Arduino Beginners Workshop

In this thread Material that can/may be used in an Arduino Beginners Workshop that probably will be held in the beginning of the new year (2011) is presented.

Discussion, comments and more, should happen in this thread

Development and Ideas can also be shared on the Labitat Wiki

This wiki page will also be used as a communications tool for the workshop.
labitat.dk/wiki/Arduino_beginners_workshop

Subjects to be covered by the Workshop:

• Installation of the Arduino developer system
  
• Arduino and Arduino Clones
  
• How to connect a pc and different types of Arduinos
  
• Arduino and 11 different basic ways to interface with the world
  
• maybe more

1) Go to the Arduino Download page


2) Download the Arduino system for the operating system that you use:

• Windows
  
• Mac OS X
  
• Linux
  

If you use Linux Ubuntu, you may also choose to use the built-in "Synaptics Package Manager" to download and install the Arduino system.

The official Arduino's are listed on the Arduino homepage http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Hardware
A list of clone boards can be found at freeduino.org

The Arduino Uno is the laters iteration of the main line of Arduino's (Nov 2010).

The main-line Arduino's have a built-in USB interface, so all you need to use the main-line Arduinos is a USB cable, and installing the Arduino development and control system on your computer. See Nano and Mega versions.


Then there are a number of physically smaller Arduino boards.

Here the Mini and Pro mini. They are for example good for breadboard use.

To interface these boards to the computer you need a USB adapter board or cable.


Advanced users may also try to communicate with their Arduino boards wirelessly.

See www.ladyada.net/make/xbee/arduino.html for how-to


A third kind of Arduino boards are the Lilly boards, which are designed so they are easy to attach to clothes, bags and more by sowing the boards onto fabric.

To program the Liliýpad board you also need a USB adapter board or cable.


At Labitat.dk der Hackmeister has developed the LCD I/O backpack board. Its a complete Arduino Clone the size of a 2x16 standard display.

See www.hackmeister.dk/lcd-io-backpack for details.

Links to a number of other clones can also be found at freeduino.org The World Famous Index of Arduino & Freeduino Knowledge

With built-in USB port
If your Arduino has a built-in USB port you just need a USB cable to connect the Arduino to a computer. There are however still some settings you need to be aware of in the Arduino system and control software. See below for details and examples.


With out built-in USB port
If your Arduino does not have a built-in USB port, you need some kind of USB-to-TTL asynchronous serial port converter. The two common types are FTDI USB adapter board or FTDI cable with built-in converter.


The board is developed by Sparkfun and is available from many of the Spakfun outlet stores around the world. Here are links to a few of them:


Settings in the Arduino System Software
1) BEFORE you plug in your Arduino board,
- select from the menu: Tools -> Serial port
- and make a note about which ports are available

2) PLUG IN the ARDUINO
- and drivers should start to be installed (or activated if previously installed)
- select from the menu: Tools -> Serial port
- and click on the new port

3) You can choose to CHECK that the serial port now has a check mark

4) Then set the board type to the kind of Arduino that you have plugged in.


Picture illustrations of the steps

1) BEFORE


2) AFTER


3) CHECK


4) SELECT the correct Arduino Board from the list



You are now ready to COMPILE and UPLOAD your first sketch (Arduino program)

At www.oomlout.co.uk they have made a small booklet with 11 breadboard examples of how to interface your Arduino with the world.


The booklet is open source and downloadable in pdf format
It is also available as an Instructable

Arduino Programming Notebook by Brian Evans is another open source booklet about the programming language of the Arduino.

Both books are available in printed form at your local hacker space and FabLab: Labitat.dk

Here we'll use these booklets and other resources for the basis of a very basic introduction to The Arduino world.

CIRC01

• Getting Started - (Blinking LED) and
  
• Introduction to the Arduino C style programming interface

CIRC02

• 8 LED Fun - (Multiple LEDs)

CIRC03

• Spin Motor Spin - (Transistor and Motor)

CIRC04

• A Single Servo - (Servos)

CIRC05

• 8 More LEDs - (74HC595 Shift Register)

CIRC06

• Music - (Piezo Elements)

CIRC07

• Button Pressing - (Pushbuttons)

CIRC08

• Twisting - (Potentiometers)

CIRC09

• Light - (Photo Resistors)

CIRC10

• Temperature - (TMP36 Temperature Sensor)

CIRC11

• Larger Loads - (Relays)

{CIRC01} Getting Started - (Blinking LED)

{CIRC02} 8 LED Fun - (Multiple LEDs)

{CIRC03} Spin Motor Spin - (Transistor and Motor)

{CIRC04} A Single Servo - (Servos)

{CIRC05} 8 More LEDs - (74HC595 Shift Register)

{CIRC06} Music - (Piezo Elements)

{CIRC07} Button Pressing - (Pushbuttons)

{CIRC08} Twisting - (Potentiometers)

{CIRC09} Light - (Photo Resistors)