Error handling in embedded projects in Arduino - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Error handling in embedded projects

📖 Scenario: You are building a simple embedded system using an Arduino board. The system reads temperature data from a sensor and displays it on the serial monitor. Sometimes, the sensor might fail or give invalid readings. You want to handle these errors gracefully to keep your system running smoothly.

🎯 Goal: Create an Arduino program that reads temperature values from a sensor, checks for errors, and prints either the temperature or an error message to the serial monitor.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a variable to store the temperature reading.

Create a variable to represent an error code.

Use an if-else statement to check if the temperature reading is valid.

Print the temperature if valid, or print an error message if invalid.

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Embedded systems often read sensors that can fail or give bad data. Handling errors prevents crashes and helps maintain reliable operation.

💼 Career

Understanding error handling in embedded projects is essential for developing robust firmware in IoT devices, automotive systems, and consumer electronics.

1

DATA SETUP: Create variables for temperature and error code

Create a variable called temperature of type float and set it to -1000.0 to represent an invalid initial reading. Also create an int variable called errorCode and set it to 0 to represent no error.

Arduino

# Create variables temperature and errorCode
// Your code here

Need a hint?

Use float temperature = -1000.0; and int errorCode = 0;

2

CONFIGURATION: Simulate reading temperature and error code

Set temperature to 25.5 to simulate a valid sensor reading. Set errorCode to 0 to indicate no error.

Arduino

float temperature = -1000.0;
int errorCode = 0;
// Simulate sensor reading and error code
// Your code here

Need a hint?

Assign temperature = 25.5; and errorCode = 0;

3

CORE LOGIC: Check for errors and handle invalid readings

Write an if statement that checks if errorCode is 0. If yes, do nothing. Otherwise, set temperature to -1000.0 to mark it invalid.

Arduino

float temperature = 25.5;
int errorCode = 0;
// Check errorCode and update temperature if error
// Your code here

Need a hint?

Use if (errorCode != 0) and inside set temperature = -1000.0;

4

OUTPUT: Print temperature or error message to Serial Monitor

Use Serial.begin(9600); in setup(). In loop(), use an if statement to check if temperature is not -1000.0. If valid, print "Temperature: " followed by temperature. Otherwise, print "Error reading temperature!".

Arduino

float temperature = 25.5;
int errorCode = 0;

if (errorCode != 0) {
  temperature = -1000.0;
}

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  // Print temperature or error message
  // Your code here
}

Need a hint?

Use Serial.print and Serial.println inside loop() with an if to check temperature.