6. Topic Area Guides

The following sections offer concise summaries of essential engineering topics.

• 6.1. Basic Circuits
  • 6.1.1. Takeaway Lessons
  • 6.1.2. Reference Links
• 6.2. Physical Computation with the Arduino
  • 6.2.1. Takeaway Lessons
  • 6.2.2. Reference Links
• 6.3. Mechanical Behavior
  • 6.3.1. Takeaway Lessons
  • 6.3.2. Reference Links
  • 6.3.3. Resource Links
• 6.4. Computation and Behavior
  • 6.4.1. Takeaway Lessons
  • 6.4.2. Reference Links
• 6.5. Python by Example
  • 6.5.1. Reference Links
  • 6.5.2. Preparation
  • 6.5.3. Using Python as a Calculator
  • 6.5.4. First Steps Towards Programming
  • 6.5.5. Interlude: Running Code from Files
  • 6.5.6. if Statements
  • 6.5.7. for Statements
  • 6.5.8. The range() Function
  • 6.5.9. break and continue Statements, and else Clauses on Loops
  • 6.5.10. pass Statements
  • 6.5.11. Defining Functions
  • 6.5.12. More on Defining Functions
  • 6.5.13. More on Lists
  • 6.5.14. The del statement
  • 6.5.15. Tuples and Sequences
  • 6.5.16. NumPy: Efficient Numerical Computation
  • 6.5.17. Acknowledgement
• 6.6. Physical Computation with Pure Data
  • 6.6.1. Takeaway Lessons
  • 6.6.2. Reference Links
  • 6.6.3. Project Idea: Dream Machine