Week 2: Update

Tasks that were completed in lab:

1) Downloaded the Arduino microcontroller or software to a personal computer

2) Tested software and hardware by uploading "blink example"

3) Looked for source code for reading and displaying an analog voltage on the Arduino website (www.arduino.cc)- "Anaglog Read Serial" -to measure the solar panel voltage as a function of time.

4) Loaded and tested the code


In the process of completing these tasks, the group watched the YouTube video, "Tutorial 01 for Arduino: Getting acquainted with Arduino.

The video proved to be very helpful for the group's understanding of how to handle the Arduino board and code.

-For this portion, the group had the arduino obtain a signal from the potentiometer and display it onto the computer.
 In order to do so, we had the arduino convert the signal to voltage: (Signal/1023)*5=Voltage

 The reason we multiplied by 5 is because the potentiometer was supplied a max of 5 Volts from the Arduino and for the reason for the dividing by 1023 is because the analog signal ranges from 0-1023.




Tasks to consider for next lab:

1) Look for sample code that writes information to external memory.

2) Consider how to measure a current in a range of 0 to 1 Amp.

3) Sautering the Arduino board

Week One: the beginning of the group project

Project Decision: 

For the Freshmen Design Project, the we decided to attempt to make an Arduino Data Logger system that was capable of measuring speed, voltage, and current. The three specifications listed are the minimum requirements needed to be be met by the end of the project. If we can manage to complete these three requirements, we want to do something more with the arduino system. However, we aren't sure what to add on.

Starting:
As of now we, as a group, do not have any experience in computer coding other than working with the Maple program. 

Luckily for us, the site: http://arduino.cc/ provides a vast amount of useful information. 

According to the site, an arduino system is "an open source-electronics prototyping platform, based on flexible easy-to-use hardware and software."


The picture shown above is a pre-built arduino board but it can also be custom built by hand.




Things to Consider:
-More research is desperately needed. 
-Should the group buy an Arduino Board? (one is said to be provided)