Best Displays for IoT & Arduino Projects: A Practical Guide with Real Examples

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Best Displays for IoT & Arduino Projects: A Practical Guide with Real Examples

Introduction

If you’ve ever built an IoT or Arduino project and wanted to display sensor data, show system status, or just avoid plugging in a serial monitor every time, you’ve probably looked into adding a screen. But with so many display modules out there — OLED, LCD, e-paper, TFT — choosing the right one can feel overwhelming.

I’ve tested a bunch of these screens in real projects, from ultra-low-power sensors to full-on smart displays. This guide isn’t just a spec sheet — I’ll walk you through the most common types of screens used in IoT and microcontroller projects, how they perform in real-world use, and where each one makes sense.

Whether you’re working with an ESP32, Arduino Uno, or even an ESP8266, this article will help you pick the right screen for your next build — with examples and real trade-offs you should know upfront.

Let’s dive in.

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The Rise of AIoT: How AI is Powering the Future of Smart Devices

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The Rise of AIoT: How AI is Powering the Future of Smart Devices

Introduction

For years, the Internet of Things (IoT) has focused on connecting devices to the internet — enabling remote monitoring, data collection, and control. But connectivity alone is no longer enough. As sensor networks grow larger and smarter, the next wave of innovation is here: AIoT, the fusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and IoT.

AIoT isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a powerful evolution that allows devices to not only sense their environment but also understand and act on it in real-time. From smart security cameras that detect unusual behavior to agricultural systems that optimize irrigation using machine learning, AIoT is transforming how we build and interact with connected devices.

This article explores:

  • What AIoT really means and why it matters
  • The hardware and software enabling it in 2025
  • Real-world use cases where intelligence at the edge is changing the game
  • The challenges developers face — especially those focused on open-source, cloud-optional systems

If you’re building or investing in the future of IoT, understanding AIoT is no longer optional — it’s essential.

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Zephyr RTOS Review: The Best Open Source OS for IoT?

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Zephyr RTOS Review: The Best Open Source OS for IoT?

When building IoT devices that just work — without relying on third-party APIs, proprietary cloud platforms, or black-box firmware — the choice of operating system matters more than ever.

That’s where Zephyr RTOS enters the conversation.

Zephyr is a lightweight, open-source real-time operating system (RTOS) designed specifically for embedded and IoT devices. Backed by the Linux Foundation and supported by major players like Intel, Nordic, and NXP, Zephyr is quickly becoming a go-to choice for developers who value control, modularity, and local-first design.

Personally, I stumbled onto Zephyr while searching for a more transparent alternative to FreeRTOS for a home-grown smart sensor project. What I found was not just an OS, but a well-structured ecosystem that balances flexibility with long-term maintainability.

In this review, we’ll look at what makes Zephyr so appealing for modern IoT projects, how it compares with other open-source RTOS options, and whether it deserves a place in your development toolbox.

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Getting Started with Zephyr RTOS: A Beginner’s Step-by-Step Guide

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Getting Started with Zephyr RTOS: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide

The world of embedded systems is evolving fast — and with it, the need for more powerful, flexible, and secure real-time operating systems (RTOS). Whether you’re building a low-power sensor node, a Matter-ready smart device, or simply want to move beyond Arduino-level projects, Zephyr RTOS offers an incredibly robust foundation.

But it can also seem intimidating at first.

This guide is for makers, developers, and curious tinkerers who want to get hands-on with Zephyr — no prior RTOS experience required. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have:

  • Set up the Zephyr toolchain on your machine
  • Built and flashed your first Zephyr application
  • Learned how to modify a sample program
  • Understood the basics of Zephyr’s modular architecture

Whether you’re using a Nordic nRF52-DK, STM32 Nucleo, or even just running code on a virtual board using QEMU, this guide will walk you through the essentials — step by step.

Let’s get started.

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ESP-NOW + Wi-Fi Gateway: How to Send ESP32 Sensor Data to the Cloud

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ESP-NOW + Wi-Fi Gateway: How to Send ESP32 Sensor Data to the Cloud

1. Introduction

When working with IoT projects, you often face a trade-off between local, low-power communication and internet connectivity. What if you could have both—efficient local sensor data transfer and seamless cloud integration—all without draining your batteries?

That’s where the ESP-NOW + Wi-Fi gateway setup comes in.

By combining the low-power, peer-to-peer communication of ESP-NOW with the internet capabilities of Wi-Fi, you can create a hybrid system that collects data from multiple ESP32 or ESP8266 nodes and pushes it to the cloud using a single ESP32 gateway.

