Kit companion

SunFounder Inventor Lab Kit: every lesson, simulated

All 34 hands-on lessons, in order, each a circuit you can run in your browser on the pins the lesson uses: from a first LED and a multimeter to a robot that plays the dinosaur game, a radar and a card-operated door.

Open the first lesson Find your lesson What else it can build

Not affiliated with SunFounder. Lesson titles are referenced so you can follow along.

Lesson by lesson

Every lesson in the kit’s order

Lesson numbers and titles follow the 34 hands-on lessons of the online tutorial. Each circuit uses the kit’s parts on the pins the lesson uses.

33 of the 33 lessons with a circuit run here, 2 of them with a change we name, 1 setup lesson needs no circuit.

1
Get Started Arduino
No circuit
Installing the Arduino IDE and meeting the board. Here the editor and the compiler already run in the browser.
2
Your First Circuit
Runs here
A red LED and a 220 ohm resistor on the Uno’s 5 V pin, no code: the Uno is only the battery.
Open in the editor An LED on the 5 V pin
3
Measure with Multimeter
Runs here
The first circuit with a multimeter in it. Read the current, then switch the dial to volts and move the leads.
Open in the editor An LED on 5 V, with a multimeter on it
4
Ohm’s Law: A Journey Through the Essentials of Electrical Circuits
Runs here
Give the resistor 1k or 10k and watch the meter: more ohms, less current, just as Ohm’s law says.
Open in the editor An LED on 5 V, with a multimeter on it
5
Series Circuit vs. Parallel Circuit
Runs here
Two LEDs in series share the 5 V and glow dimly; two in parallel each get all of it. The meter shows the difference.
Open in the editor Series and parallel LEDs on 5 V
6
Blink LED
Runs here
The first sketch: an LED on pin 3, on for half a second and off for half a second.
Open in the editor Blink an LED on pin 3
7
Let’s Make Traffic Lights!
Runs here
Green on pin 3, yellow on 4 and red on 5, running through a traffic light’s cycle.
Open in the editor Traffic lights on pins 3, 4 and 5
8
Traffic Light with Pedestrian Button
Runs here
A crossing button on pin 8 with a 10k pull-down stops the cars and turns the light red.
Open in the editor Traffic lights with a crossing button on pin 8
9
Dimmable Desk Lamp
Runs here
A potentiometer on A0 sets the brightness of an LED on pin 9 with analogWrite.
Open in the editor Knob on A0 dims the LED on pin 9
10
Morse Code
Runs here
An active buzzer on pin 9 sends SOS: three short beeps, three long, three short.
Open in the editor Morse code on an active buzzer (pin 9)
11
The Colors of the Rainbow
Runs here
An RGB LED with red on pin 11, green on 10 and blue on 9 runs through the colors of the rainbow.
Open in the editor RGB colors on pins 11, 10 and 9
12
Siren Sound
Runs here
A passive buzzer on pin 9 sweeps up and down in pitch with tone(), like a siren.
Open in the editor Siren on a passive buzzer (pin 9)
13
Joystick LED Navigator
Runs here
Push the joystick (A0, A1 and pin 2) and the LED on that side lights: left 11, right 8, up 10, down 9.
Open in the editor Joystick lights the way (LEDs on 8 to 11)
14
Play Dinosaur Game
Runs, with a change
A light sensor on A0 spots a dark cactus on the screen and a servo on pin 9 presses the space bar to jump.
There is no game screen in the simulator: drag the light sensor darker to play the cactus going by, and watch the servo jump.
Open in the editor Dinosaur game player: light sensor on A0, servo on 9
15
Cool or Warm Colors
Runs here
A knob on A0 blends the RGB LED on 11, 10 and 9 from a warm orange to a cool blue.
Open in the editor Warm or cool light: a knob blends an RGB LED
16
Summer Fan
Runs here
An L293D drives a motor from pins 10 and 9; four buttons on pins 4 to 7 choose off, slow, medium or fast.
The lesson powers the motor side from a breadboard power module and a 9 V battery; here the Uno’s 5 V feeds it.
Open in the editor Summer fan: four buttons and an L293D (pins 9 and 10)
17
Exploring the I2C LCD1602 Display
Runs here
An I2C LCD on A4 and A5: scan the bus for its address, then write on it.
Open in the editor I2C LCD1602: find its address, then say hello
