Getting Started with Arduino Kit Giveaway
This week we’re giving away a Maker Shed Getting Started with Arduino Kit V2. This kit has everything you need to follow the examples in the Getting Started with Arduino book. It’s a great way to learn Arduino right out of the box. And when you’re done, you have some core components you can use for further Arduino projects. Besides a copy of the book and an Arduino Uno microcontroller, you also get a solderless breadboard, a deluxe jumper wire kit, LEDs, resistors, photo resistors, a momentary button, and more.

To be eligible for this drawing, all you have to do is tell us why you want to learn Arduino and maybe what projects you might like to do with it. Eligible entries will end at 11:59 PST, Tuesday March 15th, 2011. Good luck!
More:
The Make: Arduino landing page


I’d love to make my own iPotti for work with one of these!
I want to make an animatroic animal controlled with a wii mote for my two kids. Im a programmer that wants to learn more about microcontrollers and hopefully get my kids interested in software, hardware, and generally taking things apart to see how they work.
I’m a software guy, but I’ve always wanted to learn more about the hardware side of things. Interested in doing some projects with sensors, and maybe throw in a few XBees for remote access.
I would like to learn more about controlling steppers and servos with Arduino and build an automatic timed pet feeder to detect that the bowl is empty and fill it up to a certain amount twice a day while tracking how much food the cats eat.
I’d like to finally get around to making that etch-a-sketch robot I’ve always wanted to make — then, THEN, I will have finally conquered the perfect circle. You are an evil mistress, you Etch-a-Sketch.
I’m a software girl – designer, artist, editor. I’ve built my own computer, and soldered a few projects in my hackerspace, but never really got an in-depth lesson into the hardware that makes all the electronics I love function. I’m excited to make everything and anything I can with the help of this kit!
I would like to use the Arduino platform as the basis of the next revision of my time-lapse motor controller, integrating an automatic watering system for consistent moisture levels, and velocity adjustments for smoother transitions on the motor drive.
I want to learn how to use an Arduino to make a multi zone temperature and humidity controled cheese cave.
While I don’t have any specific project in mind, I’d love the chance to learn more about the Arduino and its capabilities. This would be a good way to introduce my kids to microcontrollers. Thank you for this contest and all the great things you do!
I find the nearly limitless possibilities of the Arduino mind-boggling. The fact that it is fairly easy to learn and relatively cheap make the Arduino a very good way to get into the hardware of electronic engineering…would love to win this drawing.
I’d still really like to turn my coffee maker into a voice activated one. Or maybe add the ability to unlock my door with the NFC chip on my phone.
I’m a musician who works with old game systems to make chip music, and I’m interested in trying to find a way to use the Arduino to make a MIDI interface for the Sega Genesis to access its FM synth capabilities. I have friends who use Arduino to make some really cool stuff, including Batsly Adams who made the DrunkenNES breathalyzer NES game, but I really know very little about using microcontrollers other than following directions verbatim online.
Can’t afford an iPad.
Can’t afford a Xoom.
Can’t afford a Galaxy.
But with a free arduino, some scavenged bits and the getting started book – I can MAKE my own!
I want to design and build the best sensor-driven, interactive Haunted House known to man. I’m willing to start small, though!
Have the kids figure out which key opens the candy treasure chest. (HINT: The one with the right RFID tag is the one you’re looking for.) A ghost that tries to block you from going forward (http://www.creativeapplications.net/processing/my-little-piece-of-privacy-processing/). Have fog (http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/09/flashback-ultimate-fog-chiller.html) shoot out when you get too close to something. I’d love to do some things like that!
I want an Arduino so I can learn how to solder the right way and start to make my own circuits to control robots! MWAAAHAHHHHHHHHAAAA!! XD
I’m actually hoping to build a indicator system in my office which will allow people to hit a button at their seat that lights up in my office and tells me that I’m needed, but also allow for different types of indicators as well as timers that will alert me if a light has been lit for too long and such by blinking faster and faster as time goes on. They hate trying to come and find me
I’d like to spend my spring break learning about the Arduino. I’m a science teacher at an all-girls school where I offer a technology course. So far, I’ve stuck mostly with 555 timers and simple transistors. I think the Arduino could be a cool addition to the course and would pilot it this year as a bit of advanced study during the last few weeks. If things went well, I’d probably look at how I could incorporate it into next year’s class more fully. I’m honestly not sure what projects I would come up with, but I’d love to see what my students could create.
I have been considering making the jump into Arduino for a looooonng time and would love this kit to get me started. Specifically, I need to make a tachometer for my lathe and another for a wheat grinder I want to hook up to an exercise bike. With an arduino I could also (I think) make some monitor to let me know when the hopper on the grinder is low and it’s time to add more. That would rock!
