go away spammer

Author Topic: What else to buy with an arduino uno?  (Read 6450 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline MBJTopic starter

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 10
  • Helpful? 1
What else to buy with an arduino uno?
« on: February 20, 2015, 12:33:22 PM »
Hey!
I am making a robot which can avoid obstacles and sense colors.
And I am choosing Arduino UNO for this purpose.
So, I have to buy arduino uno, 2 servo motors (As my robot will be two-wheeled), batteries, IR sensors and color sensors.
What else should I buy? I mean I just have to connect the sensors and motors to the I/O pins of the arduino and power it by a battery that's it right? or anything else I am missing?
Arduino UNO have a USB cable. So, I can plug it into my computer and program it simply right? or a programmer is needed?
Thanks in advance :)
« Last Edit: February 20, 2015, 02:58:33 PM by MBJ »

Offline mklrobo

  • Supreme Robot
  • *****
  • Posts: 558
  • Helpful? 15
  • From Dream to Design at the speed of Imagination!
Re: What else to buy with an arduino uno?
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2015, 12:47:48 PM »
 :) Hello!
You will need batteries, as you have stated; ServoCity has a sale on those this week.
In reference to the software to program, you can (I am sure) download the
programming software to your PC, which then "talks" to your microcontroller
with the provided cable. (may just be a USB to mini-USB). You must use
software to program; probably starts in C or a BASIC template.
Some servo motors need a driver board, which a good idea to protect your MCU.
Then again, if you bought a kit, and everything is included, they have already
worked out the "kinks" for you, and you can go ahead and start your robotic project!
Check out the expectations of connecting the sensors to the MCU, as biasing may
be a issue.(?) Make sure there is not a conductive surface that your MCU is on.
Besides that, you should be ready to launch! Good Luck!!!  ;D ;D ;D

Offline MBJTopic starter

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 10
  • Helpful? 1
Re: What else to buy with an arduino uno?
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2015, 12:53:28 PM »
I would be needing a breadboard If I want to regulate the voltages to the servos otherwise no breadboard right?

Offline mklrobo

  • Supreme Robot
  • *****
  • Posts: 558
  • Helpful? 15
  • From Dream to Design at the speed of Imagination!
Re: What else to buy with an arduino uno?
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2015, 01:04:12 PM »
 :)
A breadboard definitely helps, because you can innovate
on-the-fly, just in case. Breadboards provide you room to
add regulators, and connect items, immediately. I would
acquire a breadboard anyway, to provide room for
expansion and testing purposes, later on. You may want to
test your programming on sensors, servos, etc, which
allows reconfiguration without the messy soldering.
(too much heat destroys components).
If you have a kit, and the instructions indicate that the MCU
can drive the included servos, you should be ok.  ;D ;D ;D

Offline MBJTopic starter

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 10
  • Helpful? 1
Re: What else to buy with an arduino uno?
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2015, 02:58:03 PM »
Thank alot Mr. mklrobo :)

Offline Ibaeni

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 28
  • Helpful? 4
Re: What else to buy with an arduino uno?
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2015, 06:30:12 PM »
An Arduino kit would be a great resource. They generally come with a variety of basic electronic components and a book of arduino projects. It will help you learn the basic circuitry and programming required to work with Arduino. Also, it will give you a base of parts to continue making other projects. Some kits can be found in the links below:
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12060
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/retired/11227
http://www.amazon.com/Arduino-Starter-Official-170-page-Projects/dp/B009UKZV0A
http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoStarterKit

You can see what basic parts are required for most projects from these kits. If you continue to work with robots, you'll definitely need nearly all of the parts included in these various kits. Whether or not you buy a kit, I would highly suggest invest in some of the parts included in them like resistors, capacitors, transistors, a breadboard, wiring, servos or motors, etc.

 


Get Your Ad Here