Exploring Arduino, 2nd Edition

14Data Logging with SD Cards

Parts You'll Need for This Chapter

• Arduino Uno or Adafruit METRO 328
• USB cable (Type A to B for Uno, Type A to Micro-B for METRO)
• Assorted jumper wires
• Sharp GP2Y0A21YK0F IR distance sensor with JST cable
• Adafruit Arduino data logging shield with header pins
• CR1220 12 mm 3V coin cell battery
• SD/MicroSD Memory Card (8 GB SDHC recommended)
• 5V 1A USB port wall power supply
• Computer with SD card reader (or USB SD card reader)
• Painter's tape and/or 3M Command Strips
  • CODE AND DIGITAL CONTENT FOR THIS CHAPTER
  • Code downloads, videos, and other digital content for this chapter can be found at:
  • exploringarduino.com/content2/ch14
  • Code for this chapter can also be obtained from the Downloads tab on this book's Wiley web page:
  • wiley.com/go/exploringarduino2e

Countless examples of Arduinos are being used to log weather conditions, atmospheric conditions from weather balloons, building entry data, electrical loads in buildings, and much more. Given their small size, minimal power consumption, and ease of interfacing with a vast array of sensors, Arduinos are an obvious choice for building data loggers, which are devices that record and store information over a period of time. Data loggers are often deployed into all kinds of environments to collect environmental or user data and to store it into some kind of nonvolatile memory, such as an SD card.

In this chapter, you will learn everything you could want to know about interfacing with an SD card from an Arduino. ...