Beginners Arduino Workshop C

From Dev8D

Contents 1 Beginners Arduino Workshop 2 Arduino helpers needed 3 Embedded control and electronics with Arduino/Freeduino 3.1 Introduction 4 Mini Projects 4.1 Arduino Electronic Kits 4.1.1 Technology Aim 4.1.2 Process Aim 4.1.3 Skills Aim

Beginners Arduino Workshop

#dev8d #wk

When:	Sat 27th 10:30-13:00
Where:	Workshop
Twitter Tags:	#dev8d #wk

Organiser: Garry Bulmer

Arduino helpers needed

If you are experienced in using Arduinos, we would really welcome some help in this workshop

• Garry Bulmer
• Antonio Roberts

Embedded control and electronics with Arduino/Freeduino

Introduction

The workshop will cover most of the core Arduino Language, with hands-on electronics mini-projects. Every 15 to 20 minutes, we'll build gizmo's which combine embedded control and modern electronics!

The Arduino Language covered in the workshop will include:

• Digital Input and Output and pin-control,
• Analogue Input and Output (using pseudo-analogue Pulse Width Modulation or PWM),
• time-based control (millisecond and microsecond), and
• Arduino to host 'serial' (USB) comms.

You will need a PC or laptop. We will provide Arduino's, breadboard, electronics components and tools (see #Arduino Electronic Kits).

All electronics will be "breadboarded" to get a rapid-prototype feel, and cover lots of ground in a couple of hours. You won't need to solder anything.

We'll have 12 complete kits, and you can work in pairs. With both programming and electronics, pair-development is very effective to speed and understanding.

Mini Projects

The workshop will be centred on a set of rapid mini-projects which will introduce and expand your electronic and Arduino programming knowledge:

• LED torch will get us familiar with the breadboards, electronic components and tools
• 'Blinking LED' is the 'Hello World' of embedded programming, here we'll get familiar with using the Arduino IDE, and core programming concepts
• 'Cheesy Tunes' will swap the LED for a small speaker, and we'll create notes by wiggling voltages in real-time using software
• 'Door bell of Loathing' will add switches and buttons to the cheesy tune, so that you can demonstrate your mastery of Arduino every time anyone uses the doorbell :-)
• 'Sci-Fi synth' uses analogue input to control our cheesy tune machine, we'll also send the analogue value to the host computer in case you want to record your efforts
• 'Street light' uses a light sensor, analogue input and logic to switch a light on as night falls. This gives access to a lot of sensors including light, temperature, magnetism, humidity, pressure, acceleration, spin, ... almost anything that can be measured electronically.
• 'Mood lighting' uses analogue output (PWM or Pulse Width Modulation) to adjust the brightness of an LED, so your Arduino can set the mood. PWM is used to control several types of analogue output including lights, motor speed and heating.

Armed with these practical experiences, you'll understand how to implement more complex projects, and ready to tackle almost anything.

Arduino Electronic Kits

The Arduino Electronics Kits include:

• Freeduino (Arduino clone)
• Breadboard
• LEDs
• Resistors
• Switches
• Analogue potentiometer
• Sensor
• Speaker (for cheesy tunes :)
• Wire
• Tools

Technology Aim

Experience an Introduction to embedded control. In 2007, there were 400,000,000 computers made, about 1 between 15 of us. In the same year, there were 10,000,000,000 microcontrollers made, almost two each. Microcontrollers are the pervasive technology that underpins our world. These devices are very relevant because they represent the limited-resource, low energy devices, for real-time control, embedded in billions of things around us.

Process Aim

Create an environment to introduce "pair-development" in a different context making it easier to understand why it is so effective.

Skills Aim

Experience rapid electronic development and embedded programming. This is the technology which surrounds us.

Encourage people to work together in an less familiar setting where they will appreciate some of the values of a different work approach quickly, and allow them to evaluate their current approaches with a fresh perspective