The Arduino Inventor’s Guide: Learn Electronics by Making 10 Awesome Projects

About the Authors
Notes from the Authors
Brief Contents
Contents in Detail
Introduction
	What Is This Book About?
	Why Arduino?
	How Is This Book Different from Others?
	Materials
	Required Tools
	Required Computer
	What’s in This Book?
	Online Resources
	Spread the Word: 
Sharing Your Work
Electronics Primer
	Electricity, Conductivity, and Basic Terms
		What Is Electricity?
		Types of Electricity
		What Is a Circuit?
		Ohm’s Law
		Visualizing Electricity as Water in a Pipe
	Schematics, Circuit Blueprints, and Wiring Diagrams
	Prototyping Circuits
	Discrete Components vs. Breakout Boards
	Analog vs. Digital
	What Is a Microcontroller?
Project 1: Getting Started with Arduino
	Materials to Gather
	About the Arduino
		An Accessible Hardware Platform
		About the SparkFun RedBoard
	Installing the Arduino IDE and Drivers
		Installing on Windows
		Installing on OS X
		Installing on Linux
	A Brief IDE Tour
	Changing the Default Preferences
	Test Drive: Plugging in the Arduino for the First Time
		Choosing Your Board in the IDE
		Selecting the Communication Port
	An Arduino “Hello, World!”
	Basic Arduino Troubleshooting
	Anatomy of an Arduino Sketch
		Key Sketch Elements
		The setup() Function
		The loop() Function
		Your First Piece of Hardware
	Going Further
		Hack
		Modify
	Saving Your Sketch
Project 2: A Stoplight for Your House
	Materials to Gather
		Electronic Parts
		Other Materials and Tools
	New Component: The Resistor
	Build the Stoplight Prototype
		Connect the Red LED to the Breadboard
		Add Power to the Breadboard
		Add the Yellow and Green LEDs
	Program the Stoplight
		Confirm Your IDE Settings
		Create Placeholders for Pin Numbers
		Write the setup() Function
		Write the loop() Function
		Upload the Sketch
		Make the Stoplight Portable
	Build the Stoplight Enclosure
		Cardboard Construction
		Make the Stoplight Lenses
		Make the Shades
		Mount the LEDs and Arduino
	Going Further
		Hack
		Modify
Project 3: The Nine-Pixel Animation Machine
	Materials to Gather
		Electronic Parts
		Other Materials and Tools
	Build the Nine-Pixel Animation Machine Prototype
	Program the Nine-Pixel Animation Machine
		What Are Custom Functions?
		Design Your Artwork
		The Test Sketch
	Build the Nine-Pixel Animation Machine Enclosure
		Cardboard Construction
		Connect the Electronics
	Create an LED Animation
		Plan the Animation Sequence
		Write Custom Functions
		Tweak Your loop() Function
	Going Further
		Hack
		Modify
Project 4: Reaction Timer
	Materials to Gather
		Electronic Parts
		Other Materials and Tools
	New Component: The Push Button
		How Push Buttons Work
		Using Resistors with Push Buttons
	Build the Reaction Timer Prototype
	Program the Reaction Timer
		Write the setup() Function
		Write the loop() Function
		Test the Reaction Timer Sketch
		Play Again?
		Add a Game Element
		Upload the Complete Code for the Reaction Timer
	Build the Reaction Timer Enclosure
		Cut Out the Cardboard
		Assemble the Electronics
		Spice Up Your Game Enclosure
	Going Further
		Hack
		Modify
Project 5: A Color-Mixing Night-Light
	Materials to Gather
		Electronic Parts
		Other Materials and Tools
	Two New Components
		The RGB LED
		The Photoresistor
	Build the Night-Light Prototype
		Wire the Voltage Divider
		Wire the RGB LED
	Test the Night-Light with Basic Color Mixing
	Program the Night-Light
		Prepare to Check the Light Level
		Control the Night-Light Based on the Light Level
		Prevent False Alarms
		Recalibrate the Night-Light
	Create More Colors with analogWrite()
		Create Analog Signals with PWM
		Mix Colors with analogWrite()
		Find RGB Values with Color Picker
		The Custom-Color Night-Light Code
	Build the Night-Light Enclosure
		Cardstock Construction
		Put the Electronics Inside
		Let It Glow!
