extra explanation to the servo lab for going into safe mode when drawing too much current.

April 13th, 2026 - Updated the servo lab to have annotations in the wiring diagram

April 15th, 2026 - Added SFR to the Systems Engineering chapter

April 16th, 2026 - Added a new requirement to grading appendices

April 17th, 2026 - Fixed an issue with the thermistor equations

April 22nd, 2026 - Fixed an equation in the servo lab

April 23rd, 2026 - Fixed a typo in the thermistor lab

April 26th, 2026 - Changed "plotting in Python" to just "plotting on your computer" to leave room for potentially having students plot everything in Excel/Sheets. Also added a placeholder for Method 6. Also added an appendix C to the assignment requirements

May 4th, 2026 - May the Fourth be with you. Fixed a small error in the servo part 2 lab.

May 13th, 2026 - Started adding more information about Arduino

June 9th, 2026 - Edited content and title to reflect a more broad ecosystem of Arduino and Circuitpython. Edited men flags to md. Added Google Sheets and Octave to the plotting chapter. Finished the serial Method 6 chapter.

June 10th, 2026 - Added two new chapters on GPS and Pressure sensors but they are not done.

June 11th, 2026 - Finished the pressure sensor, GPS and load cell chapters.

June 12th, 2026 - Added Arduino blinking to the getting started chapter and finished method 5 for both Arduino and CPX/CPB

June 13th, 2026 - Reduced the size of a few jpg files to make the PDF smaller than 50 MB. Added the accelerometer steps for the arduino.

June 21st, 2026 - Happy Summer Solstice and Father’s Day - I added an Arduino example for the HX711 load cell chapter and started adding the GPS arduino steps

June 22nd, 2026 - Finished adding the LPS22 pressure sensor and GPS chapter for Arduino.