Category Archives: code

Command line LCD Arduino interface

Joseph Swanson from swantron likes working with the command line. He also likes working with the Arduino. So he came up with this simple project which takes the results of his command line entries and directs them over the Linux box’s USB output to the Arduino. The Arduino then displays the data on an attached […]

Web interactive LCD controlled by Arduino

Here’s a project by Everett Robinson which demonstrates how to use an Arduino, Ethernet shield, 2×16 LCD, a breadboard and 2K resistor to produce a web-controlled interactive LCD display. The Arduino generates a simple HTML web page showing the text currently displayed on the LCD, providing an input form to change the LCD text, resulting […]

C64 sound on Parallax Propeller

The eight-core Parallax Propeller is capable of some pretty amazing things. One use developed by Johannes Ahlebrand is to emulate the famous Commodore 64 sound chip. His SIDcog V 1.0 code object allows the Propeller to accurately emulate an original C64 SID chip. With this code, your Prop can produce retro C64 game sounds like […]

Stepper motor tutorial

Here’s a good tutorial from ExtremeElectronics.co.in explaining the types of stepper motors, their uses, and how to interface them with an AVR microcontroller. It includes the xstepper code library for use with the AVR Atmega16, and demonstrates how to interface the MCU and the motor using a ULN2003A high-voltage high-current Darlington transistor array. This tutorial […]

OTOduino: free Arduino/iPhone interface app

The Hoz writes to inform us of another Arduino related iPhone app known as OTOduino. This free app allows you to interact with an Arduino and monitor/control analog and digital IO ports in real-time via a simple audio jack interface. It’s currently available from the iPhone app store. Check out the OTOduino project support page […]

Python-Arduino prototyping API

GitHub coder Akash Manohar has written the Python-Arduino Prototyping API. This code helps you to quickly prototype Arduino programs, without having to repeatedly load the program to the Arduino board. Setup involves loading the prototype.pde sketch onto your Arduino dev board, and importing the Arduino lib in your python script. The current version allows reading/writing […]

OpenHack Europe: Node.js and practical hacking with Javascript

The Yahoo-sponsored OpenHack Europe 2011 is in progress in Bucharest, Romania. One of the latest presentations was Reid Burke’s Achieving Greatness with Node.js. While only the slides are available at this time, they are quite informative and include links to additional content. If you’re wondering how this relates to open source hardware, see slides 24-25. […]

Avviso library for Arduino and Processing sends iOS push alerts

Mike Colagrosso created Avviso, a Processing and Arduino library for sending push alerts to iOS devices using the Prowl API. This would make projects such as Snail Mail Push Alerts a much easier task because a PHP web server is not needed in the set up. The libraries, example code, and set up guide are […]

KTechlab IDE for microcontrollers and electronics

KTechlab is an open source IDE for microcontrollers and electronics design and works with Linux systems. It includes a simulator for analog and digital circuits and incorporates a C compiler. You can download the user manual in PDF here. The software is available from Sourceforge.

Computerless Arduino programming hack

Teague Labs has developed a device for programming and altering the code on Arduinos without the need for a computer. This opens new opportunities for in the field programming and testing of Arduino projects. The Computerless Arduino consists of two major components; an Arduino-compatible microcontroller loaded with a realtime code interpreter, and a stand-alone 5 […]

Parallax GPS + Arduino

Here’s a good video from Kevin Darrah for those new to GPS basics demonstrating how to interface the Parallax GPS module with the Arduino. Note that while this video is based on the discontinued PMB-248 module, Parallax indicates that their current PMB-688 module is pin compatible (as far as TTL interfacing is concerned) and will […]

Chumby controls Freescale Mechatronics board over USB

In this video, Eric Gregori of EMGRobotics demonstrates how he controls the Freescale Mechatronics board with the Chumby over USB. Starting out with a stock Chumby from Best Buy, Eric steps through how to access the Easter egg hacker screen. Then after installing the Terra Term terminal program on your computer you SSH to the […]

S/PDIF Digital Audio on the Parallax Propeller

Beth from scanlime has posted a detailed explanation of her development of an S/PDIF encoder object for the Parallax Propeller. The source code is open under an MIT-style license. If you’re a Propeller enthusiast it should be easy to implement this code to give your next sound project a digital output. Beth hopes that this […]

QTouch library for Atmel MCUs

The Atmel QTouch Library is a royalty-free software library (GCC and IAR™) for developing touch applications on standard Atmel AT91SAM and AVR microcontrollers. Developers can use it to integrate touch-sensing capability into their applications by linking the library into firmware. The library can be used to develop single-chip solutions for many control applications or to […]

Mini robot design using CoolRunner-II CPLD

It’s National Robotics Week, and what would National Robotics Week be without a CPLD based mini robot design? Here’s a mini robot design project outline (PDF!) found in the World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology journal. While it’s not a “how to” style article (no schematic/code provided), it describes the advantages of using CPLDs […]

Arduino: more LUFA hacks

LUFA (Lightweight USB Framework for AVRs) is an open-source complete USB stack for the USB-enabled Atmel AT90USBxxxx and ATMEGAxxUx AVR microcontroller series, released under the MIT License. Darran from Arduino Hacking has released the source, hex files, and sample sketches for his Arduino LUFA hacks for Keyboard HID, Mouse HID, and USB MIDI drivers for […]