LocoRobo offers a modern, cutting-edge robotics kit and a technology-rigorous learning experience.
Drexel University professor Pramod Abichandani and a team of three undergraduate students have developed LocoRobo, a low-cost robot capable of being wirelessly programmed with minimal to no effort. Born out of his own frustrations with bots, Abichandani aspires to advance programming and robotics education for everyone — from first-graders to experienced Makers — by combining a world-class programming ecosystem with a high-quality device.
Abichandani hopes that educators and students alike will be able to utilize the ATmega32U4 based LocoRobo to increase awareness and excitement around STEM. While younger Makers can wirelessly control their robot through the companion mobile app, experienced developers can use various programming languages.
“We have developed open-source application programming interface (APIs) in C, Python, Matlab and Node.js which will allow you to dive into programming LocoRobo beyond the apps. Using these languages you will realize a higher level of control of the LocoRobo robot. While working with our APIs, you will be exposed to several robotics exercises and concepts including multi-robot motion planning and multi-sensor fusion.
As seen inside the Atmel CES booth, the little WALL-E-like gadget is equipped with two wheels, sensors for eyes and antennas in the form of ears. Recently launched on Indiegogo, the Arduino-compatible LocoRobo comes in two separate models: the LocoBasiX and the LocoXtreme. While each possess the same custom main board, status LEDs, differential drive, ultrasponic sensors, lithium-ion battery and BLE, the LocoXtreme model boasts a number of additional features such as motor encoders, an on-board accelerometer and a gyroscopic sensor for those seeking some more sophisticated movement.
Abichandani hopes that every school throughout America (and the world) will one day have a solid robotics program. And, LocoRobo may be able to make that dream possible.
Have you always wanted to include a fingerprint scanner in your Arduino project? Now you can.
Patrick Thomas Mitchell recently launched a Kickstarter campaign for a pair of boards looking to enable Makers to add fingerprint scanning to their projects. The first, an Arduino-compatible board, is equipped with a keypad and LCD which allows users to toggle five different I/O lines, control a servo motor and relay, among a number of other things. In addition, the board lets Makers program up to 20 unique fingerprints into EEPROM memory with ease.
“I still have some programming to do on this board, but it will be completed within the next two weeks. This board will allow for users to interface with their own projects within minutes of opening the box! The first revision of the PCB had a small error, which has since been fixed. The hardware for this board is now production ready. I simply need to make some software additions/optimizations, and we’ll be ready to roll! In the picture below, you will see that I’ve mounted the fingerprint scanner to a generic PCB. You can mount yours to whatever you’d like,” Mitchell writes.
The second of the boards is a dual-fingerprint scanner unit inspired by the Terminator 2 end scene, where a door must be opened by turning two unique keys at the same time. (For those who may recall, this isn’t the Maker’s first movie-inspired project. In fact, Mitchell debuted an Entrapment-esque Arduino laser trip wire.) Abiding by the same principle, this board requires two programmed fingerprints to be entered at the same time. Mitchell notes that five fingerprints can be programmed into each of the two fingerprint scanners. Meanwhile, if two fingers are pressed to each of the scanner units at the same time, and both prints match the saved data, then the on-board relay will turn on — and stay on until the “SEL” button is pressed. At this time, the relay and the fingerprint scanned LEDs will both be turned off.
“You can use the relay to control an electromagnetic solenoid, 120-240VAC devices, connect power to an electromagnetic door lock, etc. Best of all, it is extremely easy to use. The function is extremely simple… and this PCB is ready to go! No problems here.I just need to make some software additions, and add some security.”
Those interested in the project can head on over to Mitchell’s official Kickstarter page, where he is currently seeking $3,000. With several days remaining in his campaign, the Maker has already well exceeded the initial amount and since then has announced a new stretch goal: a port expander DIY kit.
Give your next project the same Arduino Mega compatibility with a beautiful touchscreen display as well.
The Original Design & Development crew has devised a solution that packs all of the amazingness of an Arduino in a handheld or wall-mounted plastic enclosure, along with a 4.3” touchscreen TFT display.
The Omnuino — which recently made its Kickstarter debut — is based on the ATmega2560 and features a microSD card socket, a speaker, a three-axis accelerometer, a LiPo battery and charger, indicator LEDs, an IR emitter and receiver, as well as an XBee socket.
