Sources
Arduino
www.arduino.cc
The main Arduino site provides
downloads, tutorials, references,
design schematics, and other
information useful for learning about
and using the Arduino family of
boards. Also provided is a list of
sources for purchasing Arduino
hardware from a worldwide network
of distributors, a blog, and a
user-to-user forum.
Following are selected resellers
and makers of Arduino products.
For the most part, companies that
are resellers only of the Arduino-labeled hardware are not listed.
Check out the Buy page on the main
Arduino website for a list of
worldwide distributors.
Adafruit Industries
www.adafruit.com
Adafruit Industries is a reseller of
the Arduino, as well as manufacturer
of custom Arduino-like hardware,
including clone boards and a custom
shield for interfacing motors (R/C
servo, DC, and stepper). Also
check out ladyada.net, run by the
proprietor of Adafruit. You’ll find
numerous how-to guides and tutorials
for Arduino-based projects, starting
here: www.ladyada.net/learn/
arduino.
Arduino Programming Notebook
www.lulu.com/content/1108699
The Arduino Programming
Notebook is a self-published
programming tutorial on the Arduino.
As of this writing, the download is
free; a bound (print on demand)
paperback is under $6. Forty pages.
Atmel
www.atmel.com/products/AVR
Manufacturers of the AVR
ATMega168, used in the Arduino. If
you plan on getting more technical
with the Arduino hardware, you’ll
want to download and study the
datasheet (in PDF format) for the
ATMega168.
64 SERVO 09.2008
AVRFreaks
www.avrfreaks.net
AVRFreaks is a popular hangout
for users of the Atmel AVR line of
microcontrollers. Very busy user-to-user forum includes discussion topics
on the Arduino.
Budget Robotics
www.budgetrobotics.com
Makers and sellers of Arduino-based robot starter kits. (Note: This
is my company.) The kits are primarily
designed for first-time learners, but
can be used by those at all experience
levels.
Freeduino
www.freeduino.org
Home of the Freeduino
collaborative project.
Fundamental Logic
www.fundamentallogic.com
Fundamental Logic is a distributor
and manufacturer of kits featured on
Spiffie.org, and include the iDuino and
DuinoStamp, the later available in bare
board (<$5) or full kit (<$10) form.
HVW Technologies
www.hvwtech.com
Reseller of Arduino products and
manufacturer (with Solarbotics) of
the Freeduino SB; said to be 100%
compatible with the Arduino
Diecimila. The Freeduino SB is sold
as a partial kit.
Modern Device
www.moderndevice.com
In addition to reselling the
Arduino Diecimila, Modern provides
their own open source version which
they have named Bare Bones Board.
It uses its own unique form factor.
You can purchase just the circuit
board, a kit with all the parts, or an
assembled unit.
NKC Electronics
www.nkcelectronics.com
Arduino resellers, also carrying
several Freeduino (Arduino
compatible) boards in kit form.
Includes a motor control shield that
can be used to drive small DC motors.
Pololu
www.pololu.com
Pololu’s Orangutan controller
boards are specifically designed for
robotic tasks. While not Arduino boards
per se, the Orangutan uses the same
AVR ATMega 168 controller as the
Arduino, and the company provides a
handy how-to guide on using the
Orangutan with the Arduino development environment. Also provided are
libraries for using Pololu’s hardware
under the Arduino environment.
RepRap Store
store.rrr f.org
Specialty reseller of the Arduino,
who uses the microcontroller board to
operate a home-brew 3D sculpturing
device, the RepRap. Not only is this an
incredibly cool project, it incorporates
many of the same technologies as a
desktop robot, such as motor control
and optical encoding.
Robot Shop
www.robotshop.ca (Canada)
www.robotshop.us (US)
Full service retailer carrying most
all of the official Arduino lineup.
Useful product selection for extending
the Arduino, such as motors,
breadboards, sensors, etc.
SparkFun Electronics
www.sparkfun.com
SparkFun is a reseller of the
Arduino and manufacturer of custom
Arduino-like hardware. Check out the
proto shield product. Their mini
solderless breadboard is compatible
with the proto shield.
Todbot
todbot.com
Blog and repository on Arduino
topics. Check the SpookyArduino
pages for a series of hands-on
tutorials with examples. SV
CONTACT THE AUTHOR
Gordon McComb can be reached via
email at robots@robotoid.com