This kind of setup is perfect for:

  • Battery-powered sensors that send data occasionally
  • Home automation systems that need to log or react to data remotely
  • Smart farming, weather stations, or greenhouse monitors where Wi-Fi isn’t practical at every node

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to build a simple but powerful ESP-NOW + Wi-Fi gateway system using the ESP32. You’ll learn how to:

  • Set up ESP-NOW sensor nodes
  • Configure a gateway ESP32 to receive data and upload it over Wi-Fi
  • Use MQTT or HTTP to connect to cloud services like ThingSpeak or Home Assistant

Let’s get started!

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ESP-NOW: The Ultimate Guide to Fast, Low-Power Communication with ESP32 & ESP8266

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ESP-NOW: The Ultimate Guide to Fast, Low-Power Communication with ESP32 & ESP8266

If you’ve ever worked with the ESP32 or ESP8266, you probably know they’re absolute powerhouses for DIY IoT projects. But did you know they can talk to each other without Wi-Fi or Bluetooth? That’s where ESP-NOW comes in—and it’s honestly one of the coolest features I’ve come across.

ESP-NOW is a fast, low-power, and connectionless communication protocol developed by Espressif. It’s perfect for scenarios where you want ESP boards to exchange small bits of data directly—think sensor networks, remote controls, or smart home devices that just need to “say something” and move on.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything I’ve learned about ESP-NOW, from how it works, to setting it up, to writing your own sender/receiver code. If you’re building a project where power efficiency and low-latency comms are critical, you’re going to love what ESP-NOW can do.

Let’s dive in!

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Are Smart Appliances Secure? A Look at IoT Security Labels and Legislation

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Are Smart Appliances Secure? A Look at IoT Security Labels and Legislation

As smart devices and appliances become more common in our homes, concerns about their security have grown significantly. From internet-connected fridges and smart washing machines to intelligent thermostats and security cameras, each device introduces new potential vulnerabilities. So, are there any rules ensuring that these devices are secure? And more importantly, are smart appliances labeled for cybersecurity the same way they are for energy consumption?

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ESP32 C3, C5, S2, S3 – What’s the Difference and Which One to Choose?

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ESP32 C3, C5, S2, S3 – What’s the Difference and Which One to Choose?

If you’ve spent any time building DIY electronics projects, chances are you’ve bumped into the mighty ESP32—a tiny yet powerful chip that’s become a go-to for makers everywhere. But if you’ve ever tried to pick one up for a project, you’ve probably noticed something: there’s not just one ESP32. There’s the C3, C5, S2, S3, the original… and at first glance, they all look kinda the same.

I remember the first time I ordered an ESP32 board online, thinking “Yeah, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth—perfect for my smart light controller.” What showed up was an ESP32-S2, which I later learned had no Bluetooth support at all. Oops.

That’s when I realized: not all ESP32s are created equal.

So in this post, I’m breaking down the different ESP32 variants in plain English—no datasheet diving required. I’ll walk you through the differences, what each one is good at, and which version you should grab for your next IoT, smart home, or wearable gadget idea.

Let’s dive in and demystify the ESP32 lineup!

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Build an AI-Powered Smart Home Assistant with ESP32

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Build an AI-Powered Smart Home Assistant with ESP32

Ever since I got my first ESP32 board, I’ve been obsessed with the idea of building my own smart assistant — something like Alexa or Google Home, but completely offline, DIY, and way more under my control. No cloud processing, no big tech snooping on my commands — just aes tiny, powerful microcontroller listening for voice commands and flipping real-world switches.

It started with a simple idea: What if I could talk to my house and it actually listened? Like, literally say “lights on” and see the lamp click on, no phone, no app — just voice and code.

So I grabbed an ESP32, a microphone module, some relays, and dove head-first into the world of embedded AI. In this project, I’ll walk you through how to build a voice-controlled smart home assistant using nothing but an ESP32, a few common components, and a bit of clever on-device machine learning.

We’re not just talking blinking LEDs here. This is real, usable voice control — trained to recognize your commands, process them locally, and trigger anything from lamps to fans to coffee machines. And the best part? No internet required.

If you’re the kind of person who loves combining wires, code, and a bit of magic to bring your environment to life — you’re in the right place.

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DHT22 vs DS18B20: Which Arduino Temperature Sensor Is Right for Your Project?

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TiNKERIOT | DHT22 vs DS18B20: Which Arduino Temperature Sensor Is Right for Your Project?

Monitoring temperature and humidity through IoT (Internet of Things) is one of the most popular and practical DIY projects for the home — and for good reason. Whether you’re tracking the temperature in your child’s room or managing a self-regulating indoor heating system, these projects almost always start with a reliable temperature sensor.

There are plenty of sensors available on the market that are fully compatible with Arduino and other development platforms. Choosing the right one can make a huge difference, especially when accuracy matters.

Temperature sensors are widely accessible and affordable — you can find models ranging from $0.50 to $10, both on major Asian e-commerce sites and at your local electronics store. But not all sensors are created equal, so understanding their technical specs and limitations is key before starting your project.

 

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