OpenCircuits - User contributions [en]

Westport High School Page

2009-10-21T20:35:59Z

97.81.36.101: /* Who/What */

This page is for the Westport High School Robotics Club, other clubs are welcome to use this page as well, as long as the content makes sense for the club, other material should go on other pages. This years page a lot like last year's page, but different. Last year's page moved to [[2008 Westport High School Page]]

=== 2009 Meetings ===

Meeting will take place on in the room as last year. Thanks to Mr Renehan for being the Teacher sponsor for the club. Please do some recruiting for the club we need a few more members. The meetings here are in reverse order so more recent ( or future ones ) are at the top. Expect meetings every Tuesday school is in session.

Next meeting

*Tuesday Oct 20. More messing around with Arduino. Perhaps sensors and motors, perhaps not.
**As an assignment go to instructables and search on Arduino. Find a project to tell us about that you think is interesting. It does not have to be a project you want to do. This link will do the search for you [[http://www.instructables.com/tag/?q=Arduino&limit:type:id=on&sort=POPULAR Instructables serach results for Arduino]]
**Think about buying an Arduino. I will do a write up you can show to your parents.
**Load the Arduino and Processing software on your computer. You should see the page [[Beginners Setup for Arduino and Processing]] for the setup you will need.

Past meetings:

*Tuesday Oct 13. We will start real work. Mr. H. will bring 2 computers, some Arduino's, cables, and some stuff: sensors, led's and motors.

First meeting

*Tuesday Oct 6 in Mr Renehan's Room. This will be an organizational meeting.

=== Things to bring ===
It is very useful to have:
*Paper ( best 3 hole punched )
*Pencil ( not a pen, we all make mistakes, a pencil lets you fix them )
*Notebook, 3 ring ( I may have a supply of a few )
*USB Thumb Drive ( for documents and your own work )

Before a meeting ( say Sunday )
Check you email to see if there is any from the club. ( Please send me an email when you join so that I have your email address )
Need parts or anything else for a meeting? Make sure you send an email to Mr H reminding him of what you want, this will help a lot.

=== 2009 Projects ===

'''Read this and look at the links!'''

This year we are going to switch our attention to Arduino based projects ( but as usual any electronics platform is open for consideration ). See: [[Microcontrollers for Beginners]]. We will also connect the Arduino to our PC so that programs on the can talk to programs on the PC and programs on the Arduino can talk to each other. You should see the page [[Beginners Setup for Arduino and Processing]] for the setup you will need.

==== Who/What ====

'''Rest of document is draft, may be of some use, or not'''

Note: This is all really old and may not still apply.

{| class="wikitable"
|-valign="top"
|Who
|What Now
|What Done
|What Next?

|-valign="top"
|Tyler
|Arduino
|Little of everthing
|
*Ideas for the Arduino

|-valign="top"
|The Saint (Who?)
|Whiteboard, Looked over links
|Watched MrH build chopstick pen
|
*Plan pen, install software for controller on some computer.
*Figure out the Bluetooth adapter, install, bring to meetings

|-valign="top"
|The Lamb (Who?)
|Salvaging Motors, Building clocks
|One printer partly deconstructed.
|More salvage, test motors.


|-valign="top"
|Java the Hutt (Who?)
|Clock? and Rockets
|
|Try to make it to a meeting


|-valign="top"
|MrH
|Arduino
|
|

|-valign="top"
|New 1
|
|
|

|-valign="top"
|New 2
|
|
|

|-valign="top"
|New 3
|
|
|

|}

=== Links ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-valign="top"
|What
|Where
|Posted

|-valign="top"
|[[Arduino Links]]
|
|A cool processor, our focus for this year.

