Analog Discovery Projects
Explore a wide range of hands-on projects using our Analog Discovery platform! These projects showcase how the Analog Discovery 3, Analog Discovery Studio, or Analog Discovery Studio Max with WaveForms or LabVIEW can function as a complete electronics lab, combining tools like an oscilloscope, waveform generator, and logic analyzer to help you design, test, and debug real-world circuits. Whether you’re a student building foundational skills, an educator developing engaging coursework, or an engineer prototyping new concepts, these Analog Discovery projects provide practical guidance and inspiration for turning theory into working solutions.
Project 1: LDR Light Sensor - Measuring Light Intensity through Voltage Using Digilent Measurement Platforms
This project introduces the foundational concepts of measurement and sensor-based data acquisition. Step-by-step instructions explain how to build a simple, interactive program using the Analog Discovery 3, Analog Discovery Studio, or Analog Discovery Studio Max to measure light intensity via voltage readings from an LDR. This project utilizes an Oscilloscope in conjunction with NI LabVIEW to read and visualize the relationship between light intensity and voltage (WaveForms software).
Project 2: NE555 Timer - Generating Pulse Signals and Observing Frequency Changes
This project explores the NE555 timer operating in an astable mode to generate continuous pulse (square wave) signals. Two LEDs alternate blinking to visualize the output, while the users adjust potentiometers and capacitor values to see how frequency and duty cycle change. The Analog Discovery 3, Analog Discovery Studio, or Analog Discovery Studio Max provides both power and measurement, allowing real‑time observation of waveform behavior and illustrating how RC components determine pulse timing.
Project 3: From Duty Cycle to Glow - Understanding PWM Brightness Control
This project introduces the fundamental principles of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) and its application in LED brightness control. Step-by-step instructions explain how to generate a PWM signal using the Analog Discovery Product Line (the Analog Discovery 3, Analog Discovery Studio, or Analog Discovery Studio Max) and apply it to control the perceived brightness of a LED. The project utilizes the Waveform Generator and Oscilloscope instruments in Digilent WaveForms software, as well as NI LabVIEW with the WaveForms Toolkit, to analyze the relationship between duty cycle and LED brightness.
Project 4: Thermistor Sensor - Measuring Temperature through Voltage Variation
This project explores how a thermistor can be used to measure temperature by converting resistance changes into electrical voltage variations. Users will observe how heating or cooling the thermistor affects the measured signal and learn how resistance‑to‑temperature relationships translate into real‑world applications. The Analog Discovery 3, Analog Discovery Studio, or Analog Discovery Studio Max supplies power to the voltage divider and simultaneously measures the output using the oscilloscope.
Project 5: RC Low-Pass Filter - Frequency Response and Signal Smoothing
This project introduces the fundamental principles of RC low-pass filters and their role in frequency response analysis and signal smoothing. Users will build a simple RC filter circuit using the Analog Discovery Product Line (Analog Discovery 3, Analog Discovery Studio, or Analog Discovery Studio Max). The experiment demonstrates how high-frequency components are attenuated and how square signals can be smoothed into exponential waveforms. The project utilizes the Waveform Generator and Oscilloscope instruments in Digilent WaveForms software, as well as NI LabVIEW with the WaveForms Toolkit, to analyze filter behavior in both time and frequency domains.