I’d really like to get into hardware programming. Software I get, but hardware is a whole new animal I’m dying to explore and Arduino is a perfect way to do it. Much like with sculpture, my guess is that the material will speak for itself and suggest what to build. I must say, though, as an audio geek, I’m interested in what I might be able to do with MIDI, especially with instruments (would love to make a Roland TB-303 clone) and DJ consoles. Also as a guy that works in manufacturing, I’d be into playing with what sorts of tools I might be able to drum up. I’d be pumped if I could make a lathe!
I’m sick of having to get up early to let the chickens out, and having to be home by a certain point at night to put them away. Solar/timer controlled coop door actuator, here I come!
Twitter-enabled washing machine and dryer. That is all.
I would like to learn the about the arduino to get my grand children interested in robotics and electronics, ( I also want to make a robot dog).
I want to build the secret knock gumball machine with my 10 year old daughter
I’ve always been interested in Microelectronics, and haven’t done much micro-controller work since College on the 68HC11. I’d be interested in using it for flash attachments for my camera and RC Airplane stuff.
My first project would be to create a interactive robotic children’s toy.
I’ve a digital clock project in mind.
I was taught about microcontrollers using Parallax’s Stamp. Now I want to learn all about the cooler and better chip. And make a robot.
I have been considering making the jump into Arduino for a looooonng time and would love this kit to get me started. Specifically, I need to make a tachometer for my lathe and another for a wheat grinder I want to hook up to an exercise bike. With an arduino I could also (I think) make some monitor to let me know when the hopper on the grinder is low and it’s time to add more. That would rock!
I want to be able to make the yogurt maker. Then I could demonstrate to our Maker’s Club @ our next meet up in April. Plus I’d like to know more about it than my son
I have an idea for an auto flusher and an alarm clock and air purifier and maybe a key pad entry system
Learning Arduino is my next step toward world domination (and impressing Charles Kantz’s girlfriend).
I plan to create a working scale model of the NASA press site launch countdown clock that can be used as a launch controller for my Cub Scout pack’s summer rocket day.
arduino makes almost everything possible around my situation. What I would like to do now is to bring it to the developing countries to make many things possible.
I want to learn Arduino so I can build some of the cool projects I’ve seen on this site. I really want to build a physical world push notification device. so when the garage is open too long in the winter I get an alert on my phone. I also saw a keg flow tracker that will come in handy for my brewing!
I want to learn Arduino so I can create a Makerbot with my kids. I am a young father with 3 kids, my duaghter always asks, daddy, when will you make the robot??? She always sees the makerbot image on my desktop PC. I would like to start with the makerbot, and move onto a Prusa Mendel, perhaps starting with the Clonedel, Ive also been looking at making my own molds for the Clonedel. I am also a follower of CNC building and am currently working on a diy version, Arduino…….oh……the possibilities!!!!!
I’d love to revisit hw circuits and micro controller programming. At university I only had one semester and though I was good at it … never found enough time.
I would very much like to experiment with microcontrollers in general to build all sorts of things. I happen to have an idea for an LED watch possibly combined to an external outdoor a sensor to also be a barometer and/or a thermometer. The possibilities seem endless!
I want to build a a sound meter that would tweet when the sound level gets too loud in my house from my noisy neighbors.
I have been wanting to start tinkering with an Arduino for several months now, and I think the first thing I would do is wire up my garage door opener so that I could open/close the garage door from my phone!
I generally use PIC, I would like to learn Arduino so i can be of more help to those who use it.
i would like to use this to monitor and possibly automate some home brewing processes.
I want to learn Arduino because is a growing tool and have a very nice comunity… Full of people like me… A project that come to my mind, it’s a full “RPC able” function for languages like Python and Ruby…
I’ve been a computer programmer for years, no one told me when I was in college if I wanted to marry software skills with hardware and microelectronic skills that I would need to be an engineering major. I was always jealous of the hardware hacks that those majors could turn out.
The arduino looks like the perfect platform to begin as I’ve had a number of ideas and too scared to know where to start.
I do volunteer craft and science teaching to kids and would like to include some robotics instruction. I’ve done some electronics instruction with them but it has all been “brainless” electronics instruction so far! I think the Arduino would be perfect for stepping things up to smarter, environmentally interactive circuits.
I’d love to work on some projects with my boys (4 of them ages 8-18) on projects related to home automation and control. While they already toilets that tweet, etc, I’d like to work on something more useful like turning things on/off remotely or based on environmental triggers (temperature, moisture detection, etc). We’ve worked on Radio Shack “Electronics Labs” projects but this kit would definitely allow us to go to a whole new level!
I’d like to learn to Arduino to refresh my long lost programming knowledge and take on some more electronics projects and also to build a really sweet iPod dock with the VFD I bought a while ago.
My son and I would like to build our own weather station.
I would *simply* like to learn Arduino!
Would love to use arduino physically prototype ideas!
I would like to make robots (3D printers)in the future and the open source project it based on the arduino..
I plan on learning Arduino to finish off my Daft Punk helmet with flashing, programmable LED arrays!
I’d like to learn the basic components of electric devices and how things communicate within.
It seems like a good way to get started with microcontrollers. I’ll probably start with an intervalometer for my dslr.