18
ON/OFF Desk Lamp
Runs here
Each press of the button on pin 7 flips a relay module on pin 2, and the relay switches an LED lamp.
Open in the editor On and off desk lamp: button on 7, relay on 2
19
Smart Trash Can
Runs here
An ultrasonic sensor on pins 8 and 7 sees a hand, and a servo on pin 9 opens the lid.
Open in the editor Smart trash can: ultrasonic on 8 and 7, servo lid on 9
20
Automatic Soap Dispenser
Runs here
A hand under the ultrasonic sensor (8 and 7) runs a pump for one dose through an L293D on pin 2.
The lesson powers the motor side from a breadboard power module and a 9 V battery; here the Uno’s 5 V feeds it.
Open in the editor Automatic soap dispenser: ultrasonic on 8 and 7, pump on 2
21
Temperature Alarm
Runs here
A thermistor on A0 turns an RGB LED on 10, 11 and 12 blue when cold, green when comfortable and red when too hot.
Open in the editor Temperature alarm: thermistor on A0, RGB on 10, 11 and 12
22
Remote-Controlled Colorful Light
Runs here
The number buttons on the IR remote (receiver on pin 2) pick the color of the RGB LED on 11, 10 and 9.
Open in the editor Remote-controlled colors: IR on pin 2, RGB on 11, 10 and 9
23
Play “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”
Runs here
A passive buzzer on pin 9 plays the tune from an array of notes and an array of lengths.
Open in the editor Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star on a passive buzzer (pin 9)
24
The Pomodoro Timer
Runs here
An active buzzer on pin 9 marks 25 minutes of work and 5 of rest, timed with millis().
Open in the editor Pomodoro timer on an active buzzer (pin 9)
25
Reverse Radar System
Runs here
The closer the wall to the ultrasonic sensor, the faster the buzzer on pin 9 beeps, with the distance on an I2C LCD.
Open in the editor Reversing radar: ultrasonic, buzzer and I2C LCD
26
Cyber Dice
Runs here
Hold the button on pin 9 to roll; a seven-segment digit on pins 2 to 8 spins and stops on 1 to 6.
Open in the editor Cyber dice: seven-segment on pins 2 to 8, button on 9
27
Flowing Light with 74HC595
Runs here
Eight LEDs on a 74HC595 (DS 11, SH_CP 8, ST_CP 12) fill up one at a time.
Open in the editor Flowing light on a 74HC595 (pins 11, 8 and 12)
28
Show Number with 74hc595
Runs here
Type a digit into the serial monitor and the 74HC595 shows it on a seven-segment display.
Q7 is left unwired here, since the sketch never lights the decimal point; the lesson wires it to dp.
Open in the editor Type a digit: serial to a 74HC595 display (pins 11, 8 and 12)
29
Plant Monitor
Runs here
Light on A0, soil moisture on A1 and temperature on A2 on an I2C LCD, and a pump on pin 12 for dry soil.
The lesson powers the motor side from a breadboard power module and a 9 V battery; here the Uno’s 5 V feeds it.
Open in the editor Plant monitor: light, soil, temperature and a pump
30
Arduino Radar System
Runs, with a change
A servo on pin 12 sweeps an ultrasonic sensor (TRIG 10, ECHO 11) and reports each angle and distance.
The board’s half runs here and prints each angle and distance; the radar screen is a Processing sketch on your computer.
Open in the editor Radar sweep: ultrasonic on 10 and 11, servo on 12
31
Guess Number
Runs here
Guess the board’s secret number with the IR remote; the I2C LCD narrows the range after each try.
Open in the editor Guess the number: IR remote and an I2C LCD
32
Stopwatch
Runs here
Minutes and seconds on a four-digit display: segments on pins 2 to 9, digits on 10 to 13.
Each segment line has its own 220 ohm here; the lesson puts its resistors on the digit lines.
Open in the editor Stopwatch: four-digit display, digits on 10 to 13
33
Exploring the RF522-RFID Module
Runs here
An RC522 reader (SS 10, RST 9) reads a card’s ID and shows it on the I2C LCD.
Open in the editor RFID reader with an I2C LCD
34
Access Control System
Runs here
The right card turns a stepper on pins 2 to 5 to open the door; the wrong one is refused on the LCD.
Open in the editor Access control: RFID card opens a stepper door

Lesson list and pins read from SunFounder’s online tutorial. The explanations on this page are our own.

