Arduino Quickstart

Arduino is a project that combines an easy-to-interface single-board microcontroller with an intuitive cross-platform, integrated development environment and simplified instruction set. In English: you can plug it into any computer and program it to interface with about anything! Arduinos can do planes, trains, and rockets! Your imagination is the limit.

Where to get one: RadioShack? Yes, RadioShack. Adafruit.com Sparkfun.com

What else you need:

• A USB-A cable. Seriously. That is it. Oh, and a computer to connect to. You are using one now, right?

What else you want:
LEDs, buttons, motors, servos. You can get everything you need to experiment at once in a kit like:

• Adafruit ARDX ($85)
• Sparkfun Inventor Kit ($99)

Getting Started:

• Download the software from arduino.cc.
• Launch the Arduino IDE.
• Plug you Arduino in using the USB cable.
• After the drivers install:
• Select the board [Tools] -> [Board] -> Pick your board
• Select the port [Tools] -> [Serial Port] -> Your serial port (probably last one listed)
• Load and run an example program:
• [File] -> [Example] -> [Basics] -> [Blink]
• Click the "upload" arrow.
• If see your "Pin 13" LED is blinking on the board.

Where to go from here:

• Both Adafruit (http://learn.adafruit.com/category/learn-arduino) and Sparkfun (https://learn.sparkfun.com/) have excellent educational websites with tutorials. Instructables.com is another good source of interesting Arduino projects.
• Adafruit has weekly "Show and Tell" and "Ask an Engineer" shows which keep you abreast of new projects and products, and allow you to ask serious Makers your burning questions.

My Arduino Projects:

• Trains (http://dawson-station.blogspot.com)
• Rockets (http://www.instructables.com/id/Radio-Telemetry-for-a-Model-Rocket/)
• Game of Life bicycle tail light.
• Automated bubble makers.
• Program it with Scratch!

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