|-valign="top"
|[[Microcontroller Serial Communications Articles]]
|
|

|-valign="top"
|[[BitWacker PIC USB Development Board]]
|
|

|-valign="top"
|[[BitWacker PIC and Other Microcontroller to Java Communications]]
|
|

|-valign="top"
|[[Bargains]]
|
|Cheap, but good enough stuff

|-valign="top"
|[[Basic Circuits and Circuit Building Blocks]]
|
|It is worth learning these

|-valign="top"
|[[Arduino Links]]
|
|

|-valign="top"
|[[PointLess LED Array]]
|
|One of Mr H's projects

|-valign="top"
|[[Salvage Parts and Sources]]
|
|Really cheap

|-valign="top"
|[[Solderless protoboard]]
|
|

|-valign="top"
|[[Tutorials]]
|
|Go learn something

|-valign="top"
|[[PIC based Stepper Motor Dancing Analog Clock]]
|
|
|-valign="top"


|}

Beginners Setup for Arduino and Processing

2009-10-12T23:17:29Z

97.81.36.101: /* Hardware Setup */

= Introduction =

This writeup is specifically for the Westport High School [[Westport High School Page]] but should be useful for other beginners as well.

'''This is an unfinished draft, but should be useful for a start.'''

Setup for the Arduino and Processing falls into two major groups, setting up your PC ( most operating system ) and setting up the hardware needed. Both are discussed in the sections that follow.

= Hardware Setup =

The real basics:

* Arduino board. You need at least one. There are many. Some distinctions are:
**'''USB or older style Serial'''
**'''Price'''
**'''Kit or prebuilt'''
**'''Memory'''
**'''Compatible with Shields''' Shields are hardware extensions for the Arduino. Really nice to have. We will have a writeup on them soon.
**'''Easily pluggable to a ProtoBoard''' This may conflict with compatible with shields, it would be nice to have it be both, we will work on it.
**'''Speed''' more speed is usually better than less.
**'''Voltage''' Most of our other circuity will probably be 5 v so 5 v is fine. the 3.3v parts are useful if used with other 3.3 v parts. Despite the different voltages there are ways to connect them together.
**'''Processor''' two processors are the 168 and the 368, typically the 368 is more capable, but very little more expense lean towards it.

* Connection between PC and Arduino -- Mr H. will bring some, but you should get one to go with your Arduino.
Different PCs and Arduino have different port for connection. You need a cable that will connect the two.
Before you buy your Arduino board you should figure out the cable as well. Start by finding out what connections you have on your PC.
*USB
*"Older Style Serial" actually RS232 serial. Has a 9 pin socket on the PC

For some information on what boards are available see: [http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Buy Buy an Arduino board] We will also discuss this during our meetings and probably place a group order.

This [http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9284 Arduino Starter Kit] is a pretty good setup for most people if the price ( $60.00 ) does not put you off. At the other end is [http://moderndevice.com/index.shtml Bare Bones Board] a kit, no cables or other goodies but $13.

* a Protoboard -- Mr H. will bring some and the components used with them. See [[Solderless protoboard]]

* Misc. electronic components LEDs, displays, sensors, motors and so on. -- Mr H. will have a bunch, we will get more as we need them.

= PC Setup =

This can be a Windows machine, a Mac, or Linux. I only have a Windows PC so you may have to modify some of these directions for other operating systems. For Windows you will need to unzip some files. If you do not know how to do this try the following:

*[http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_unzip_a_file How do you unzip a file?]
*[http://customize.org/help/How_To_Unzip_A_File Customize Help How To Unzip A File]
*[http://consumerdocs.installshield.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=Q108326&sliceId=1 Q108326: How Do I Unzip a File in Windows XP?]
*[http://netsquirrel.com/articles/zip.html How to Unzip a File]

== Arduino Software ==

The software you need will allow you to write programs for the Arduino and move them from the PC to the Arduino.

Go to [http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Software Arduino Download the Arduino Software] and pick the right version of the software for your PC. Then go to [http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/HomePage Guide to Getting Started with Arduino] and follow the directions for set up. Note that you can do most of this without having an Arduino Board. After you get the board you may need to go back and do a bit more setup.

For the first time through the important part is to get the environment running and see if you can open some of the examples. You could also try to write a short program and save it. See if you can compile a program. You cannot upload it without having a an Arduino and cable.

A note on saving files: Your files are saved in the so-called sketchbook. "sketchbook" is not the name of the directory the actual name can be set by you using Files->Preferences->Sketchbook Location. Because we will probably be moving between computers it is probably useful to make this a location on your flash drive. I would recommend something like F:/MyRobotics/Arduino/. Each sketch will get its own directory under this location. Test your setup: try writing a new program, save it, close the Arduino software, reopen the program using the File->Sketchbook menu choice. Look at your flash drive to make sure the file end up where it should be.

