Arduino++: Connecting Arduino, Computer, and Potatoes

Classroom

Greetings, human! This class expands your knowledge base by teaching you how to interface...

Cut the crap, what do you mean connect Arduino to potatoes?

Well, my fine sir, this second part in MakerBar's Arduino series involves merging the three realms of Arduino electronics, computer programming, and starchy tubers to create... POTATO PONG. It's Pong played with potatoes. Believe it or not, this is a learning experience.

This class will broaden your existing Arduino skills (to get Arduino skills, check out our intro class) as you:

Explore capacitive sensing, the secret sauce of touchscreens
Get started with Processing, the snooty arts-oriented desktop counterpart to Arduino
Learn how to interface Arduino with desktop programs
Program Pong and build the potato-based controller to play it! Potato Pong!

This class assumes you've already played around with an Arduino. We're not explaining how to install Arduino, use a breadboard, increment a variable, or write an if/then statement - if these words boggle your mind, we recommend an introductory class.

After the workshop ends, you can hang out with the MakerBar crew at our secret Hoboken hackerspace to get tips on your own projects and ideas.

YOU MUST BRING A LAPTOP TO PARTICIPATE. Arduino is not included - you must bring your own.

Bring your own Arduino Uno or Mega with USB cable, or purchase one at the workshop for $35. Admission price includes a goodie bag of components for you to keep.

This class doesn't involve any soldering or tools, although it does involve mutilating live potatoes, which may offend the squeamish. Unfortunately, the controller-ification process renders the potatoes inedible.

Prerequisites

Must have Arduino IDE installed, configured, and tested. Need to understand basics of uploading sketches and using a breadboard. Basic understanding of Arduino coding (declaring, incrementing, if/then, digital read/write) required.

Taught by Maker Bar

Hoboken MakerBar, The Place for Incredible Project

Zack Freedman is a co-founder of the MakerBar hackerspace, an honors graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology, and an avid hardware hacker. He has used an Arduino to build a cyborg heads-up display, create a video game controlled by a baby doll, and broadcast his brain waves over Bluetooth.

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