getting started with arduino how to build a twitter monitoring alertuino

Getting Started With Arduino:How to build a Twitter-monitoring

Alertuino

Adrian McEwen - www.mcqn.com

What is Arduino?

Embedded computing platform Open Source Hardware Open Source Software Easy-to-use A way to build the “Internet of

Things”


Common Features

Assortment of Arduinos, but most share the same common features:

16KB flash 1KB RAM 14 digital I/O pins 6 analogue I/O pins


Easy to Learn

Integrated IDE Upload code via USB with a single

click Lots of examples to learn from Active community sharing how they

made their projects


Easy to Extend


The Anatomy of a Sketch

The code that runs on the Arduino is called a sketch.

Two main parts:– setup()– loop()

This is the Arduino “Hello World” - Blink


The Anatomy of a Sketch: setup()

Runs once, on startup.


The Anatomy of a Sketch: loop()

Runs continually, after startup.


Seeing Blink in Action

1. Load Blink example in the IDE: File -> Sketchbook -> Examples -> Digital -> Blink

2. Click the upload button: 3. Watch the LED blink**on boards other than the Diecimila and Duemilanove you might

need to connect an LED between digital pin 13 and GND


Now the real fun starts…


Some (Very) Basic Electronic Concepts

You can think of electronics in a similar way to how you’d think of plumbing

Voltage [V]: a bit like water pressure Current [I]: a bit like the amount of

water flowing through something Resistance [R]: a bit like the (inverse

of the) diameter of a water pipe


Ohm’s Law

The only equation you’ll need to begin tinkering

Voltage = Current x Resistance Current = Voltage / Resistance Resistance = Voltage / CurrentLearn more as you want to do more…


Tinkering With Toys

Hacking a toy ray gun to notify me when someone twitters about #barcampliverpool


Take 1 Cheap Toy Ray Gun

Battery-operated electronic toys are ideal

Takes 3 AAA batteries, so near enough to the Arduino’s 5V


Open It Up

Find the connections to bypass the switch and turn the toy on

Use 5V and GND connections on Arduino with some wires to test where the connections should go


Make New Connections

Solder the connections ideally

But you could cut the wires and connect new ones with connecting block


Parts We’ll Use

Resistor – 1K ohm (brown-black-red)


Parts We’ll Use

Transistor – basically an electronically operated switch(we’re using a 2N2222)


Parts We’ll Use


Breadboard – easy, solderless prototyping board

Transistors in (a Bit) More Detail


Wire emitter to –ve/GND side of circuit Wire collector to +ve side of circuit Current will flow from collector to emitter

when a voltage is applied to base

Our Circuit


Software

Computer will fetch the data from Twitter for us

Then send the number of alerts over serial to the Arduino

The Arduino will listen for the number of alerts over serial

Then turn on the toy for 2 seconds for each alert


Alertuino Software: setup()

Runs once, on startup.


Alertuino Software: loop()


Lets Try It

1. Upload the Alertuino sketch2. Start the serial monitor 3. Send it a command4. Enjoy**fingers crossed ;-)


Find out more

My Blog: http://www.mcqn.net/mcfilter/

Or email [email protected] a beginners kit:

http://tinker.it/ukstore/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=51

Download the software: http://www.arduino.cc/

Learn more: http://arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/HomePage


getting started with arduino how to build a twitter monitoring alertuino

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