Interfacing Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) – display data generated by sensor on LCD.

This project will demonstrate how to configure a 16 × 2 LCD screen to display numerous sensor values.

Hardware components required:-

• Arduino UNO
• Adafruit Standard LCD - 16x2 White on Blue
• Rotary potentiometer (generic)
  
• Jumper wires (generic)
• Solderless Breadboard Full Size
• RM065 10K ohm 103 Trim 
• Pot Potentiometer

This project makes use of two potentiometers connected on a breadboard to an Arduino and an LCD. As a result, when both potentiometers are adjusted, the LCD should display their values.

Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

Before we begin the configuration, let's take a closer look at the LCD and see what the 16 pins are for:

• GND - Ground Connection
• VCC - +5V Connection
• VO - analogue pin used for screen brightness, connects to Potentiometer.
• RS - tells the LCD what will be written to it.
• R/W - the read/write pin (normally hardwired to ground).
• E - tells the LCD the data is ready to be written.
• D0 to D7 - bus lines for the LCD, this is where your data is passed from the Arduino to the LCD.
• A - +5V Connection for the backlight of the LCD.
• K - the ground pin for the backlight of the LCD.

Working:-

We may now begin building connections on and to the breadboard. A step-by-step approach is provided below:

• Connect the 10K Ohm potentiometer (this potentiometer controls the LCD's contrast). The VO pin is linked to the potentiometer's center pin, while the other two wires are connected to +5V and ground on the breadboard.
• Connect pin-A to the +5V and pin-K to ground on the breadboard.
• Connect pin-D7 to digital pin 12, pin-D6 to digital pin 11, pin-D5 to digital pin 10 and pin-D4 to digital pin 9. (Digital pins on the Arduino).
• Connect pin-RS to digital pin 7 on the Arduino.
• Connect pin-RW to ground on the breadboard.
• Connect pin-VSS to ground on the breadboard.
• Connect pin-VDD to +5V on the breadboard.
• Connect pin-E to digital pin 8 on the Arduino.
• Place the first potentiometer on the board and connect the center pin to Analog Pin 1 on the Arduino and the other pins to ground and +5V on the breadboard.
• Place the second potentiometer on the board and connect the center pin to Analog Pin 2 on the Arduino and the other pins to ground and +5V on the breadboard.

Connection Diagram:-

Display data generated by sensor on LCD.

The potentiometers that will be utilized are shown in the image below.

Code:-

• Upload the code below to your Arduino and make any necessary adjustments to the potentiometers. 
• The potentiometer values will be displayed on two lines on the LCD display. 
• The B10K potentiometer can be adjusted to ensure that the contrast of the LCD is optimal for reading the values.

// include the library code:

#include <LiquidCrystal.h>

// initialize the library with the numbers of the interface pins

LiquidCrystal lcd(7,8,9,10,11,12);

int potPin1 = A1;

int potPin2 = A2;

void setup()

{

// set up the LCD's number of columns and rows:

lcd.begin(16, 2);

lcd.clear();

pinMode(potPin1, INPUT);

pinMode(potPin2, INPUT);

}

void loop()

{

lcd.setCursor(0,0); // Sets the cursor to col 0 and row 0

lcd.print("SensorVal1: "); // Prints Sensor Val: to LCD

lcd.print(analogRead(potPin1)); // Prints value on Potpin1 to LCD

lcd.setCursor(0,1); // Sets the cursor to col 1 and row 0

lcd.print("SensorVal2: "); // Prints Sensor Val: to LCD

lcd.print(analogRead(potPin2)); // Prints value on Potpin1 to LCD

}

Output Display:-

Interfacing Liquid Crystal Display