Happy Arduino Day!

We had a great time during our Arduino Day celebration at the Melbourne Makerspace on Saturday March 28, 2015.  There were several projects to show and several to work on that weren’t quite finished.  It’s always great to see all the different things you can do with an Arduino, a few sensors, switches and motors!  The best part is when someone comes up with something so unique you would have never thought of something like that yourself. There were also plenty of helping hands and eyes going around for different projects to get each other “un-stuck” on some part giving us trouble.  This is one of the best features of a makerspace: having the people and their different skills and experience to share and help others with each other’s projects.  Take a look at some of the pictures from the event below.

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Arduino Uno runs this robot
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Arduino is easy enough for kids to use!
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Some details on using Arduino code to interface with a web enabled security camera.
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We also took some time to sort our haul from Radio Shack closing sale.
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Making a prototype enclosure for Arduino temp/humidity sensor.
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Cardboard and hot glue enclosure complete. Next step would be to draw it up in CAD and 3D print it.
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Getting ready to start the event. (New puppy just out of view.)
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Getting the projector started up to show some Arduino info and code.
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A nice example of an Arduino project and some other sensors and a servo motor.
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This LCD screen is really nice for projects that need more than just LEDs for status messages, etc.
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The new puppy wasn’t interested in the Arduinos.
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Who wants to make an Arduino powered dog treat dispenser for this guy? I do!
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Let’s see what projects everyone else has done with Arduino.
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Proximity sensor that fakes the UPS power down signal to shut down a PC when someone intrudes into a secure area.
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Created by wiring up a custom board directly to the Arduino chip, making the board even smaller in a specific arrangement.
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Here’s a custom relay board that interfaces with a security camera to open doors and turn on lights.
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Makeblock kit that makes it easy to use Arduinos without having to use the various individual pins. Uses telephone cables instead!
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Comes with plenty of sensors and things to create so many things!
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Comes with cards that explain how each sensor/makeblock works.
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The cards even have source code examples to get you started quickly.
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Color coded phone plugs to make it even easier to know which makeblock connects where.
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These makeblocks need to connect to a plug with a black or blue square. Easy!
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Arduino uno and a Digispark. Both do the same thing only one is very small with just a few pins.
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Digispark is for small, simple projects that need to take up very little space.
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Here’s a remote control robot kit that’s powered by an Arduino.
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Standard RC remote for cars and planes to drive the robot.
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A better view with the RC receiver showing on top of the motor controller Arduino shield.
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Future project: use electric wheelchair as base for telepresence robot. Powered by Arduino? Probably!
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Another view of the mini sumo robot powered by Arduino. It’s a Pololu “Zumo” kit.
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Treaddy Roosevelt is undefeated. Can you build a better mini sumo bot? Let’s make some with Arduino!