Getting started

We held the first workshop in June. Here are a few photos and videos from the workshop

Our emails if you have questions or ideas you want to share

• Bow is WillisBowman at comcast.net
• Adam is adamwolf at feelslikeburning.com
• Dan is dhaeg at smm.org
• Keith is keithb at smm.org

Software

• Download the latest Arduino software

Resources and documentation

• Servos
  • Batteries and Servos...Oh My
• Transistors: TIP 120
  • Nice page with diagram
• Lady Ada's terrific tutorials for Arduinos
  
• online LED / resistor calculator:
  • calculator 1
• resistor color band calculator:
  • calculator 2
• Simple electronics explained
• If you have found this page and want to try the tutorials we've developed, here is a spread sheet of all the parts in our kit. Part numbers, 2009 costs and where to get them included!
  

Programs we used for Workshop 1 are listed below.  Because we found that some people want either a photo or a true electrical schematic or a sketch we have include all three for each example:

• Turn on a LED: This is the starter program we used to blink LED on pin 12. Blink_LED_on_pin_12.pde View wiring photo. View schematic PDF. View wiring sketch PDF

• Fading LED: The pulsing program that does PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) to fade the single red LED on and off.  LED_Fading.pde View wiring photo.View schematic PDF.  View wiring sketch PDF

• Button: Program to sense a momentary switch turning on / off which in turn will turn on and off a single red LED. This also demonstrate the very useful Serial Monitor ( which can send data back to the Arduino programming application).  Push_button_turn_on_LED.pde View wiring photo. View schematic PDF. View wiring sketch PDF

• Slider: Use a sliding potentiometer (a variable resistor) to vary the frequency of a single red LED turning on and off. 10K_slider_LED_blink.pde View wiring photo. View schematic PDF. View wiring sketch PDF

• Tri-Color LED: How to turn each color of light on / off. tricolor_LED_each_color.pde View wiring photo. View schematic PDF. View wiring sketch PDF

  • Making the mood: PWM color mixing. tricolor_LED_Fading.pde View wiring photo. View schematic PDF. View wiring PDF
    

  • PWM color mixing with random colors: tricolor_LED_random_fade.pde View wiring photo. View schematic PDF. View wiring sketch PDF

• Mini-Motor circuit: Controlling a large current component with a small signal. Incorporating the TIP120 transistor and another circuit (9 volt battery and 6-12 vdc motor). motor_ramp.pde  View wiring photo. View wiring photo detail. View schematic PDF. View wiring sketch PDF

Programs we demonstrated in Workshop 2

• The solenoid program lets you control big/strong motion using an electromagnet. solenoid.pde View wiring photo. View wiring detail. View wiring sketch PDF
  
  
• Stepper motors have very fine motion - great for accurate and consistent movement. stepper_motor.pde  View wiring photo. View schematic PDF.

• The relay is used to turn items of power (blenders, fans, drills, etc) on and off.   relay.pde  View wiring photo. View schematic PDF Here's an annotated image of the Arduino and circuit. Here is a slick way of reversing a dc motor with a relay: relay_motor_reverse schematic PDF
• RC servo motors can impart up to 180 degrees of motion accurately. They hold their position once found.  rc_servo_motor.pde   View schematic PDF
  

• Cool projects with the Arduino ( send us more!)

• Monique shared a number of websites with us at the end of the 2nd workshop. I've made a google notebook where I'm collecting these
  • http://www.google.com/notebook/html?nbid=BDSGpIgoQppqhhLEj
    
    
• Whole bunch of projects on one big page using Arduino
• Microcontroller Course - Arduino Project 1
• 3 x 3 x 3 cube
• a platform for interactive performance
• Merry Xmas Mr. Therimin
• Make music with an Arduino and a piezo speaker ...
• Bow found this one: Control an iPod with the Arduino!!