This would help me find out where my ability to take on and learn new things would end up
Just heard of this. It would be fantastic for getting my kids interested in tech!
I am a web developer and I want to ‘jump the divide’ into embedded programing. Devices done with the Arduino such as the tweet-a-lot are exactly the types of things I want to do!
This platform lets you make magic (that is, sufficiently advanced technology indistinguishable from magic.) From physical representations of digital data to just cool and cute buzzers and beepers, what WOULDN’T I do with this? I want!
I’d like to learn arduino and to have one in order to get my daughter interested in making, through some fun projects like interactive toys and robots
I WANT MAKE STUF!
I want to learn Arduino to expand my engineering tool set. I would like to add to the capabilities of an inexpensive intrusion alarm offered by the Harbor Freight company. I purchased two of these units. They do not do all I think I need for them to do. In the spirit of the MAKE: community, I want to hack them to add (among other things): battery backup, with monitored charging; touch pad arm/disarm; remote klaxon sounding unit; and maximum number of alarm cycles before turning off (to avoid issues with police and neighbors in case of spurious trips). I believe the Arduino will help me to achieve this goal.
I’m beginning a real-time systems course and our professor has said that the Arduino microcontrollers are some of the best out there. I am excited to learn more about the technology and better understand the real-time systems (specifically hard real-time systems) that control so many important aspects of our lives. Would love to start with this package. Particularly looking to make a (basic) artificial pancreas which would be useful for those with diabetes.
Amateur animatronics for low budget movie-grade applications are on my plate and i need an easily customizable and expandable microsystem….that i can program in C (hopefully this can be turned into a long term solution
)
This whole Arduino thing really seems to be the best solution and im glad its come about
Thats why I want to learn Arduino
I’d like to learn about Arduino for temperature control for sous vide cooking, refrigeration and homebrewing.
I want the Arduino kit because I’m making a small robot controlled with my N1
I want to learn Arduino to control and record the flight details of a high altitude rocket competing in NASA’s Collegiate Rocket Competition. Go team Falcon One!
I would like to give this as a gift for a particularly geeky member of the family. I suspect they would create something to go with their collection of hexbugs.
I’m a aspiring developer looking to expand my capabilities to micro-controllers. Looking to get into micro-controllers for home automation along with a few simple sensors for web based output.
I want to learn Arduino because is an awesome platform that I can use to expand my knowledge in information security into some real-world physical security gadgets!
I want to learn Arduino because is an awesome platform that I can use to expand my knowledge in information security into some real-world physical security gadgets!
I love making stuff, i want to make a dancing robot, with an integrated alarm clock. Maybe he could even make breakfast! Just kidding. Or am I?!
I love making stuff, i want to make a dancing robot, with an integrated alarm clock. Maybe he could even make breakfast! Just kidding. Or am I?!
I would like to learn Arduino with my son, because I think we could both have lots of fun and learn new things!
I want to inspire my two sons to become Makers and introduce them to digital microcontroller technology. Once we’ve gotten over the introductory level tutorials we’ll work on home automation and small robotic projects.
I have no experience whatsoever with this stuff (so I want to learn!), BUT I would love to make a full-bodied LED suit which would flash in sync with my rockin’ keytar!
I want to learn arduino to build my own CNC machine.
Because I will RULE next Halloween with the nasty things I’ll build with this.
When riding a subway they say to mind the gap… my reason for wanting to get into Arduino is because like so many other things before… I fear it. Most things that I have tried to do that become a normal part of my working back of tricks were things that I initially feared. I feared doing physical computing up until Arduino because it was hard… it was expensive and if it got messed up… it was even more expensive. With Arduino there is a mystery about it… and I fear it less than basic stamp…
I also want to make my mom and grandma a liason box:
So now that I know there is a gap in what I know and what I want to know I must keep it in mind.
I want to learn Arduino because I am learning to be an electronics engineer and I don’t know the system yet. While there are several projects that I want to complete the one I want to do the most currently is a project with the uno and a voice shield. I want to integrate them into a project 64 kit, to make a custom life sound board. Something that has funny sounds and quotes for me and my friends to enjoy.
I want to teach my son the relationship between programming and the physical world.
I want to learn Arduino, because I already have a NetDuino. As a .NET programmer this works great, but a lot of the projects I come across to help me with my project are for Arduino or are derived from Arduino, so why not go back to the root and start there?
My project is a monitoring system for a watertank that is on our roof. It seemed to drain unusually fast, so I want to have a monitoring system to keep track of how full the tank is and if it is being filled. The project involves a water detection circuit (already done, but I need 5 or more and combine their data to send to a micro-controller. Then the data needs to be sent to an LCD display (through another micro-controller… Arduino seems like a good fit!
Now, if only ….
Arduino seems to be pretty simple and straight forward – a good starting point. I want to build a submersible ROV.
I would love to have an arduino for many simple projects, especially testing equipment when building electronics, and for some fun builds with friends which would require a microcontroller.