The Arduino Mega 2560-compatible device comes in two different versions. The first is a 28mm thick panel-mounted model that is ideal for smart home controllers, 3D printer interfaces, digital picture frames or in-home weather stations, as well as a real-time social media ticker or your very own HAL 9000 alarm clock.
The other, a 19mm thick wall-mounted device, can serve as a gaming machine, remote control or GPS display, and a smart mirror, among a number of other applications. This model is also capable of fitting an Arduino shield, or more than one if you extend beyond the panel.
While the latest batch of Arduino and Arduino-compatible boards either have a chip capable of USB or rely on a V-USB implementation, did you know earlier Uno and Mega boards actually have two microcontrollers?
Writing for Hackaday, Brian Benchoff notes that “an ATmega16U2 takes care of the USB connection, while the standard ‘328 or ‘2560 takes care of all ‘duino tasks. Wouldn’t it be great is you could also use the ’16U2 on the Uno or Mega for some additional functionality to your Arduino sketch?”
That’s now a reality thanks to a Maker by the name of NicoHood. Both the [Atmel based] Uno and Mega boards possess a pair of MCUs, of which the ’16U2 is generally used for USB-Serial translation. Meanwhile, it can serve as standalone AVR MCU with (or without) USB functions as well.
Using what NicoHood calls “HoodLoader2,” Makers now have the option of reprogramming the ‘16U2 of an Arduino Uno/Mega R3 with custom sketches, and using its seven (sometimes overlooked) I/O pins.
“This means you can use the ’16U2 as a normal USB AVR like a Leonardo,” NicoHood adds.
With a fully-compatible USB-HID core and CDC serial, HootLoader2 is a real bootloader for the ’16U2 — not a firmware. It can replace the DFU bootloader with a CDC bootloader and USB serial function. This enables new USB functions like an HID keyboard, mouse, media keys and a gamepad, the addition of extra sensors or LEDs, or pretty much anything else you can do with a normal Arduino, Benchoff explains.
“The great thing about this is that you actually have two fully Arduino-compatible microcontrollers in one Arduino Uno/Mega board – the board most of you already own. Your main MCU (328/2560) is still reprogrammable if you enter bootloader mode. All you need for this is a normal Arduino Uno/Mega R3 and some cables to install the new HoodLoader2.”
Created by Maker Mohsin Farooq, SuperDuino is a coin cell operated, Arduino-compatible board with a built-in 1.7-inch color display and a three-axis accelerometer.
Designed for experienced engineers, hobbyists and students alike, SuperDuino comes with a series of tutorials which can be used to create anything from a temperature or humidity controller, to a capacitance or frequency meter, to a smartwatch, to a talking clock, to a digital logical analyzer, to even a game controller for Flappy Bird or Bricks Breaker.
You can add on features like speakers, microSD readers, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi connectivity to the SuperDuino as well.
Those wishing to learn more can check out its official Kickstarter page, where the team is currently seeking £1,000. With several days remaining in its campaign, SuperDuino has already surpassed its funding goal.
Can you believe it? It’s already December! And, what better way to kick off the official holiday season than with this slick wearable created by Maker (and hat aficionado) Barbara Eldredge.
Our friends over at Element 14 initially brought her Atmel basedJaunty Fascinator to our attention a couple weeks back after it had been crowned victor of their recent Hats Off Design Contest. For the award-winning project, Eldredge equipped a traditional English fascinator headpiece with Adafruit’s GEMMA platform (ATtiny85) along with an accelerometer to measure a wearer’s movement. Data collected by its embedded sensors prompted a series of NeoPixels within the hat to change color intensity and temperature from blue to green, yellow, orange and red.
As if one piece of headwear was enough for Eldredge, the incredibly innovative Maker has returned. This time with a fantastic fascinator for all holiday festivities!
According to the Maker, her electronic Christmas confection — aptly dubbed the Hot and Cold Christmas Cloche — features a temperature sensor that is responsible for triggering its lights to change colors depending on whether it is hot or cold. Ideally, the FLORA powered (ATtiny85) wearable will emit icy blue when it’s outside and a holiday spirited red and green when it’s inside, or anytime its environment is above 60°F. As she points out, the colors will soon intensify the more extreme the temperature.
If all goes according to plan, aside from its embedded FLORA, Eldredge assumes the hat will be comprised of the following components:
“I disconnected those alligator clips from the FLORA and placed one of the 5mm through-hole NeoPixels in my breadboard. I cut and placed small bits of wire to correctly power and connect the LED to the FLORA. Then I found the Punk Collar code and changed the pin number to pin 9 and uploaded it to the FLORA. The light changed color beautifully. Then I placed the remaining four through-hole NeoPixels in the breadboard so that each Data-Out pin was column-buddies with the Data-In pin of the following LED, and used more little pieces of wire to connect each to power and ground. I ran the Neopixel Tiara code again and they worked,” Eldredge writes.
She then went on to connect the temp sensor.
“I disconnected the LEDs at the FLORA end and placed my temperature sensor on the opposite side of the breadboard, using more wires to connect it to the FLORA. Then I uploaded the example Simple Thermometer code and opened the serial port to find that the room was a sweltering 138 degrees fahrenheit. That didn’t seem quite right. So I read over the Temp Sensor overview and realized that it was calibrated to receive 5 volts of electricity and I was only giving it 3.3 volts. I changed the calculation to compensate, re-uploaded the code, re-opened the serial port, and all was well. A perfectly reasonable 70 degrees.”
As seen at the Atmel Maker Faire, Embedded World and most recently, Electronica booths, former AVR Hero Pamungkas Prawisuda Sumasta, Ralf Smit and their team have successfully completed a Kickstarter campaign for their all-in-one Arduino-compatible prototyping gadget, Phoenard.
While its form-factor is rather convenient, its hackability and wide-range of applications is where the Phoenard truly sets itself apart. The gadget, which is powered by an ATmega2560, not only sits perfectly in your hand but can slide quite easily into your pocket. The 11.8 x 6.1 x 1.1 cm device boasts a full-color touchscreen display and an on-board battery, and is even equipped with its own operating environment. Given its incredible versatility, the self-programmed Phoenard is bound to make every true Maker’s dream a reality.
As its creators note, the prototyping platform can be used as the ‘brain’ of any DIY Project. Unlike an Arduino, Phoenard encompasses several features built entirely into a single unit, which can also serve as your daily mobile device. Sure, you can buy a smartphone, but wouldn’t it be even more awesome to devise your own?
Aside from being 100% Arduino-compatible, the megaAVR powered device’s on-board course is a perfect choice for Makers looking to start their first creations. As the team shares, “[There’s] no need to have programming skills or have a computer with you, as the Phoenard itself can guide you.” This curriculum is a compilation of tutorials that provide step-by-step breakdowns on how to prototype and tinker around with electronics.
With Phoenard, Makers will no longer need to abandon their prototyping tools either; instead, the gadget can become your day-to-day device to carry out tasks such as calling, texting and storing contacts, serving as an MP3 player, and controlling wearable devices. Whether you want to play multi-player games with friends via Bluetooth or make a mini drum kit using Bare Conductive’s Electric Paint, countless ideas that can now be brought to life with Phoenard.
“Well, asking what can you do with Phoenard is more [or] less the same as asking what can you do with computer or smartphone. The functionality of the devices are defined by the software running on top of it.
Designed for Makers of all levels, ranging from students and educators, Phoenard is essentially for “everyone who is passionate about making and/or for those who is looking for a great tools to get started in electronics and programming.”
To complement Phoenard’s mobility, portability and self-sufficiency, the team has also introduced the Phoenard Operating Environment, which will enable a user to store thousands upon thousands of Arduino sketches right on-board. “Similar to developing apps for your smartphone, but instead for your Arduino,” the team writes.
Recently, we had chance to experience the latest rendition of Phoenard first-hand inside of our Electronica booth. Not only does the bootloader sit on the AVR, each of the applications – ranging from a GSM phone to an MP3 player – live on a microSD card. As we learned, Makers can now mod, add and draw icons right on the handed gadget, while the SD card remains in the socket. This allows a user to share his or her sketches without the need for any additional cables or computers, as they can now be transferred wirelessly between two Bluetooth-enabled Phoenards.
The team notes that they are also in the process of developing a way to wireless programming a Phoenard from a computer. Pretty sweet, right?
Currently, the gadget is equipped with both external (‘Phoenex’) and on-board (‘Phoenon’) extensions. The Phoenex — which comes in three variations — can easily be connected to a project. Meanwhile, the Phoenon is capable of being affixed to the Phoenard and connected to the main board through the 12-pin FPC connector, thereby allowing Makers to add innovative features to the everyday gadget ranging from an IR thermometer and capacitive touch to Wi-Fi and NFC.