Learning path

Everything the SunFounder Inventor Lab Kit can build

159 projects use only the parts in this box, ordered from a first blink to the hardest.

Beginner (91)

Intermediate (59)

Advanced (9)

Level up

Add a few parts, unlock more projects

The smallest shopping lists that open the most new projects for the SunFounder Inventor Lab Kit.

Add Addressable RGB LEDs

Unlocks 13 more projects:

Add ili9341 and Addressable RGB LEDs

Unlocks 25 more projects:

Add ili9341, Character LCD, 16x2 and Addressable RGB LEDs

Unlocks 35 more projects:

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Own another kit as well? These need parts from both boxes, and neither can build them alone.

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51 projects:

With the Freenove Ultimate Starter Kit for Raspberry Pi Pico

48 projects:

With the Freenove Ultimate Starter Kit for ESP32-WROVER

45 projects:

In the box

The kit’s parts, and what plays them here

The parts in the SunFounder Inventor Lab Kit, by the names its maker gives them. Each one is in the editor’s parts panel.

Arduino Uno R3 Arduino Uno R3
Breadboard Full-size breadboard
Red, yellow and green LEDs LED
RGB LED RGB LED
220 ohm and 10k ohm resistors Resistor
Buttons Pushbutton
Potentiometer Potentiometer
Active buzzer Buzzer
Passive buzzer Piezo speaker
Joystick module Thumb stick
Photoresistor Light sensor
Thermistor Thermistor, 10k NTC
Servo Hobby servo
Motor DC motor
L293D chip Motor driver, L293D
Pump Mini water pump
Relay module Relay module
I2C LCD1602 Character LCD with I2C backpack
Ultrasonic module Ultrasonic ranger
IR receiver Infrared receiver, VS1838B
Remote control Infrared remote, 21 buttons
7-segment display Seven segment display
4-digit 7-segment display Four-digit seven segment, multiplexed
74HC595 74HC595 shift register
Soil moisture sensor Soil moisture sensor, capacitive
RFID module and tag RFID reader, MFRC522
Stepper motor and ULN2003 module Stepper motor, 28BYJ-48 with ULN2003
Multimeter Multimeter
Breadboard power module, 9 V battery and battery cable Not needed here: the Uno’s 5 V feeds the motor and the pump.
USB cable and jumper wires The editor connects the board for you, and wires are drawn between pins.

For the manual

A link and a QR code for this page

Print either one beside a lesson, or tape it inside the box lid. Both open this page.

mokxi.com/k/sunfounder-inventor

The code is black on white with a quiet border, so it prints and scans at any size from 2 cm up.

Download the QR code (SVG)

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FAQ

Questions about this page

Is this made by SunFounder?

No. Mokxi is independent and is not affiliated with SunFounder. The page follows the kit’s lessons so you can use the two side by side; the circuits, sketches and explanations are Mokxi’s own.

Do I need the kit?

No. Every lesson that runs here runs in the browser, so you can try them before you buy a kit, or keep going while a part is missing or broken.

Is the code the same as in my manual?

The pins and the parts are the same, and the sketches use the same libraries where the kit does. The code itself is written for this page, with comments that explain each step, so it will not match the manual line for line.

What do "with a change" and "coming soon" mean?

A lesson marked "with a change" runs, but something differs from the kit, and the note under it says exactly what. "Coming soon" means we cannot simulate that lesson yet, and the note says why. We do not mark a lesson as running unless it does.

Is it free?

Yes. Every lesson on this page opens with no account. A free account saves your own copies of the circuits.