Meeting 1/24/2010: Build a Freeduino!

On Sunday, January 24, 2010, John Robert will be leading our meeting, which will be a little different than most. Instead of the lecture/discussion format we usually follow, we will be actually building open source hardware! Read on for details, and please RSVP for this meeting, so that we can get a good head count, to make sure that we have the space and materials to accommodate everyone.

Note: The class requires purchase of a kit. If you do not wish to purchase a kit, you can still come for the class, but we’ll be giving seating preference to people who are actually building the kit, as it’s kind of hard to solder components while standing.

Join the discussion about this class in its posting in the Discussions forum: http://scosug.org/forums/2/topics/122

Note: Meeting date updated!

Where do we buy the kit + etc?

See: http://scosug.org/forums/2/topics/122 for more details.

Maybe having a separate announcement and discussion thread about upcoming meetings are not such a good thing. As Linus would say, “bad fragmentation”.

I would like to be a part of this meeting, and would like to be present without the kit.is that allowed?

I wish to attend.

Please see http://scosug.org/forums/2/topics/122 for details.

@Rupin: Anyone who shows up without a kit will be able to attend, but in a “standing room only” capacity. The seats and desks obviously will be needed for people doing soldering, etc.

@pc_evans: The more the merrier. Same thing applies: Buy a kit ASAP if you plan on building one. If not, you may be watching from the wings.

To all the people who have signed up for the class, here are a couple of links you might want to check out before the 24th.

Soldering 101: NASA-style http://radiojove.gsfc.nasa.gov/telescope/soldering.htm

Assembly instructions for Freeduino board: http://mcukits.com/2009/03/12/assembling-the-freeduino-board-kit/ (Feel free to start at home – but it won’t take us long in class and I will be there to answer any questions as they come up.

Also, I will ask all of you to download the free Arduino V. 17 environment onto your laptops (along with another piece of free software) before the class. You can get it at: http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/HomePage

Just choose your environment (i.e., Windows, Mac or Linux) and follow the directions.

I will also ask you to purchase a soldering iron at Radio Shack before the class. It will only be ~$5.

If you have any questions before the class, e-mail me at hotmail.com

John

Everyone who got their orders in by 5 pm today (1/19/2009) is officially in the class. See you on Sunday. Those that haven’t ordered their kits … maybe we’ll have to set another date for you.

I have been informed that the April 24th Ethernet Shield class is on. You can order yours here:

http://www.nkcelectronics.com/arduino-ethernet-shield.html

We will spend little or no time in building the board – but a lot more time in programming it. You can use it as a web server (e.g., switch lights on in your house from work through a Web site), use it to upload sensor data to a MySQL db, opr use it to Twitter and/or e-mail your friends.

This class will last just about 90 minutes. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions prior to the class at hotmail.com

John

John, let us know what the starting time is, so that I can update the announcement post, etc.

Just a quick update: The date has been changed to the 25th, not the 24th.

Arduino is a hardware device and software used to program it. An Arduino is used for the design and development of embedded computer systems. An Arduino consists of a simple open hardware design for a single-board microcontroller, with embedded I/O support and a standard programming language. An Arduino is programmed using the Wiring language, which is essentially C++ with a few simplifications. The Processing programming language is often used to interface a computer with an Arduino, often to create unorthodox interfaces.

Clark ccsp USA

The Really Bare Bones Board (RBBB) scripts is a mini board designed for those experimental web hosting applications that require small processors, such as wearable computing, near space experiments, toy prototyping, artist’s projects or any use for a fairly small dedicated server , low-cost microcontroller.