Course Outline
WEEK 1
Topic: introduction and Preparation
Readings
- Introduction of the SparkFun Inventor’s Kit for Arduino Experimenter’s Guide
- Experiment 1: Blinking an LED in the SparkFun Inventor’s Kit for Arduino Experimenter’s Guide
- Experiment 2: Reading a Potentiometer in the SparkFun Inventor’s Kit for Arduino Experimenter’s Guide
Assignments
- Download Arduino IDE
- Install Solidworks
- Complete equipment trainings
WEEK 2
Topic: Introduction to Solidworks
Prototyping: Introduction to 3D CAD demo with simple shapes, intro to laser cutter, intro to linkages, physical prototyping
Readings
- N/A
Assignments
- Design and laser cut a set of gears and linkages to convert rotary motion into linear motion.
- Can be hand-powered but must have some affordances to actuate it ergonomically and move something.
- No touching the gear directly, output motion should be highlighted by physical design.
WEEK 3
Topic: Introduction to Arduino
Electronics: Installation, problem solving, and introduction to basic Arduino capabilities (digitalRead(), digitalWrite(), analogRead(), analogWrite()). Using a transistor to control a high current load (motor).
Readings
- Ardunio’s Digital Read Serial
- SparkFun’s Switch Basics Tutorial
Assignments
- Use a switch or Photoresistor to control the servo motor in your origami project
- Combine one of your origami/kirigami from last week's homework with the
Arduino servo sketch to create something that changes shape (mechanical linkage, accordion, etc.). Feel free to remake your origami/kirigami if you decide that what you have is not conducive to the servo assignment. Servo and origami must be mounted solid to a base and brought to class.
WEEK 4
Topic: Mechanisms
Prototyping: mechanisms
Readings
- Adafruit’s Arduino lesson 13: DC Motors
- SparkFun’s Motor overview
- Adafruit’s Arduino lesson 14: Servo motors
- Adafruit’s All About Stepper Motors
- Adafruit’s Stepper Motor lesson
- Wikipedia’s Stepper Motor article
Assignments
Project #1: Drawing machine
- Must leave a mark on paper or other surface.
- You may use any of the sensors and actuators we've learned about.
- Must be repeatable and operate with only input motion (can not be held in place, supported by hands, pushed or knocked to get started or other physical assistance).
WEEK 5
Topic: Motors
Electronics: Introduction to current and Ohm’s law, labs (DC motor and transistor, DC motor and Hbridge), presentation of week 4’s homework
Readings
- SparkFun’s How to use a Multimeter
- Adafruit’s Multimeter tutorial
Assignments
Project #1: Drawing machine: hand powered mechanical prototype
- You may use any of the sensors and actuators we've learned about.
- Must be repeatable and operate with only input motion (can not be held in place, supported by hands, pushed or knocked to get started or other physical assistance).
WEEK 6
Topic: Soldering, Perforated breadboard, Arduino Prototyping Shield Electronics: Homework presentation of drawing machine, Arduino prototyping shield introduction, Arduino Wire selection, connectors, soldering, wiring management
Readings
- N/A
Assignments
- N/A
WEEK 7
Topic: Arduino shield examples; Adhesives and Fasteners
Electronics: show and tell of a variety of shields Prototyping: adhesives, fasteners
Readings
- Adafruit’s Guide to Excellent Soldering
Assignments
Project #1 (Drawing Machine) due
Project #2: Remote controlled vehicle
- Low fidelity prototype of three chassis designs using laser cut cardboard, 3Dprinted parts, bamboo skewers, straws, etc...
- Must be actual size and have functionality of final design. i.e. wheels must steer, body must articulate, etc. No electronics, just mechanics.
WEEK 8
Topic: PCB design and creation
Electronics: PCB layout and Othermill including soldering Prototyping: Drive by wire/Arduino control
Readings
Fritzing introduction, Othermill tutorial, Bluetooth tutorial
- Fritzing Getting Started
- Building a Fritzing Circuit
- Designing a PCB in Fritzing
- Designing an Arduino shield in Fritzing
- Introduction to the Othermill
- Othermill Hello World project
- Othermill PCB Design Considerations
- Introducing the Adafruit Bluefruit LE SPI Friend
Assignments
- Project #2: Chassis refinement
WEEK 9
Topic: Wireless: Bluetooth LE; 3D printing
Electronics: ArduinoBluetooth
Prototyping: 3D printing, mechanical prototyping, chassis
Readings
- Chuck Rosenberg’s Robot building tips
Assignments
- Mill and solder your PCB on the Othermillo
- Medium Fidelity chassis, working steering, working motors.
- We will set up a test track and your vehicle will be graded on how well it performs the required criteria, i.e. does it steer, can it move on its own, climb the ramp?
WEEK 10
Topic: Student Presentations
WEEK 11
Topic: Advanced electronics: Dealing with low frequency and high frequency electrical noise
Electronics: Review voltage, resistance, and current and the relationship between the three, the difference between ideal conductors and real conductors: resistance, capacitance, inductance, power distribution considerations, low frequency voltage sag, high frequency noise from motors, things to watch out for when you wire up your vehicle
Readings
- Tronixstuff’s Arduino and the SPI Bus
- Sparkfun’s SPI Interface
- Sparkfun’s I2C interface
- Tronixstuff’s Arduino and the I2C Bus
Assignments
Project #2: a finished fully functional, Bluetooth controlled vehicle
- working steering, working motors
- Testing on track, vehicle will be graded on how well it performs the required criteria, i.e. does it steer, can it move on its own, climb the ramp?
WEEK 12
Topic: Advanced Arduino interfaces
Electronics: Arduino schematic, pins with special functionality, advanced interfaces
Readings
- Adafruit’s Arduino Processor Interrupts tutorial
- Sparkfun’s Processor Interrupts with Arduino tutorial
- Adafruit’s Timer Interrupts tutorial
Assignments
- N/A
WEEK 13
Topic: Arduino timers and interrupts; finishing prototypes Electronics: Arduino timers and interrupts
Prototyping: fit and finish, coatings and paint, lubrication
Readings
- N/A
Assignments
- Prepare questions for next week
WEEK 14
Topic: Class choice of topics in electronics
Electronics: Q&A session about electronics
Prototyping: Review of vehicle designs, failure proofing demos
Readings
- Adafruit’s What’s the difference between Arduino, Raspberry Pi, BeagleBoard, etc?
- Browse Internet of Things Hardware Roundup
- Browse Make: The Maker's Guide to Boards
Assignments
- Vehicle refinementincorporate critique feedback to vehicle design
WEEK 15
Topic: Other microcontrollers; best practices, and the future
Electronics: Other microcontrollers
Prototyping: best practices, emerging/future technology
Readings
- N/A
Assignments
- Clean up/refine prototype vehicles for presentations
WEEK 16
Student Final Presentations (Project Showcase)