Adventures in Arduino

Arduino programming for the absolute beginner, with project-based learning
 
Adventures in Arduino is the beginner's guide to Arduino programming, designed specifically for 11-to 15-year olds who want to learn about Arduino, but don't know where to begin. Starting with the most basic concepts, this book coaches you through nine great projects that gradually build your skills as you experiment with electronics. The easy-to-follow design and clear, plain-English instructions make this book the ideal guide for the absolute beginner, geared toward those with no computing experience. Each chapter includes a video illuminating the material, giving you plenty of support on your journey to electronics programming.
 
Arduino is a cheap, readily available hardware development platform based around an open source, programmable circuit board. Combining these chips with sensors and servos allows you to gain experience with prototyping as you build interactive electronic crafts to bring together data and even eTextiles. Adventures in Arduino gets you started on the path of scientists, programmers, and engineers, showing you the fun way to learn electronic programming and interaction design.
* Discover how and where to begin Arduino programming
* Develop the skills and confidence to tackle other projects
* Make the most of Arduino with basic programming concepts
* Work with hardware and software to create interactive electronic devices
 
There's nothing like watching your design come to life and interact with the real world, and Arduino gives you the capability to do that time and again. The right knowledge combined with the right tools can create an unstoppable force of innovation, and your curiosity is the spark that ignites the flame. Adventures in Arduino gets you started on the right foot, but the path is totally up to you.

List of contents

Introduction 1
 
What Is an Arduino? 1
 
What You Will Learn 1
 
Parts You Will Need 2
 
Tools You Will Need 11
 
Software You Will Need 15
 
Other Useful Materials 15
 
What I Assume You Already Know 16
 
How This Book Is Organised 16
 
Conventions 18
 
The Companion Website 20
 
Reaching Out 20
 
Adventure 1
 
Setting Up Your Arduino 21
 
What You Need 22
 
Downloading and Installing the Arduino Software on Your Computer 22
 
Installing Arduino Software on a Mac 24
 
Installing Arduino Software on a Windows PC 25
 
Installing Arduino Software on a Linux Machine 27
 
Exploring the Arduino IDE 27
 
Using Blink to Test That Everything Is Set Up Correctly 29
 
Uploading Blink 30
 
Troubleshooting Common Problems 33
 
Building an LED Circuit 38
 
What You Need 38
 
Understanding Circuit Schematics 38
 
Using a Breadboard 41
 
Building Your First Circuit 43
 
Further Adventures with Arduino 45
 
Adventure 2
 
Reading from Sensors 47
 
What You Need 47
 
Adding More LEDs 48
 
Printing Messages to the Computer 54
 
Reading Data from a Potentiometer 58
 
Making Decisions in Code 62
 
Building a Status Message Sign 64
 
What You Need 64
 
Understanding the Circuit 65
 
Prototyping on a Breadboard 66
 
Writing the Code 67
 
Creating your Sign 71
 
Cutting Holes for the Potentiometer and LEDs 72
 
Adding the Status Messages and Decorating the Sign 72
 
Soldering the Circuit 73
 
Inserting the Electronics 76
 
Further Adventures with Arduino 77
 
Adventure 3
 
Working with Servos 79
 
What You Need 79
 
Understanding Different Types of Motors 81
 
Controlling a Servo with Arduino 82
 
Repeating the Same Thing Over and Over 85
 
Digital Input with a Push Button 87
 
Building a Combination Safe 91
 
What You Need 92
 
Understanding the Circuit 94
 
Prototyping on a Breadboard 95
 
Writing the Code 95
 
Making the Safe 102
 
Soldering the Wires 104
 
Inserting the Electronics 107
 
Further Adventures with Arduino 107
 
Adventure 4
 
Using Shift Registers 109
 
What You Need 110
 
Organising Your Code 111
 
Using Functions 111
 
Using for Loops 115
 
Getting More Outputs with Shift Registers 117
 
How a Shift Register Works 118
 
Clock 118
 
Data 119
 
Latch 119
 
Making the Connections for a Shift Register 119
 
Adding LEDs 122
 
Writing the Code 123
 
Adding More Shift Registers 127
 
Building Your Name in Lights 129
 
What You Need 130
 
Understanding the Circuit 131
 
Prototyping on a Breadboard 131
 
Writing the Code 132
 
Making the Lights 136
 
Soldering the Wires 137
 
Inserting the Electronics 138
 
Further Adventures with Shift Registers 139
 
Adventure 5
 
Playing Sounds 141
 
What You Need 141
 
Making a List 142
 
Making Your Intentions Known 144
 
Looping Through an Array 146
 
Putting It Into Practice 146
 
Making Noise 150
 
Wiring the Circuit 151
 
Writing the Code 151
 
Building an Augmented Wind Chime 155
 
What You Need 157
 
Understanding the Circuit 15

About the author

Becky Stewart founded Codasign, a London education company that teaches Arduino and other technology skills to young people. She documents her engineering work at http://blog.theleadingzero.com/.

Summary

Arduino programming for the absolute beginner, with project-based learning Adventures in Arduino is the beginner's guide to Arduino programming, designed specifically for 11-to 15-year olds who want to learn about Arduino, but don't know where to begin.

Product details

• Authors: B Stewart, Becky Stewart, Stewart Becky
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 08.05.2015
• EAN: 9781118948477
• ISBN: 978-1-118-94847-7
• No. of pages: 320
• Series: Adventures in ...; Adventures In ...
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > IT, data processing > Hardware; arduino, Computer programming / software engineering, End-User Computing, Computer-Ratgeber, Allg. Hardware, Computer Hardware (general)