We caught our first glimpse at the new, simplified Arduino Leonardo at Maker Faire back in September of last year. At the time, we were promised a late October shipping date, but it failed to materialize. Finally, Massimo Banzi has taken the wraps off the slimmed down microcontroller and its now in stock at retailers across the web. The Leonardo sports a new pin layout, dubbed R3 (which the Uno has also been updated with), that will become standard across all Arduino boards. That's a big deal for shield makers who only have to design and manufacture an add-on once to ensure it's compatible with the entire product line. The new layout also adds some extra pins and versatility, especially in the realm of shields, which can use to the new IOREF pin to determine the voltage of the processor and thus its model. That means a shield doesn't have to be designed specifically with the new ARM-based Due in mind. The other big news is that the circuitry for converting USB to serial communication and the processor itself have been combined, which not only simplifies the design and drives down costs, but allows it to communicate directly with a computer and imitate all sorts of accessories (such as keyboards and mice). Best of all, is the price. The Leonardo, complete with headers, costs just $25 -- a good $10 less than the Uno -- while the headerless, solder-friendly version retails for $22.50. Check out the video after the break for a few more details from Massimo himself.

Continue reading Arduino Leonardo finally launches with new pin layout, lower price (video)

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Arduino Leonardo finally launches with new pin layout, lower price (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jul 2012 22:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

An LCD screen can bring a whole new level of interactivity to your Arduino projects. They can provide instant data without using your computer and give visual feedback about your project. Normally, you would use a separate breadboard to hook up an LCD but using a MakerShield and this tutorial from Make: Projects, you can make your own LCD shield!

LCD screens look complicated but using an Arduino it’s not too bad at all. This tutorial will teach you how to hook up an LCD display to an Arduino using a MakerShield. All the components you need for this build are included in the Ultimate Microcontroller Pack.

You can pick up an Ultimate Microcontoller Pack from the Maker Shed, Micro Center, and select RadioShack locations. Call me crazy but I love the look of all those jumper wires!

More:
Using the MakerShield – Button
Using the MakerShield – Servo Control

Hi geeks ;-)

I am thinking about to shrink some of my projects. That's the deal. I am planning to build a Attiny-Duino.

What would you think about it's usage? For myself I would use it in the Insect bot to reduce the weight, costs and power comsumption.

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

What does microcontroller programming have in common with Tetris? Quite a bit if you're doing it with Modkit Micro from a Kickstarter project out of Cambridge, MA., which allows almost anyone to visually set up their hardware using graphical blocks to write the code. The partially-hooded trio behind it promises that the software is ideal for use with protyping boards from Arduino, Evil Mad Science, Lilypad, Seeed Studio, Wiring and SparkFun, and they even claim that elementary school students have used it to "take their projects from concept to reality in just a few hours." Purists should have no fear either: you can still get into a code view to see what's going on behind the scenes. A web-based Modkit Micro is being offered online starting June 1st for $25, and there'll be a desktop variant for Windows, OSX, and Linux as early as July if they reach their funding target. Check out the video after the break and then try to get your kids to wait for college before inventing version 2.0 of this.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Modkit Micro asks us if we're ready for six-year-olds coding Arduino boards

Insert Coin: Modkit Micro asks us if we're ready for six-year-olds coding Arduino boards originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here's an instance of NFC technology that's more exciting than yet another tap-to-pay scenario. Google employee Paul Carff combined a Motorola Xoom running ICS with an Arduino microcontroller to create KegDroid, a friendly green beer dispenser. The Xoom acts as a gatekeeper to that brewed goodness, only letting the bot dispense drinks after users swipe an authorized badge. The badge is read by an NFC scanner on the bottom of the case and is then authenticated (or rejected) by the Arduino board. Once the system grants access, users can choose from two selections on tap via a custom Android application displayed on the Xoom's screen. As Android Community points out -- and as you'll see in the video below -- the KegDroid hasn't mastered a bartender-level pour (read: there's way too much foam). Still, this is oodles cooler than your average keg, wouldn't you agree?

Continue reading KegDroid dispenses beer with the help of a Xoom tablet and an Arduino board

KegDroid dispenses beer with the help of a Xoom tablet and an Arduino board originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Have you ever wondered where all those magical Arduinos come from?  Surprise!  They come from Torino, Italy.  The video below will walk you through the PCB manufacuring and assembly process.  A quick history lesson for you: this revolutionary microcontroller platform was created in 2005 by founders Massimo Banzi and David Cuartielles who wanted a device to make student learning less expensive.  For a full history rundown, check out Arduino History from IEEE Spectrum.

Top Arduino Projects

• DIY Star Trek Automatic Door
• DIY Capacitive Touch Made Easy
• Psychedelic Sphere of LEDs

Continue reading Add lasers to a tennis ball, drive your dog crazy (video)

Add lasers to a tennis ball, drive your dog crazy (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Insert Coin: BoardX is an open-source, modular motherboard for prolific prototypers

Insert Coin: BoardX is an open-source, modular motherboard for prolific prototypers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.