This guide explains how to build the Lego Mindstorms model “Spike”, powered by an Arduino and an EVShield. The original version of the Spike is powered by a Lego NXT. Requirements EVShield, Arduino Uno, Battery holder (+6 AA batteries) Lego Mindstorms kit (can be either NXT or EV3) Introduction To make a sturdy, compact solution … Continue reading Lego: Build Spike with Arduino brain
This guide explains how to build a motor chassis, which can for instance be used for the Lego Mindstorms model “Spike” powered by an EVshield with Arduino Uno. Requirements Lego pieces to connect the parts as displayed: Introduction To make a sturdy, compact solution which allows access to batteries, ports and pins of both the … Continue reading Lego: build Spike motor chassis
This guide explains how to mount an EVshield with Arduino Uno and a battery pack. In this way you can use it as the ‘brain’ of a Lego Mindstorms model. Warning: do not insert batteries in the battery holder until you are ready! (have build a finished model) If connecting the USB cable, first remove … Continue reading Lego: mount EVshield with battery pack
Some example sketches for a 2.8 TFT Shield touch screen: A numeric keypad, a basic paint program, an image viewer and a calculator. The shield comes with an SDcard slot. The image viewer reads images from an sdcard You mount the shield onto an Arduino Uno (or Leonardo) like this: These examples have been tested with … Continue reading Touch screen examples: keypad, paint, image viewer and calculator
The ESP32 Wifi module can replace an Arduino, as it has similar properties. It’s main advantage is that it is faster, has more memory and has WiFi and Bluetooth on board. Just like the Arduino Nano it can be mounted on a breadboard. This allows building very compact prototype circuits: Make module ready for use … Continue reading Getting started with the ESP32 Wifi module
We are going to build a circuit that is connected to an app build with Blynk. For this we connect an Arduino to an ESP8266 module and connect it through Wifi (step 1). This example uses an Arduino Nano, of course you may use an other type of Arduino, eg. the Uno. In the second … Continue reading Connect an ESP8266 module to an Arduino Nano and control it with Blynk
Blynk is an app with which you can control any piece of electronics you have build, eg. a circuit build with an Arduino. To get started with Blynk, you can follow the getting started guide: www.blynk.cc/getting-started then continue at step 5 of docs.blynk.cc (under getting started) to add a first Widget. The first example (BlynkBlink) builds … Continue reading Getting started with Blynk
Tomorrow a Littlebits-workshop will be held for students doing a project on “Design for Specific Users”. We are going to practice building small, interactive circuits. Aim is to investigate design possibilities in the idea phase of the design process and quickly try-out different directions for idea’s. Students are encouraged to experiment freely by building circuits, mixing … Continue reading Idea generation with LittleBits for “Design for Specific Users”
On Tuesday December 19th I will give a workshop on Mobile App Development. The slides of my presentation can be found below. The workshop introduces basic concepts of app development, highlights required (programming) skills and introduces common ways apps are build: through hybrid frameworks or native. It also briefly mentions other ways a prototype (of an … Continue reading Mobile App Development, an introduction
A checklist to find out if your portfolio website meets minimum requirements. This is a summary of recommendations given in the lessons of Web Technology. 1. The entire site should have a clear identity which is visible on all pages. A clear identity can be a name or an alias and/or a logo. 2. The … Continue reading What makes a good portfolio website?