Day 3: (Wed Sep 9, Week 2) Programming the Arduino

Notes for 2020-09-09.

Notes from Day 2

  1. Tinkercad 404 conclusion: Circuits sketch sharing links which include the term ‘tenant=circuits’ appear consistently to return a 404 error instead of accessing the sketch. The first workaround appears to be to exit and reload the sketch at least once before generating the share link. Alternatively, an existing link can be fixed by editing out the tenant=circuits clause, e.g. delete the text ‘?tenant=circuits’.

  2. Selected survey responses:

    1. Thirteen students are interested in lab access.

    2. Overall, a modest level of electronic expertise:

      1. Electrical theory knowledge is a broad distribution.

      2. Modest experience with lab electronics.

      3. Mostly beginners at electronic design.

    3. Everyone reports some level of programming expertise:

      1. Significant level of Python experience.

      2. Mid-range level of C++ experience.

      3. Most are new to Arduino programming.

  3. Initial grading observations:

    1. Circuits are more legible if you change wire colors as you draw. Shortcuts: 1 = black, 2 = red, etc. Preferred colors: black for ground, red for +5V, other colors consistent within a net.

    2. Voltmeters work with either polarity but positive values are preferred for clarity.

    3. Breadboards were optional, but it’s a good idea to learn to use them now.

    4. It can be helpful to add annotations (comment labels), there’s a button on the toolbar.

New Assignments

  1. New assignment, due Sunday: Exercise: Melody Player in Tinkercad

  2. Preparation for next class: watch Day 4 videos.

Daily Agenda

  1. Q&A on Arduino programming.

  2. Breakouts: balancing physical and computational processes.

    1. Watch together: Überorgan: A Sculptural Installation by Tim Hawkinson

    2. What visible processes can you identify for both logic and sound production?

    3. How could you design a smaller-scale computational process with deliberately visible logic?

    4. What kind of logic might you choose to expose or make invisible in a musical sculpture?

  3. After class: office hour time continues for a while.