Single channel ADC reading in Embedded C - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Single channel ADC reading

📖 Scenario: You are working with a microcontroller that reads analog signals from a sensor. The sensor output is connected to one ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) channel. You want to read the sensor value and display it.

🎯 Goal: Build a simple embedded C program that initializes the ADC, reads a single channel value, and prints the result.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a variable to store the ADC reading

Create a configuration variable for the ADC channel number

Write code to read the ADC value from the configured channel

Print the ADC reading value

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Reading sensor data from analog inputs is common in embedded systems like temperature sensors, light sensors, or potentiometers.

💼 Career

Embedded developers often need to read ADC values to process sensor inputs and control hardware.

1

Create a variable to store the ADC reading

Create an integer variable called adc_value and set it to 0 to store the ADC reading.

Embedded C

int adc_value = 0;  // Your code here

Need a hint?

Use int adc_value = 0; to create the variable.

2

Create a configuration variable for the ADC channel

Create an integer variable called adc_channel and set it to 3 to select ADC channel 3.

Embedded C

int adc_value = 0;
int adc_channel = 3;  // Your code here

Need a hint?

Use int adc_channel = 3; to set the channel.

3

Read the ADC value from the configured channel

Write a line of code that calls the function read_adc(adc_channel) and stores the result in adc_value.

Embedded C

int adc_value = 0;
int adc_channel = 3;
adc_value = 0;  // Your code here

Need a hint?

Use adc_value = read_adc(adc_channel); to read the ADC.

4

Print the ADC reading value

Write a line of code that prints the text "ADC Reading: " followed by the value of adc_value using printf.

Embedded C

int adc_value = 0;
int adc_channel = 3;
adc_value = read_adc(adc_channel);
// Your code here

Need a hint?

Use printf("ADC Reading: %d\n", adc_value); to print the value.