More random than random()

The Arduino random() function can be used to easily generate a seemingly unpredictable series of numbers. The only problem is, from the first time it’s used in a sketch, random() actually begins spitting out the same series of seemingly random numbers. The standard solution to this conundrum is to start (or “seed”) the formula with a noisy reading taken from an unused analog pin like so: randomSeed(analogRead(0)); But for some the data returned by that little trick may still not be random enough, and that’s why Tinker.it created an extra randomy randomabration by the name of TrueRandom –

It is hard to get a truly random number from Arduino. TrueRandom does it by setting up a noisy voltage on Analog pin 0, measuring it, and then discarding all but the least significant bit of the measured value. However, that isn’t noisy enough, so a von Neumann whitening algorithm gathers enough entropy from multiple readings to ensure a fair distribution of 1s and 0s.

And if you’re left wondering what all that random is good for, think – games, cryptography, generating serial numbers and similar. Swing by the TrueRandom code repository to download the library.