ODC Workshop 1 - Introduction to Arduino

Hi Everyone,

We will be having our first Arduino workshop tonight, Tuesday the 22nd at 7pm in Clark A102. Each team needs to bring cash or check for their kit, a breadboard if you have one, and a fully charged laptop with a dependable internet connection (any type is fine). We will be:

                - distributing kits

                - going over the contents of the kits

                - introducing the Arduino Uno in detail

                - getting the Arduino connected and interfaced with your computer

                - running two short, simple demos on your Arduino

This is a very important workshop so make sure to have at least one of your team members there to buy your kit and get started. If you can't make it, the workshop will be posted online later this week.

Thanks,

Cameron Bloom

Welcome to the Start of the Competition!

Emails have been sent out regarding our first workshops and competition details. Please let me know if you haven't gotten an email with that information and I will send it to you. 

Thanks,

Cameron

IEEE President

Arduino Kit Contents

To participate in the Open Design Competition workshops, you'll need a kit.  The kit contains everything you need for the workshops and to get you started on your team's project. Below is a list of components found in your Arduino Kit. PSoC kit contents will be coming soon.

In the kit you'll find:
- An Arduino Uno    
- A servo motor
- A DC motor
- LED's
- A temperature sensor
- Resistors
- A Diode
- A Transistor
- A USB cable (for your Ardunio)

The kit costs $35 and by registering with your kit selection as Ardunio, you will place your order. Kits will be picked up and paid for at our first workshop (the week of the 14th, details coming soon.)

The 4th Annual CSU IEEE Open Design Competition is here!

Hello Engineers!!!

The 4th Annual CSU IEEE Open Design Competition is here! Assemble your team, sign up, and get ready to have a blast!

What is the Open Design Competition?

The Open Design Competition is the most fun and rewarding project you can work on all year. Why? Because you can make anything you want! Either by yourself or with an all-star team of your friends and class mates, you'll start with a powerful and versatile hobby electronics kit, learn everything you need to know about micro-controllers, programming, and hobby electronics in our evening workshops, and then set out to dream up, design, and build the greatest project you can think of! It can be anything you want - a robot that plays guitar, a crazy light-up bike, a lawn mower that mows the lawn by itself, your own Daft Punk helmets, or anything else you can think of - the possibilities are endless!!

I'm so busy! Why should I add yet another thing to my schedule??

The Open Design Competition is more than just another thing on your to-do list - it's an opportunity to leave the classroom, skip the theoretical work, and get your hands dirty designing and building something that you are passionate about! And once it's done, in late March, you will get to show it off to your peers, your teachers, and members of industry at the final design competition! Last year we had engineers from a dozen different companies come to campus and judge projects and we gave out nearly $1000 dollars in prizes!! Once it's all said and done, you'll have a completely unique project on your resume, something that employers love to see and will gladly take a second look at when considering you for internships and jobs. An Open Design Competition Project can be a game changer for your career.

How can I learn more?

We'll be holding informational meetings next Monday (9/30) and Tuesday (10/1) nights at 7pm in Engineering E104 - you can get the whole scoop about the competition, talk to former participants, and get all of your burning questions answered!

I'm ready! Where do I sign up??!!

When you're ready, go here http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XY8GGKT and sign up! Registration closes at midnight Wednesday, October 9th.

Visit this website for news as soon as it's available and let me know if you have any questions! Thanks to our sponsor Wolf Robotics for making this all possible!

The greatest competition of your college career is about to begin...what are you going to make?

Cameron Bloom

IEEE CSU Student Chapter President

Colorado State University

Late Open Design Competition Entries PLEASE READ

If you have not sent me a report and filled out the survey for the competition, you can still present and compete Saturday (the 20th), but there is some work you need to do RIGHT NOW:

1) I need a report for your project before the end of Friday. This doesn't have to be formal, but it should include a brief overview of the project, any schematics/circuits/code/anything else, a detailed budget, and any sources you used. (Email to cbloom8@gmail.com).

2) I need you to fill out this survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DQ632DB

The final competition starts at 10am in the Cherokee Park Ballroom of the LSC. Business casual dress is recommended but not required. Judging will take place between 10am and approximately noon. Judges will include industry members and CSU faculty.

Let me know if you have any questions! We can still accommodate your late entries but we will need the utmost cooperation from you to make sure it happens.

Thanks,

Cameron

Workshop 5

Hi folks,

Tomorrow (Wednesday the 6th) is our last workshop.  It will be at 7pm in Clark A202.  Please bring everything in your kit, a breadboard, and snag a 15 Ohm resistor (if you borrow it from the ECE labs, be sure to return it).

We are focusing on the design process, ie - how to go from idea to finished project.  A lot of folks don't know what they are making yet, or don't know how to make what they've come up with.  We'll go over this as well as how to improve your designs to their highest potential.

We will be going over the rules of the competition again in more depth at the beginning.  I will write a document in the next few days with the rubric and hard-set rules and send it to you.  I will also work on getting this and other workshops up on youTube this weekend.

-Austin

Workshop 4

Hi folks,

Workshop 4 will be Wednesday, January 30th at 7pm in Clark A 202.  We will be focusing on hacking.  If you haven't already picked one up, please find a PS/2 mouse to tear apart.  These are the ones that use the green, round connectors and NOT USB.  Check your old electronics boxes, thrift shops, grandma's house, ect.  If you have trouble finding one, I picked up a few extras that you can purchase from me for $5 cash.  Please email me if you want to buy one - first come, first serve.

If you still haven't picked up your servo, you can pick it up during this workshop.  If you have time conflicts, feel free to email me to set up a time/place to pick it up.

I will try to get Workshop 3 online soon.

Best,

Austin