Arduino Robot launches at Maker Faire, we go hands-on

<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><div class="image-container" dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Arduino Robot launches at Maker Faire, we go handson video" data-src-height="411" data-src-width="619" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/05/arduinorobotlead01.jpg" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">There's a new kid on the Arduino block, and it's called the Arduino Robot. Launched yesterday at Maker Faire Bay Area, it's the company's first product that extends beyond single microcontroller boards. The Roomba-like design, which we first saw in November 2011, is the result of a collaboration with Complubot. It consists of two circular boards, each equipped with Atmel's ubiquitous ATmega32u4 and connected via ribbon cable.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">The bottom board is home to four AA batteries (NiMH), a pair of motors and wheels, a power connector and switch plus some infrared sensors. By default it's programmed to drive the motors and manage power. The top board features a color LCD, a microSD card slot, an EEPROM, a speaker, a compass, a knob plus some buttons and LEDs. It's programmed to control the display and handle I/O. Everything fits inside a space that's about 10cm high and 19cm in diameter.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Pre-soldered connectors and prototyping areas on each board make it easier to customize the robot platform with additional sensors and electronics. It even comes with eleven step-by-step projects and a helpful GUI right out of the box. The Arduino Robot is now on sale at the Maker Faire for $275 and will be available online in July. Take a look at our gallery below and watch our video interview with Arduino founder Massimo Banzi after the break. </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> <img alt="Gallery Image" height="425" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/05/arduinorobot21.jpg" width="640" /><img alt="Gallery Image" height="425" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/05/arduinorobot02.jpg" width="640" /><img alt="Gallery Image" height="425" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/05/arduinorobot03.jpg" width="640" /></div></div>

Arduino Robot launches at Maker Faire, we go hands-on

There's a new kid on the Arduino block, and it's called the Arduino Robot. Launched yesterday at Maker Faire Bay Area, it's the ...

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Olympia Circuits' Arno Shield lets Arduino newcomers bring their own board

<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><div class="image-container" dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="Olympia Circuits' Arno Shield lets Arduino newcomers bring their own board" data-src-height="410" data-src-width="619" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/04/arno-shield-1367250550.jpg" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> While there have certainly been attempts at easing the Arduino learning curve, many of these still demand a new board or simplify just one aspect of a much larger universe. Olympia Circuits' new Arno Shield could help strike a better balance between starting fresh and diving into the deep end. It includes all the buttons, lights and sensors needed for 40-plus educational projects, but grafts on to existing boards such as the company's LeOlympia or an Arduino Uno. Owners don't have to add parts or wires; they just remove the shield once they've learned enough to create their own masterworks. The shield kit won't be cheap when it arrives on May 2nd for $60, but it may prove the real bargain for tinkerers who want a full-fledged Arduino board as soon as the training wheels come off.</div><div class="pr_box open" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> <div class="pr_box_button">Hide Press Release</div><div class="pr_text"> <strong>Olympia Circuits announces the Arno Shield</strong><br /> Olympia, WA, April 29, 2013– Olympia Circuits introduces the Arno Shield to expand their line of products for new Arduino users. The Arno Shield contains all the components necessary to learn Arduino programming when plugged into an Arduino compatible board without any messy wires. The original Arno Learning Kit was introduced last year and received a great response as an innovative approach to learning the basics of electronics and Arduino. The shield provides another way for new users to dive into the world of Arduino and breaks down barriers to learning about microcontrollers.<br /> The Arno Shield will be available for purchase at olympiacircuits.com on May 2nd.<br /> The Arno Shield shares the same features of the Arno, but in a familiar shield form factor. Bring your own Arduino compatible board, drop in the shield and start learning to write sketches.<br /> The Arno Shield comes with the well regarded book "Learn Arduino with the Arno" which gives step-bystep instructions for more than forty projects. All the components for the projects are built into the Arno Shield, so no wiring is necessary, just plug and play. The Arno shield, like the original Arno, is fully compatible with the Arduino programming language and integrated development environment.<br /> To allow for a wide range of learning projects, the shield includes the following devices:<br /> - Four green LEDs<br /> - One RGB LED<br /> - One infrared LED<br /> - Two momentary pushbutton switches for digital inputs<br /> - One thumbwheel potentiometer to introduce analog measurements and controls<br /> - One piezo element to create tones and measure vibrations<br /> - One phototransistor to detect infrared and visible light<br /> - An I2C digital temperature sensor to introduce between-device digital communication<br /> Users of the Arno have enjoyed the ability to dive right in to programming without messing with wires and small parts. Like the original Arno, the Arno Shield and an Arduino compatible board make a good travel kit that won't get you hung up in security.<br /> For more information see the product page at http://www.olympiacircuits.com/arno-shield.html and contact info@olympiacircuits.com.<br /> Olympia Circuits was founded by Peter Gould and Kevin Warner to develop Arduino and other microcontroller projects. They produce the Arno and Arno Shield for learning Arduino, the LeOlympia board, a full-featured Arduino-compatible board, and develop application-specific products.<br /> Olympia Circuits will be at Maker Faire Bay Area May 18 & 19, 2013. Stop by our booth to check out our products.<br /> </div></div></div>

Olympia Circuits' Arno Shield lets Arduino newcomers bring their own board

While there have certainly been attempts at easing the Arduino learning curve, many of these still demand a new board or simplify just one...