Plugging one of these modules into the back of the device can add those functionalities, while switching between projects is as easy as docking it onto one of the extensions and selecting the appropriate sketch. “Each extension board can be dedicated for a specific project, so there is no need to struggle around the next time you want to run that project.”
So, what if you wanted to recreate the same functionality as Phoenard using Arduino? Sure, it’s possible. However, it will consist of an Arduino Mega, five Arduino shields, three modules, and will likely be five times the size and double the cost of the handheld gadget.
The team has already been the recipient of numerous honors, ranging from our recent AVR Hero Design Contest to Maker Faire Merit Awards in San Mateo and Rome. Add crowdfunding success to the list, too! Fresh off its Kickstarter debut, Phoenard well exceeded its original goal of €20,000, having garnered over €35,000. After being released during the Hackaday Prize Party in Munich, the team had attained its funding goal in just a matter of days.
Interested in learning more or ordering an all-in-one device? Head on over to its official Kickstarter page here. If all goes to plan, the initial batch of devices are expected to be shipped in March 2015.
Developed by the Sweet Pea team, LeoFi is an Arduino-compatible board with an integrated Wi-Fi module.
Based on the Arduino Leonardo design, the board is built around an ATmega32u4 MCU and boasts a sturdy USB connector, enhanced PCB layout, as well as a blue LED that can be used to indicate the link status. The LeoFi features the popular CC3000 module along with a new 3.3V voltage regulator that feeds the onboard Wi-Fi chip.
Sweet Pea has developed an extensive library that will handle all aspects of communication with the Wi-Fi module, allowing Makers to focus their attention more so on the project. This library also contains examples on how to create a web server, a web client, how to send a mail, among several others that can be found over on Github. Furthermore, LeoFi offers direct support for data collection services such as Xively and Sen.se, paving the way for countless applications including temperature collection, furnace alarms, and even robot controllers.
Makers can use this board to interface any Wi-Fi-enabled devices to their PC, as a mouse or keyboard using the built-in module and USB interface. As its creators note, the board includes a chip antenna which makes it out-of-the-box ready, meaning no external cables or antennas are necessary.
The team recently began shipping the latest rendition of its device dubbed “Revision B.” This board is equipped with three new connectors to easily allow for it to connect to external sensors and/or expansions. These connectors include: a 4-pin I2C connector with SCL, SDA, +5V and GND; a 4-pin serial connector with RxD, TxD, +5V and GND; and a one-wire connector with +5V, GND and a GPIO pin with 10K pullup.
Telefónica has launched what it describes as the first Internet of Things (IoT) product enabling consumers to connect just about any device wirelessly to the web. The new product, dubbed ‘Thinking Things,’ is a simple plug-and-play solution based on Lego-like modules with 2G connectivity that allow Makers to develop their own smart solutions without any programming know-how or having to install an additional infrastructure.
The first Thinking Things pack to be marketed by the company is an ambient kit pack, a set of modules that enables users to remotely monitor in real-time the temperature, humidity and light intensity of a given place, and to program automated tasks. According to the company, an additional host of modules such as presence, pressure, humidity and temperature sensors, impact meters, audio and LED notifications, and timers can be added as well.
Telefónica specified that the modules can be pieced together by simply fitting them on top of each other like Lego blocks. The device then automatically connects with the Thinking Things software platform in the cloud and starts to monitor all the defined parameters and execute the pre-programmed commands.
Then, there is also a developer kit, which was produced in collaboration with Arduino and comes with an API that offers developers the ability to devise their own IoT offerings. This newly-revealed kit features a fully-functional core and battery module, an ATmega328 based generic module PCB, a full module for plastic enclosing, as well as wires that enable a Maker to connect a protoboard to the Thinking Things stack.
Measuring in a 0.4” x 0.3”, AtomSoftTech’s ATtiny85 board includes the passives, reset switch and USB connector. “The USB connector is a surface mount vertical part, making the USB cord stick out the top of this uC board. The reset button is extremely small as well, sticking out of the interior layer of the PCB sandwich.”
How did he manage to do this? As Benchoff explains, “Cheating, splitting the circuit onto two stacked boards, or knowing the right components, depending on how you look at it.”
