Introduction: EASY BLUETOOTH SHIELD

By Carl Gordon Media
About: I started making things at Victoria University in Design School while studying Industrial and Media Design. This degree has helped develop my creative ability in the fields of Wearable Tech, Electronics, Web D…

So, you want an easy way to connect your Arduino projects to your smartphone via Bluetooth?

Maybe you want to build a shield and explore the possibilities of including Bluetooth in your future projects like me. I'm no expert in electronics but this was the easiest way I found to setup a Bluetooth connection.

Here is the guide I wish I could have seen when I first setup Bluetooth with Arduino.

you will need:

For the Bluetooth connection:

  • Arduino UNO
  • Remote XY Bluetooth Module
  • Android smartphone
  • Wires

For the Shield:

  • Perf Board
  • Board Extender Pins
  • 9V Battery with Jumper wires (to power Arduino)
  • Electrical Tape
  • Double-sided or Mounting Tape
  • Super Glue
  • Soldering Equipment (optional)

Step 1: Hello Remote Xy

Remote Xy is an awesome, easy way of introducing Bluetooth to your Arduino projects. They have an interface design tool on their website (http://remotexy.com/en/) that lets you customize a mobile interface suitable for nearly any Arduino project. For example I used two sliders to control separate servos for a camera tripod in another project to achieve remote panorama (check it out! http://tmblr.co/ZzDD0t1p-VZEQ )

but for this project we will keep it simple by using a Button to Blink an LED :-)

You will need to download the Android application from here (http://remotexy.com/en/download/) This app will turn your smartphone into a custom Arduino controller.

Step 2: Arduino Setup

The first step is setting up communication between your Arduino Uno and your remote Xy module.

To start with we will run an example blink code from the website. This code contains the default button graphical interface which will eventually be displayed on your mobile device (smartphone). The code has been tested, proven and attached to this step as blueblink.

Upload the code to your Arduino UNO (This works best without TX and RX pins plugged in).

Setup the Bluetooth Module as shown in the attached images with the four main (inside) pins wired to the appropriate Arduino pins. If your Arduino is plugged in your Module should blink red and power ON. If setup correctly you will now be able to search for your Module from the Remote XY mobile application seen in the next step.

Attachments

Step 3: Testing the Connection

So, you have uploaded the code to your Arduino, setup your project and wired it all up now you wanna test the wireless button?

If you haven't done so already download the Android application on your smartphone from here: http://remotexy.com/en/download/

** NOTE ** This comes as a trial version which limits use of the bluetooth connection for 30 seconds, if you choose to get the full version you will have unlimited bluetooth connection forever :)

Now power up the Arduino, your bluetooth module should also turn ON. From the mobile application click 'bluetooth', turn it on and search for a connection. When it shows up click on it to open your control interface which should be a big yellow button.

If you have come this far successfully congrats, your big yellow button should control the default led on your Arduino.

You are ready to build the shield.

Step 4: Building the Shield

This shield prepares you to take your Arduino away from the Laptop If you want complete Wireless control and delivers a whole-other range of creative possibilities for your next Arduino Project.

Build:

Measure and cut an Arduino sized section from your perfboard.

Glue or solder the extending pins to the perf board, when they are secure you can attach the remote xy:

fix the Remote XY module to the perf board with some double sided tape or mounting tape with the pins facing outwards. Connect the jumper wires to the appropriate pins (RXD,TXD,GND,VCC) on the module. With two pieces of electrical tape connect the power (+ and -) jumper pins together and the TX and RX jumper pins together and plug them into the female pins you glued to the board. Make sure the pins line up allgood with your Arduino UNO underneath with all the jumper wires from the Bluetooth Module pressed into the extending board pins and then into the UNO.

**NOTE** TX in pin 3, RX in pin 2, VCC in 5v pin and GND grounded in the gnd pin next to it.

Power:

I used a small drill to resize 2 holes in the perf board to fit the + and - wire's of my 9V Battery pack. Once the power pack is in position with the wires fed through the board connect the pins back into their original locations.

Connect the 9V Battery and plug in the power input.

Your Shield is now capable of powering your Arduino without the need of your computer which sets you to explore the creative potential of Bluetooth and Arduino.

Step 5: Go Get Em'

If you have come this far you should be able to plug your shield into your Arduino, connect to the bluetooth module via mobile application and control your Arduino's built in led with a big yellow button.

From here I'm looking forward to developing more projects ontop of this to share with the instructables community and now hopefully you can to.