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RISE:2013 highlights: Kinect rehab, Lego lobsters, 3D printed tech and more

<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><div class="copy post-body" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><div class="image-container" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="RISE2013 hightlights Kinect rehab, Lego lobsters, 3D printed embedded tech and more" data-src-height="348" data-src-width="620" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/03/rise20132011-12-2521-37-35600-1363975328.jpg" /></div>We were excited and honored when the administration at Northeastern University asked us to help judge its RISE:2013 Research, Innovation and Scholarship Expo. The event, held at the physical education center on the school's Boston campus, brings together an incredibly diverse array of research projects covering a impressive number of fields, including physical and life sciences, engineering, humanities, arts & design, computer and information sciences, health sciences, law, business and social sciences.<br />As you might imagine, scoring works across such a diverse array of concentrations is no easy task. We did, however, manage to pull out a handful of projects that will no doubt be of particular interest to our own readership. The list includes the use of a Kinect camera and PC for physical rehabilitation, the 3D printing of embedded electrical technologies, a Lego set that helps bridge the gap between crustacean and robot and a device that employs an Arduino board and video games to help stroke victims recover motor skills. Check out a video of all of the above just after the break.<br /><iframe frameborder="0" height="349" id="viddler-7a0c2574" mozallowfullscreen="true" src="//www.viddler.com/embed/7a0c2574/?f=1&offset=0&autoplay=0&secret=69706227&disablebranding=0&view_secret=69706227" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="545"></iframe> <br /><div class="image-container" style="text-align: center;"></div>Physical rehabilitation was the focus of many of the in-house projects, each taking a decidedly different approach to getting patients back on their feet. Two projects in particular lept out at us. First up was the Virtual Rehabilitation System, presented by Meghan Huber, a student we had spoken with during our last visit to the school. The project utilizes Mathworks' MATLAB software and a Microsoft Kinect camera to capture real-time data for rehabilitation analysis. Unlike standard systems, this setup is affordable enough for home usage -- it also collects data on a wider range of motion, making it adaptable for different needs.<br /><div class="image-container" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="RISE2013 hightlights Kinect rehab, Lego lobsters, 3D printed embedded tech and more" data-src-height="348" data-src-width="620" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/03/rise20132011-12-2521-29-50600.jpg" /></div>The Navigator, meanwhile, is an Arduino-based desktop system that monitors hand movements with a pivoting, squeezable handle. The system will be tied to customized games to reward the patient and help stave off boredom. Another project utilized an off-the-shelf Lego system built to resemble a lobster. Comparing its habits to its real world analog, researchers can learn something about the behavior of the animal and can further the robot to mimic real-world biology. 3-Spark's project, meanwhile, is looking to 3D print embedded electronics, using technology similar to consumer-facing extrusion units to print circuitry directly into ABS plastic molds. The result is a single unit with conductive electrical properties.</div></div>

RISE:2013 highlights: Kinect rehab, Lego lobsters, 3D printed tech and more

We were excited and honored when the administration at Northeastern University asked us to help judge its RISE:2013 Research, Innovation an...

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Lego Bionicles drafted into Arduino-driven band with synthesizers and more (video)

<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> <img alt="Lego Bionicles drafted into Arduino-driven band with synthesizers and more (video)" data-src-height="340" data-src-width="620" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/03/bionicle-band-1.jpg" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Italian sound designer and producer Guiseppe Acito wanted to kick off his newly established blog with some fanfare. Naturally, that meant constructing a band from Lego Bionicle toys driven by an Arduino Uno and controlled by an iPad MIDI sequencer app called Nord Beat. Dubbed the Toa Mata Band, the musical group makes its tunes by beating on assorted drum pads, percussion instruments, synthesizers and even a Nintendo DS. Acito has published the ensemble's very first music video, and it seems like there are more to come as it carries an "episode one" label. Hit the jump for the footage -- which really starts cookin' around the 1:15 mark -- or hit the third source link for glamour shots of Toa Mata members and the whole setup.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MAbKXp7CP0g?feature=player_embedded" width="640"></iframe></div>

Lego Bionicles drafted into Arduino-driven band with synthesizers and more (video)

  Italian sound designer and producer Guiseppe Acito wanted to kick off his newly established blog with some fanfare. Naturally, that meant...

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Insert Coin semifinalist: Observos serves up the internet of places

<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><hr dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" /><div class="image-container" dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Insert Coin semifinalist Observos serves up the internet of places" data-src-height="372" data-src-width="620" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/02/2-20-2013observos.jpg" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Internet of things? That's so 2012. 2013? Well maybe, just maybe, it'll be all about the internet of places. Hexagonal Research founders Loren Lang and Ronald Bynoe are betting that the next big thing will be environmentally aware computers. The pair have created Observos which combines an ATMEL microcontroller (with integrated wireless) with a host of on-board sensors. What began as a prototype built around a tower of Arduino shields is now a small first-run integrated board with spots for connecting XBee radio cards and a small LCD display. Right now the focus is on humidity, temperature and barometric pressure, though other environmental variables would be relatively trivial to tack on. While the Observos board is isn't quite ready for prime time, its already getting some serious field testing in a plant nursery and a potential partnership with the IEEE Humanitarian Technology Challenge could find the boards placed in health clinics in the Amazon. </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">In addition to the small display, the board can be programmed to send text message or email alerts, and in the future could tie into venting or heating systems for completely automated control. There's even a rudimentary web interface for monitoring the various data coming in from the sensors.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><i>Check out the full list of Insert Coin: New Challengers semifinalists here -- and don't forget to pick a winner!</i></div></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oKMY3jG1JBI?feature=player_embedded" width="640"></iframe></div>

Insert Coin semifinalist: Observos serves up the internet of places

Internet of things? That's so 2012. 2013? Well maybe, just maybe, it'll be all about the internet of places. Hexagonal Research fo...

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