	Going Further
		Hack
		Modify
Project 6: Balance Beam
	Materials to Gather
		Electronic Parts
		Other Materials and Tools
	New Components
		The Potentiometer
		The Servo Motor
	Build the Balance Beam Prototype
	Program the Balance Beam
		Test the Servo
		Complete the Balance Beam Sketch
	Build the Balance Beam
		Cut Out the Parts
		Build the Beam
		Build the Base and Attach the Servo
		Final Assembly
	Going Further
		Hack
		Modify
Project 7: Tiny Desktop Greenhouse
	Materials to Gather
		Electronic Parts
		Other Materials and Tools
	New Components
		TMP36 Temperature Sensor
		Standard Hobby Motor
		NPN Transistor
	Taking a Systems Approach
	Build the Temperature Monitor
		Measure Temperature with the TMP36
		Connect the Temperature Sensor
		Program the Temperature Sensor
	Build the Servo Motor Autovent
	Program the Autovent
	Build the Fan Motor
		Program the Fan Motor
		Isolate the Motor Effect
	Build the Tiny Desktop Greenhouse Enclosure
		Add the Autovent Window Servo
		Create the Paper Clip Linkage
		Add the Roof
		Build the Fan-Motor Box
		Connect It Up
	Going Further
		Hack
		Modify
Project 8: Drawbot, the Robotic Artist
	Materials to Gather
		Electronic Parts
		Other Materials and Tools
	Two New Components
		The H-Bridge Motor Driver Integrated Circuit
		Geared Hobby Motor
	Build the Drawbot Prototype
	Program the Drawbot
		Create a Custom Function
		Clean Up the Code
	Wire the Second Motor
	Drive Both Motors
	Build the Drawbot Chassis
		Test and Troubleshoot
		Turn and Make Patterns: A Robot Square Dance
	Going Further
		Hack
		Modify
		Bonus
Project 9: Drag Race Timer
	Materials to Gather
		Electronic Parts
		Other Materials and Tools
	New Component: 
the 16 × 2 Character LCD
	Drag Race Timer Operation
	Build the LCD Circuit
		Power the LCD
		Control the Contrast
		Connect the Data and Control Wiring
		Test the LCD
	Add the Rest of the Electronics
	Program the Drag Race Timer
	A Quick Test
	Build the Drag Race Track
		Build the Starting Tower
		Assemble the Starting Gate
		Build Your Own Track
		Add the Photoresistor
		Test and Troubleshoot
	Going Further
		Hack
		Modify
Project 10: Tiny Electric Piano
	Materials to Gather
		Electronic Parts
		Other Materials and Tools
	New Components
		The SoftPot Membrane Potentiometer
		The Piezo Buzzer
	Build the Circuit
	Program the Tiny Electric Piano
		Test the Buzzer
		Create Specific Notes
		Generate Sound with the SoftPot
		Play a Song
	Build the Piano
	Going Further
		Hack
		Modify
		Bonus Project: Binary Trumpet
Appendix: More Electronics Know-How
	Measuring Electricity with a Multimeter
		Parts of a Multimeter
		Measuring Continuity
		Measuring Resistance
		Measuring Voltage
		Measuring Current
	How to Solder
		Heating the Iron
		Perfecting Your Soldering Technique
		Cleaning the Iron
		Soldering Tips
	Additional Soldering Tools
		Third Hand
		Flux Pen
		Solder Wick
		Solder Vacuum
	Resistors and Bands
Afterword
	Additional Resources
	Acknowledgments
About the Sparkfun Series
Resources
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