the funnest arduino projects we can find

Instructors: Joshua Noble Author of “Programming Interactivity”

Dates: September 25 & 26, 2010

Time: 12 – 6pm on all dates

Select ticket:

Non-Member Registration $240.00 GAFFTA Member Registration $216.00 +Materials Non-Member Registration $290.00 +Materials GAFFTA Member Registration $266.00

Description: A workshop to learn how to create physically interactive applications using Arduino and openFrameworks. We’ll explore how openFrameworks and C++ work and how they can communicate with Arduino applications and devices. Students will learn some of the basics of how the Arduino and openFrameworks platforms work, learn to how to connect the two, and then get started working with two of them to start making applications that can react to physical input and the make physical feedback using buttons, knobs, servos, LEDs, and computer vision.

Awesome to see more Arduino workshops turning up. This one’s in the Bay Area, it’s 6 hours, and apparently pretty comprehensive. There’s a materials fee of $50 if you aren’t set up to do arduino projects just yet — pretty good deal for the Arduino Duemilenove, the USB cable (just those two would run you up to $50), a breadboard, and some components.

Store link: http://macetech.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=2…

Finally, we have these in production! Took a lot longer than expected, due to some other urgent projects with Tangible Interaction, and Maker Faire. Anyway they’re here and I think they look great.

The Centipede Shield adds 64 general purpose digital I/O to your Arduino. By “general purpose I/O” I mean that each pin can be individually configured as an input or an output, just like the normal digital pins on an Arduino. We’ve also cooked up a library that makes it easy to talk to the Centipede Shield; the syntax very similar to the normal Arduino digital pin commands.

Need 64 digital inputs and outputs? This aptly named Arduino shield does the needful.

Wii Nunchuk Controlled Model Train

Using an Arduino microcontroller, an Adafruit motor shield, and a Wii Nunchuk, you can create a intuitive, programmable, model train controller to run your layout.  Amaze your friends.  Entertain your kids.  Not quite DC, not quite DCC.  You’re headed for the hacker lands of PWM (pulse-width modulation).

Why do this?
 – Pulse-width modulation allows smooth operation at slow speeds.
 – Set realistic rates of acceleration and braking.
 – Set maximum speed to avoid derailments.
 – Program operational responses to meet your operating style.
 – Control train based on sensors, auto reversing, whatever.
 – Because you can, and it is cool.

There seems to be a lot of interest from the model train community in arduino projects to control various aspects of the trains, lights, and other infrastructure. It’s pretty interesting. There’s a lot you could do using sensors of all kinds to logic your trains around. We’ll be posting a lot more model train arduino projects to be sure.