Blog
Build logs, project notes, and write-ups from the workshop.
- I2C Communication Between an Arduino Uno and an Arduino Mega 2560 Two Arduinos, one bus: an Arduino Mega 2560 as I2C master telling an Arduino Uno slave when to light an LED. Covers the Mega pin locations, 4.7K pullup wiring, common ground requirement, and the Wire library code for both sides.
- MSP430 Launchpad as an I2C Slave with an Arduino Mega Master An Arduino Mega 2560 commands an Arduino Uno and a TI MSP430 Launchpad on the same I2C bus. Here is the voltage caveat, the Launchpad I2C pin locations, the Energia tone() fix, and a power trick for running the Launchpad off the Mega when you only have one USB port.
- Running 4 HC-SR04 Ultrasonic Sensors on an Arduino Robot — Code and I2C LCD Four cheap ultrasonic sensors, one I2C LCD, and the crosstalk problem nobody warns you about. Full code walkthrough for a multi-sensor distance display on an Arduino robot chassis.
- Wiring a DPDT Power Switch to an Arduino Robot — One Switch for Two Batteries A double-pole double-throw toggle switch lets a single big red button power both the Arduino battery and the motor battery at the same time. Here is the wiring, the multimeter checks, the soldering, and the one moment where something disconnected and smoked.
- The Free Multi-Conductor Wiring Hack: Old IDE Ribbon Cables on an Arduino Robot A discarded IDE hard-drive cable from a junk computer has 17+ conductors, and standard Arduino jumper wire fits the connector perfectly. Here is how to use one as a clean multi-pin wiring harness between decks on a robot chassis.
- Wiring 4 HC-SR04 Ultrasonic Sensors + I2C LCD + Power LED to an Arduino Robot Getting four HC-SR04 sensors, an I2C 1602 LCD, and a status LED wired onto an Arduino Nano inside a cardboard robot chassis. Pin assignments for all four sensors, A4/A5 for I2C, the D0/D1 tradeoff, and why velcro beats hot glue for sensor mounting.
- Cleaning Up Arduino Robot Wiring and Redesigning the Power System Replacing spaghetti jumper wires with pre-cut fitted wires, switching from 4× alkaline AA to 3× rechargeable AA for the motors, and moving logic power to a 9V battery through the Arduino voltage regulator. Why you should clean up before you expand.
- First Test Run of the Arduino Cardboard Robot — TB6612FNG Motor Code Taking the cardboard chassis robot from wired up to actually moving: borrowing motor subroutines from an earlier bot, calibrating uneven motor outputs with different PWM values, and diagnosing a rear caster height problem live on the floor.
- Two-Story Robot Chassis — Mounting 4 HC-SR04 Sensors and a Serial LCD Running out of room inside the cardboard chassis means adding another box on top. Here is the two-deck build: stacking a Stellaris launchpad box on top of the robot, cutting slots for four HC-SR04 sensors, mounting a serial LCD in the front panel, and why serial beats parallel when pins are running low.
- Wiring an Arduino Nano and TB6612FNG Motor Driver for a Two-Motor Robot The Toshiba TB6612FNG dual H-bridge is a compact, capable motor driver for Arduino robots. Here is the full 16-pin breakdown, the direction truth table, the standby-pin gotcha that catches almost everyone, and the complete wiring for a two-motor drive system.