An arduino controlled intelligent lawn sprinkler made by Pete Lewis.

[Via: Vimeo]

As a hobbyist, we often want to extend the functionality of our arduino board. In order to minimize wires and maximize functionality, we design special need-based ‘shields‘. A useful step by step tutorial that I found here , breaks down the process into the following stages:

1) Part selection

2) Prototyping the board

3) Schematic design

4) PCB Layout

5) PCB Fabrication

[Via: krisbarrett]

For those of you who are addicted to merge new technologies to interface-archeology here is a new ‘Tworsekey’.  A vintage looking tweeting device which takes input in the form of morse code and tweets the output. It features arduino and the ethernet shield.  The sketch can be downloaded from here.  Needless to say that the design is open sourced.

In case you want to build it, the design details can be obtained from here.

Via: Gizmag

BetterNouveau is organizing a promising workshop about circuit milling with Roland iModela in Turin. Massimo is going to walk you around milling your own shield.

[...] you’ll learn to design and create your very own Arduino shield (‘shields’ are boards that can be plugged on top of the Arduino extending its capabilities). We’ll start from schematics, create the layout and make real prototypes on-site: become a pro Arduino user and learn to design circuits with the Eagle PCB software and make your own Arduino Shields using the Roland iModela desktop milling machine. D.I.Y shields are the best way to move your project from a breadboard-based approach into a professional prototype.

The Workshop is held on February 17-18-19.

via [Better Nouveau]

[Enrico Bassi] from FablabTorino brought to the extent the use of the Roland iModela, using the little (and inexpensive) desktop milling machine for pcb milling.  (in the picture we milled the overexposed Fritzing Parking Assistant).

He wrote some Scuola Lessons (here’s the first) to explain how he realized the pcb, starting from Fritzing.

Roland iModela is now on sell on the Arduino Store.

source [FablabTorino]

Nice information graphics from popchartlab.

via [vitaDigitale] source [popChartLab]

[Rave Rover's Chris Williamson] made a portable DIY dancefloor, sharing instructions and schematics.

Like with many projects similar to this, an Arduino board controls pretty much everything. The floor is dominated by powerful LED lights, which respond to a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI). A small computer is also inside (complete with Wi-fi), along with a car radio hooked up to speakers. Oh, and thanks to additional wheelchair motors, the floor can be wheeled away to wherever it’s needed.

Chris managed to build the dance floor in just one month, and documented how to do it on Instructables for anyone who wants to make their own. And now you’ve seen this, would you really want to throw a party without one?

via [PCworld] source [Instructables]

TriggerTrap, is a very interesting product developed by Ziah Fogel & Haje Jan Kamps. Arduino-based & open-source, is now on preorder. What does it do? (Watch Video)

(With TriggerTrap) your camera will be easily controlled in a number of ways either by sound, by breaking a laser beam, time or any other method you can think of using its built in a Aux port.

TriggerTrap comes in the well designed, finished product and with the TT Shield (75$). More info soon.

via [GeekyGadgets] source [TriggerTrap]

Even if some of you (thanks for the wonderful picture, Bill) already realized it, we are officially announcing a big Christmas surprise for all Arduino users in North America: Radioshack sells Arduino in most of its 6000+ stores all around US!

This means that you’re going to find Arduino UNO, Arduino MEGA 2560 and Arduino ADK, together with four shields, in the main Radioshack stores in your homecity.

Il prossimo week-end a Torino si terrà un workshop gratuito di Arduino (un kit opzionale potrà essere comprato per partecipare qualora non disponeste dei materiali elencati) sul circuit bending e la generazione di suoni con la scheda.

Un workshop di tre giorni per smontare riciclare e far suonare vecchi strumenti elettronici, creare una digital toys orchesta e sfilare in parata a Paratissima.

Il circuit Bending è una pratica molto diffusa tra gli sperimentatori musicali. Soprattutto sulla scena della musica elettronica sono sempre più frequenti gli artisti che si creano controller o addirittura strumenti musicali personalizzati.

Nel workshop saranno coinvolte diverse discipline: toy hacking, riciclo elettronico, elettronica di base, sintesi sonora, programmazione ad oggetti e faremo largo uso di Arduino per comandare i nuovi strumenti.

Il workshop è gratuito, a carico dei partecipanti il costo dei materiali e l’acquisto del kit-workshop.
maggiori informazioni quì!

Per partecipare registrati qui.

via [FablabItalia]