CC269: Break Through Designer’s Block
A heatsink epoxied atop the linear regulator on this Arduino MEGA board helped reduce the operating temperature to a comfortable level. This is certainly not recommended engineering practice, but it’s an acceptable hack. (Source: E. Nisley, CC269)

Are you experiencing designer’s block? Having a hard time starting a new project? You aren’t alone. After more than 11 months of designing and programming (which invariably involved numerous successes and failures), many engineers are simply spent. But don’t worry. … Continue reading

Autonomous Mobile Robot (Part 2): Software & Operation
kibalo_pt2_tombot

I designed a microcontroller-based mobile robot that can cruise on its own, avoid obstacles, escape from inadvertent collisions, and track a light source. In the first part of this series, I introduced my TOMBOT robot’s hardware. Now I’ll describe its … Continue reading

Q&A: Andrew Spitz (Co-Designer of the Arduino-Based Skube)
SkubeInside

Andrew Spitz is a Copenhagen, Denmark-based sound designer, interaction designer, programmer, and blogger studying toward a Master’s interaction design at the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design (CIID). Among his various innovative projects is the Arduino-based Skube music player, which is … Continue reading

Debugging USB Firmware
axleson-usb-268

You’ve written firmware for your USB device and are ready to test it. You attach the device to a PC and the hardware wizard announces: “The device didn’t start.” Or, the device installs but doesn’t send or receive data. Or, … Continue reading

DIY Green Energy Design Projects
RL78sunchaser

Ready to start a low-power or energy-monitoring microcontroller-based design project? You’re in luck. We’re featuring eight award-winning, green energy-related designs that will help get your creative juices flowing. The projects listed below placed at the top of Renesas’s RL78 Green … Continue reading