Ask MAKE: Physical Computing Taxonomy
I hear a lot words — embedded system, microcontroller, system on a chip, computer on a chip — used somewhat interchangeably. What are the differences, if any? And where do Arduino and Raspberry Pi fit?
Arduino
As the preeminent tool for makers, Arduino is a versatile platform that covers almost every type of creative making. With its simple-to-use coding language and fun programming concepts, Arduino enables users to create modern electronics with ease. From beginner level projects like flashing LED lights to more advanced builds such as interactive robots, there are an endless number of possibilities when it comes to building projects with Arduino. Whether you are new or an experienced builder in search of fresh ideas, these posts will provide interesting Arduino tutorials and unique ideas that may spark your creativity and motivate you take on any type of maker project!
Heatit Brings More Amps to Microcontroller Projects
We all know the Arduino as a versatile electronics prototyping tool, but it is often lacking in applications that require higher amperage. Enter Heatit.
Making Drones in Tijuana
I was invited to speak at Tijuana Innovadora, a regional conference/expo. Mark Hatch of TechShop, Jason Short, an industrial designer by day and Drone programmer by night, as well as David Cuartielles of the Arduino team also came to speak on an open source hardware panel.
Stephen Wolfram at Maker Faire: “Every year there’s more and more for me to learn from my children”
Mathematica creator Stephen Wolfram gave a talk at World Maker Faire New York 2012, but his 13-year-old son Christopher stole the show by doing some Mathematica programming on the fly to control a quadricopter.
In the Maker Shed: Microcontroller Quick Launch Pack
Are you interested in starting out with Arduino but don’t know which kit to get? Check out the Microcontroller Quick Launch Pack from the Maker Shed! It’s the perfect “in between” kit for Arduino. This bundle includes a few more components than the Getting Started with Arduino Kit (like a Maker Shield) but not nearly […]
Weekend Projects – Monkey Couch Guardian
Complete instructions for this episode of Weekend Projects can be found at
http://makeprojects.com/Project/Monkey-Couch-Guardian/2232/1
Combine an Arduino with a proximity sensor, and make an obnoxious device to discourage cats and other fur-shedding pets from jumping on beds and couches. This project will also introduce you to the SPDT relay, a fundamental component of hobbyist electronics projects.
Arduino-Controlled Vocal Effects Box
Amanda Ghassaei built this sweet vocal effects box: This effects box uses an Arduino to sample incoming audio at 40kHz with 8 bit precision, the audio data is then digitally pitch shifted and distorted to produce a wide variety of effects. To minimize the amount of computation required by the Arduino, I used a technique […]