September « 2009 « Open Tech Space

21 September 2009

Arduino Cult Induction Workshop, 1-5pm Oct 11

Filed under: News — wm @ 9:08 am

Have you ever wanted to build your own microcontroller and learn how to run a program on it?

OpenTechSpace, TechShop, and Tempus Dictum present an “Arduino Cult Induction” Workshop at TechShop on Sunday, October 11 2009, from 1 to 5 pm.
The cost of the workshop is $35, and includes all the parts you will need.
TechShop is at 10100 SW Allen Blvd, Beaverton (http://portlandtechshop.com/index.php/about-us)

In this workshop, you will build a complete and functional Arduino-compatible micro-controller (Dorkboard), and will upload and run a program on it. The Arduino development environment is very popular with artists and other creative people, and can be built and programmed even if you have little hardware or software experience.

To sign up for the class, go to http://tempusdictum.com/tdproducts.html
and purchase the “Cult Induction 11 October Tech Shop Session” workshop
If you have any problems, email Don Davis – don@tempusdictum.com

You will need to bring the following:

A laptop (Mac, Windows, or Linux, although there are some problems with the latter)
A USB cable (standard A->B type — like http://www.cablewholesale.com/specs/usb-cable/10u2-02203.htm)
A soldering iron (20-30 watt pencil type) and solder
Wire cutters (dikes)

USB cable soldering iron dikes

Other tools that can be helpful, but are not strictly necessary, include tweezers, a magnifying glass / helping hands, wire stripper, needle nose nosed pliers or small hemostats (locking forceps), etc.

Tweezers Helping Hands wire stripper needle nose pliers Hemostats / Locking forceps

You can find most of these things at Harbor Freight, Radio Shack, or most hardware stores.

You will be supplied with:

A Benito USB to serial programmer (see http://www.dorkbotpdx.org/blog/feurig/benito_7_the_next_big_thing)
A Dorkboard kit (see http://dorkbotpdx.org/wiki/dorkboard)
An introduction to the Arduino and microcontrollers in an artists setting
Help when you need it
The knowledge that what you built works!

For more information on the workshop, see http://www.dorkbotpdx.org/workshop/arduino/cult_induction_rev4
For more information about the Dorkboard, see http://dorkbotpdx.org/wiki/dorkboard
For more information about Arduino, see http://www.arduino.cc/
For more information about TechShop, see http://portlandtechshop.com
For more information about OpenTechSpace, see http://groups.google.com/group/open-tech-space or http://opentechspace.org
To find like-minded and helpful people, see http://dorkbotpdx.org/wiki/meetings and http://www.portlandrobotics.org/

Note that this Workshop is identical to the popular Arduino Cult Induction that has been held at PNCA.

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20 September 2009

Getting Started with Microcontrollers Workshop, 7-9pm Oct 5

Filed under: Workshops — wm @ 11:28 pm

This workshop is the first in a series of workshops on how to use microcontrollers to, well, control things.

You’ve purchased an Arudino-compatible board or completed the Audino Cult Induction, so now it’s time to make your board actually do something. This monthly workshop covers simple but useful circuits to connect to the pins and how to control those circuits using the Arduino language.

The first workshop is on October 5 from 7 to 9pm at TechShop in Beaverton. The class will be held in the upstairs classroom (the “Hack Hut“).

To sign up, go to http://www.pjrc.com/store/workshop.html

Cost of each workshop is $10. You will also need to have:

an Arduino-compatible microcontroller board, such as the Dorkboard from the Arduino Cult Induction (with the pins installed so you can use it in a solderless breadboard), a Teensy, etc.
a USB cable for your board
a solderless breadboard

You can purchase a complete kit that includes all these (Teensy, breadboard, USB cable, plus the first workshop), for $40 from the same site. What a deal!

You should also bring a notebook computer with the Arduino software installed, or come a half-hour early and we will help you install the software on your computer. Finally, bring wire strippers/cutters and some wire. We will have some multimeters, but feel free to bring your own.

If you have any questions, email Paul Stoffregen – paul@pjrc.com

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