== Processing Software ==

Processing is the language for the PC side of PC <-> Arduino communications. Down load it from [http://processing.org/download/ Download Processing]. Like the Arduino language you will need to unzip it for installation. It will run from the location it is unzipped to. The file to run is: processing.exe. After installing, run it. To get started with it see: [http://processing.org/learning/gettingstarted/ Getting Started. Welcome to Processing!]

A note on saving files: As with the Arduino Software your files are saved in the so-called sketchbook. "sketchbook" is not the name of the directory the actual name can be set by you using Files->Preferences->Sketchbook Location. Because we will probably be moving between computers it is probably useful to make this a location on your flash drive. I would recommend something like F:/MyRobotics/Processing/. Each sketch will get its own directory under this location. Test your setup: try writing a new program, save it, close the Arduino software, reopen the program using the File->Sketchbook menu choice. Look at your flash drive to make sure the file ended up where it should be.

Westport High School Page

2009-10-12T23:06:34Z

97.81.36.101: /* Links */

This page is for the Westport High School Robotics Club, other clubs are welcome to use this page as well, as long as the content makes sense for the club, other material should go on other pages. This years page a lot like last year's page, but different. Last year's page moved to [[2008 Westport High School Page]]

=== 2009 Meetings ===

Meeting will take place on in the room as last year. Thanks to Mr Renehan for being the Teacher sponsor for the club. Please do some recruiting for the club we need a few more members.

First meeting

*Tuesday Oct 6 in Mr Renehan's Room. This will be an organizational meeting.

Next meeting

*Tuesday Oct 13. We will start real work. Mr. H. will bring 2 computers, some Arduino's, cables, and some stuff: sensors, led's and motors.

More meetings:

Expect them every Tuesday school is in session.

=== Things to bring ===
It is very useful to have:
*Paper ( best 3 hole punched )
*Pencil ( not a pen, we all make mistakes, a pencil lets you fix them )
*Notebook, 3 ring ( I may have a supply of a few )
*USB Thumb Drive ( for documents and your own work )

Before a meeting ( say Sunday )
Check you email to see if there is any from the club. ( Please send me an email when you join so that I have your email address )
Need parts or anything else for a meeting? Make sure you send an email to Mr H reminding him of what you want, this will help a lot.

=== 2009 Projects ===

'''Read this and look at the links!'''

This year we are going to switch our attention to Arduino based projects ( but as usual any electronics platform is open for consideration ). See: [[Microcontrollers for Beginners]]. We will also connect the Arduino to our PC so that programs on the can talk to programs on the PC and programs on the Arduino can talk to each other. You should see the page [[Beginners Setup for Arduino and Processing]] for the setup you will need.

==== Who/What ====

'''Rest of document is draft, may be of some use, or not'''

{| class="wikitable"
|-valign="top"
|Who
|What
|Done
|Next?

|-valign="top"
|One
|TBD
|Something
|*What to get
*Other thing to get

|-valign="top"
|MrH
|Arduino
|

|



|}

=== Links ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-valign="top"
|What
|Where
|Posted

|-valign="top"
|[[Arduino Links]]
|
|A cool processor, our focus for this year.

|-valign="top"
|[[Microcontroller Serial Communications Articles]]
|
|

|-valign="top"
|[[BitWacker PIC USB Development Board]]
|
|

|-valign="top"
|[[BitWacker PIC and Other Microcontroller to Java Communications]]
|
|

|-valign="top"
|[[Bargains]]
|
|Cheap, but good enough stuff

|-valign="top"
|[[Basic Circuits and Circuit Building Blocks]]
|
|It is worth learning these

|-valign="top"
|[[Arduino Links]]
|
|

|-valign="top"
|[[PointLess LED Array]]
|
|One of Mr H's projects

|-valign="top"
|[[Salvage Parts and Sources]]
|
|Really cheap

|-valign="top"
|[[Solderless protoboard]]
|
|

|-valign="top"
|[[Tutorials]]
|
|Go learn something

|-valign="top"
|[[PIC based Stepper Motor Dancing Analog Clock]]
|
|
|-valign="top"


|}