Traffic Light Using a Membrane Keypad and Arduino

2026-05-28 | By Ron Cutts

License: GNU Lesser General Public License LED Strips Microcontrollers PWM Arduino ESP32

In this tutorial, we will learn how to control a traffic light using a membrane keypad and Arduino.

Watch the video.

Learn more about Visuino: What is Visuino

What You Will Need

What You Will Need photo 2

What You Will Need photo 3

What You Will Need photo 4

What You Will Need photo 5

The Circuit

Connect "Traffic lights module" pin [GND] to Arduino pin[GND]
Connect "Traffic lights module" pin [R] to Arduino digital pin[11]
Connect "Traffic lights module" pin [Y] to Arduino digital pin[12]
Connect "Traffic lights module" pin [G] to Arduino digital pin[13]
Connect the Membrane Keypad pin [1] to Arduino digital pin[2]
Connect the Membrane Keypad pin [2] to Arduino digital pin[3]
Connect the Membrane Keypad pin [3] to Arduino digital pin[4]
Connect the membrane keypad pin [4] to Arduino digital pin[5]

The Circuit

Start Visuino, and Select the Arduino UNO Board Type

Start Visuino as shown in the first picture. Click on the "Tools" button on the Arduino component (Picture 1) in Visuino. When the dialog appears, select "Arduino UNO" as shown in Picture 2

Start Visuino, and Select the Arduino UNO Board Type

Start Visuino, and Select the Arduino UNO Board Type photo 2

In Visuino, Add Components

Add "Keypad" component
Add 3X "Digital Multi Source" component
Add 3X "Toggle(T) Flip-Flop" component
Add "Pulse Generator" component

In Visuino Add Components

In Visuino Add Components photo 2

In Visuino Add Components photo 3

In Visuino Add Components photo 4

In Visuino Set Components

Select "Keypad1" and in the properties window set "Columns Output Pins" to 3
Double click on "Keypad1" and in the "Keys" window, drag 3X "Digital Key" to the left side
Close the window
Select "DigitalMultiSource1" and in the properties window set "Output Pins" to 3
Select "DigitalMultiSource2" and in the properties window set "Output Pins" to 3
Select "DigitalMultiSource3" and in the properties window set "Output Pins" to 3
Select "PulseGenerator1" and in the properties window select "Enabled" and click on the Pin icon and select "Boolean SinkPin"

In Visuino Set Components

In Visuino Set Components photo 2

In Visuino Set Components photo 3

In Visuino Set Components photo 4

In Visuino Set Components photo 5

In Visuino Set Components photo 6

In Visuino Connect Components

Connect Arduino Digital Pin[2] to "Keypad1" > Rows Pin [0]
Connect "Keypad1" > Columns Pin [0] to Arduino Digital Pin[3]
Connect "Keypad1" > Columns Pin [1] to Arduino Digital Pin[4]
Connect "Keypad1" > Columns Pin [2] to Arduino Digital Pin[5]
Connect "Keypad1" > Keys > Digital Key1 Pin [Out] to "DigitalMultiSource1" Digital Pin[In]
Connect "Keypad1" > Keys > Digital Key2 Pin [Out] to "DigitalMultiSource2" Digital Pin[In]
Connect "Keypad1" > Keys > Digital Key3 Pin [Out] to "DigitalMultiSource3" Digital Pin[In]
Connect "DigitalMultiSource1" Digital Pin[0] to "TFlipFlop1" pin [Clock]
Connect "DigitalMultiSource1" Digital Pin[1] to "TFlipFlop2" pin [Reset]
Connect "DigitalMultiSource1" Digital Pin[2] to "TFlipFlop3" pin [Reset]
Connect "DigitalMultiSource2" Digital Pin[0] to "TFlipFlop2" pin [Clock]
Connect "DigitalMultiSource2" Digital Pin[1] to "TFlipFlop1" pin [Reset]
Connect "DigitalMultiSource2" Digital Pin[2] to "TFlipFlop3" pin [Reset]
Connect "DigitalMultiSource3" Digital Pin[0] to "TFlipFlop3" pin [Clock]
Connect "DigitalMultiSource3" Digital Pin[1] to "TFlipFlop1" pin [Reset]
Connect "DigitalMultiSource3" Digital Pin[2] to "TFlipFlop2" pin [Reset]
Connect "TFlipFlop1" pin [Out] to Arduino Digital Pin[11]
Connect "TFlipFlop2" pin [Out] to "PulseGenerator1" Pin[Enabled]
Connect "TFlipFlop2" pin [Inverted] to "PulseGenerator1" Pin[Reset]
Connect "PulseGenerator1" Pin[Out] to Arduino Digital Pin[12]
Connect "TFlipFlop3" pin [Out] to Arduino Digital Pin[13]

In Visuino Connect Components

In Visuino Connect Components photo 2

Generate, Compile, and Upload the Arduino Code

In Visuino, at the bottom, click on the "Build" tab, make sure the correct port is selected, then click on the "Compile/Build and Upload" button.

Generate, Compile, and Upload the Arduino Code

Play

If you power the Arduino UNO module and press the membrane button, the traffic light module will start to change colors according to the pressed button.

Congratulations! You have completed your project with Visuino. Also attached is the Visuino project that I created for this. You can download it and open it in Visuino: https://www.visuino.eu