Prep: Embedded I

Intro

The next few studios will focus on the embedded system platform we’ll be using in class. This week’s studio will focus on:

Studio Prep

Be sure to bring your Photons!!! Each group will need at least one. Occasionally a Photon does not function, so it would be best for each group to have access to a few. Since we will be configuring them, this may also be a good opportunity to set all of them up.

Overview: Photon Maker Kit Intro & Parts

This studio will use breadboards, USB cables, Photons, resistors, buttons, LEDs, and the RGB LED. It’s somewhat difficult to pack/unpack the contents of the full kit, so feel free to leave un-needed parts behind. In particular, the battery pack takes space and we won’t use it at all in Studios.

Things to complete by studio

Some of the items below are review material for those of you who have taken the Arduino-based version of 132. A cursory review will be sufficient for studio, but you should review the topics in-depth over the next week.

  1. Create an account on https://www.particle.io/. You will need an account to program your Photon.
  2. [Optional] You may want to download the Particle mobile app, although it isn’t needed for Studio, it is occasionally useful:
  3. SparkFun’s Tutorial on Voltage, Current, Resistance, and Ohm’s Law. (Ohm’s law is particularly important)
  4. SparkFun’s Tutorial on How to use a Breadboard.
  5. SparkFun’s Tutorial on Resistors
  6. SparkFun’s Tutorial on Pull-up Resistors.
  7. SparkFun’s Tutorial on Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs).
  8. [Optional] This won’t be covered in class, but SparkFun also has an overview of How LEDs are Made.

Reference

Common sources of parts for IoT projects include: