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2.1: Basic Microcontroller Use for Measurement and Control
2: Information Technol… 2.2: Visible and Near I…
Nicholas M. Holden, Mary Leigh Wolfe, Jactone Arogo Ogejo, & Enda J. Cummins
University College Dublin and Virginia Tech
 via 
Virginia Tech Libraries' Open Education Initiative
Yeyin Shi
Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln,
Nebraska, USA
Guangjun Qiu
College of Engineering, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Ning Wang
Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Oklahoma State University,
Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
Key Terms
Architecture and hardware
Operating principles
Programming
Greenhouse control
Introduction
Measurement and control systems are widely used in biosystems engineering. They are
ubiquitous and indispensable in the digital age, being used to collect data (measure) and to
automate actions (control). For example, weather stations measure temperature,
precipitation, wind, and other environmental parameters. The data can be manually
interpreted for better farm management decisions, such as flow rate and pressure regulation
for field irrigation. Measurement and control systems are also part of the foundation of the
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latest internet of things (IoT) technology, in which devices can be remotely monitored and
controlled over the internet.
A key component of a measurement and control system is the microcontroller. All
biosystems engineers are required to have a basic understanding of what microcontrollers
are, how they work, and how to use them for measurement and control. This chapter
introduces the concepts and applications of microcontrollers illustrated with a simple project.
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
• Describe the architecture and operating principles of microcontrollers
• Explain how to approach programming a microcontroller
• Develop a simple program to operate a microcontroller for measurement and control
systems