Interface Sensors and Actuators with ESP32, Arduino, and Raspberry Pi Microcontrollers

Learning Objectives

At the end of this theory note, trainees must be able to:

1. Describe the architecture and typical use cases of ESP32, Arduino, and Raspberry Pi platforms.
2. Identify common sensor and actuator types and their operating principles.
3. Distinguish digital and analog I/O and explain PWM, I2C, SPI, and UART interfaces.
4. Wire sensors and actuators correctly, accounting for pull-up/pull-down resistors and voltage compatibility.
5. Write firmware to acquire and validate sensor readings and control actuators based on program logic.
6. Diagnose and rectify common circuit and code faults.