_______________________________________________________ Sensor Technology Materials List... _______________________________________________________ The key thing here will be the overall format and what you end up doing. While we'll hopefully be able to use some quite cool interfaces, we'll also be covering some cheaper options which you can develop yourself, so keep a look out. You'll need either an Arduino, a Wiring, or a Create USB Board (see below for details). I'll be using the Arduino, but feel free to use another. I can't necessarily help you with these, though. In addition, you'll need some sensors, etc. _______________________________________________________ Highly recommended (I'll be using one of these): Arduino board http://www.arduino.cc/ Guide http://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/MacOSX If you have no idea about this, get this: http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardDuemilanove from, for example, Cool Components http://www.coolcomponents.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=50_74&products_id=115 _______________________________________________________ Or: Wiring http://wiring.org.co/ These are basically the same as Arduino, but more powerful and more expensive. Should be entirely compatible. More info www.wiringboard.com _______________________________________________________ You might want to have a look at: mbed http://mbed.org/ http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9564 Create USB Interface http://www.create.ucsb.edu/~dano/CUI/ Phidgets http://www.active-robots.com/products/phidgets/index.shtml _______________________________________________________ Also: (I don't know much about these, but feel free to check them out) Gainer http://gainer.cc/ (This seems to be fairly dead, but you can still buy them: http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8480 AVRMini Board Home-page http://hubbard.engr.scu.edu/embedded/avr/boards/ Inexpensive low-level chips (PICS) from Microchip or Atmel require additional hardware and software BASIC Stamp modules from Parallax and NetMedia are easier but pricier. Example: Microchip PIC 12F675 http://www.microchip.com/wwwproducts/Devices.aspx?dDocName=en010114 Getting Started with PIC Microcontrollers http://www.microchip.com/en_US/family/8bit/index.html _______________________________________________________ Parts You'll end up spending money on materials in this class. It can be done reasonably inexpensively, by scavenging parts, reusing parts, and so forth, but more ambitious projects inevitably make demands on your budget. See individual tasks for details Prototyping board This is what you assemble your circuits on. Project Box (to fit prototyping board) This is a box to protect your project. It fits your prototyping board, and you knock holes in it for your cables to come out of. There are many options, best to pick one that your breadboard fits inside of comfortably, with room for electronic components to stick out. Tupperware with holes in it works quite well DC power supply (5-9V DC and 700-1500mA) (see below) Resistors LEDs Switches Potentiometers 555 timer chip 4051 analog multiplexer/demultiplexer - MULTIPLEXER/DEMULT (RC) Rapid part number: 83-0384 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS - CD74HCT4051E - LOGIC, ANALOG MUX/DEMUX, 16DIP Tools Miniature Philips/flathead screwdriver Wire cutters and strippers Pliers - There are now hundreds of sensors and kits for everything available from the suppliers below and more. Make sure your find out how your sensor operates, but you can usually assume that it will either output an analogue voltage or a digital message. - Servo(s) (gear controlled motors): http://www.coolcomponents.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=235 - 9 volt clips - Function Generator Kit - Active Robots £10 infrared sensor - Arduino audio shield (and other shields) http://www.coolcomponents.co.uk/catalog/index.php?cPath=50 _______________________________________________________ - Power Supply The majority of circuits taught in this course will use the USB port from a computer to supply power. However, some projects will use DC power (like a battery) as opposed to AC power (like a wall socket). You could use a 9-volt battery for all of your projects, but exhausting it while you're building the project will just add to the list of things that could go wrong. You are better off with an AC/DC converter. You might have one of those 'wall warts' from an old piece of electronics in your closet, like the one shown in Figure 2.9. There are two important statistics you need to know about your DC power supplies: the voltage and the amperage they can supply. The projects in this course will mostly need +5 DC volt power. However, you should use a power supply thatÕs between 8 and 15 DC volts because most of the microcontrollers have a built in voltage regulator, which can convert that higher voltage into 5 volts. When considering the amperage of your supply, the more amperage the better. You will need about 300 milliamps for most projects, but when you start adding motors and other actuators that create heat or motion, youÕll need more amperage. It's best to get a power supply that can supply one amp (1000 milliamps). - Variable Voltage Power-supply http://www.mynewcheap.co.uk/products/details/variable-voltage-ac-ac-mains-adaptor/10234/ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ Suppliers _______________________________________________________ Shops _______________________________________________________ Gee's (Mill Road) Maplins (Regent Street) Maplins (Beehive) _______________________________________________________ Online _______________________________________________________ Rapid http://www.rapidonline.com/ RS http://uk.rs-online.com/web/ Farnell UK http://uk.farnell.com/ Maplin http://www.maplin.co.uk/ _______________________________________________________ Sensors _______________________________________________________ http://www.coolcomponents.co.uk/ http://www.active-robots.com/ Antratek - http://www.antratek.co.uk/ Infusion - http://infusionsystems.com/catalog/ RoboSavvy - http://robosavvy.com/store/? SKPang - http://www.skpang.co.uk/ Also: http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Buy The below are in the US: very comprehensive and interesting, but products take a while to arrive and you often have to pay a lot in tax, duty, etc., after you've paid for the product and shipping. LadyAda - http://www.adafruit.com/ sparkfun - http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/categories.php Imagesco - http://www.imagesco.com/