The document discusses connecting physical computing devices like Arduino and Phidgets to software. It provides an overview of Arduino and Phidgets, comparing their components, ease of use, advantages and disadvantages. It also gives examples of programming Arduino and Phidgets in ActionScript 3 to control devices like servos and read sensor values. The document encourages readers that the possibilities for interactive projects are limited only by their imagination.

1. Fiddling with Phidgets
Connecting to hardware

2. Who Am I?
Steven Peeters
Unit manager / Instructor / consultant at multimediacollegeTM
• Adobe Flex, AIR, Flash Catalyst & ColdFusion Certified Instructor
• Adobe Community Professional
• ColdFusion User Group Manager
• 12+ years of development experience
• Flex & AIR since 2004
• Author for Friends of ED
Email: steven@multimediacollege.be
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stevenpeeters
Twitter: @aikisteve
Blog www.flexpert.be
Website www.multimediacollege.be

3. Topics
• Arduino
• Phidgets
• Other hardware
Twitter hash tag: #fiddlingphidgets

4. Getting started
• Yeah, how did I get started on this?

5. Getting started
• Yeah, how did I get started on this?
• College

6. Getting started
• Yeah, how did I get started on this?
• College
• Prototype This

7. Getting started
• Yeah, how did I get started on this?
• College
• Prototype This
• Grant Skinner

8. Differences
Boards, light sensors,
Components Boards
motors, displays, ...
Shields: XBee, Ethernet, Thermocouple,
Third party
motors electrodes, sensors, ...
Out of the box
Ease of use Build your own stuff
components
Cheap, build your own Don’t worry about
Advantage
components making mistakes
Disadvantage Build your own stuff Little bit more expensive

9. Differences
Boards, light sensors,
Components Boards
motors, displays, ...
Shields: XBee, Ethernet, Thermocouple,
Third party
motors electrodes, sensors, ...
Out of the box
Ease of use Build your own stuff
components
Cheap, build your own Don’t worry about
Advantage
components making mistakes
Disadvantage Build your own stuff Little bit more expensive

10. Differences
Boards, light sensors,
Components Boards
motors, displays, ...
Shields: XBee, Ethernet, Thermocouple,
Third party
motors electrodes, sensors, ...
Out of the box
Ease of use Build your own stuff
components
Cheap, build your own Don’t worry about
Advantage
components making mistakes
Disadvantage Build your own stuff Little bit more expensive

11. Differences
Boards, light sensors,
Components Boards
motors, displays, ...
Shields: XBee, Ethernet, Thermocouple,
Third party
motors electrodes, sensors, ...
Out of the box
Ease of use Build your own stuff
components
Cheap, build your own Don’t worry about
Advantage
components making mistakes
Disadvantage Build your own stuff Little bit more expensive

12. Differences
Boards, light sensors,
Components Boards
motors, displays, ...
Shields: XBee, Ethernet, Thermocouple,
Third party
motors electrodes, sensors, ...
Out of the box
Ease of use Build your own stuff
components
Cheap, build your own Don’t worry about
Advantage
components making mistakes
Disadvantage Build your own stuff Little bit more expensive

13. Differences
Boards, light sensors,
Components Boards
motors, displays, ...
Shields: XBee, Ethernet, Thermocouple,
Third party
motors electrodes, sensors, ...
Out of the box
Ease of use Build your own stuff
components
Cheap, build your own Don’t worry about
Advantage
components making mistakes
Disadvantage Build your own stuff Little bit more expensive

14. Arduino
• http://www.arduino.cc
• Shields (add-ons)
• Get started for only $30

15. Arduino shields

16. Arduino shields

17. Programming Arduino

18. Programming Arduino
• Open-source

19. Programming Arduino
• Open-source
• Large community

20. Programming Arduino
• Open-source
• Large community
• Lots of example available

21. Programming Arduino
• Open-source
• Large community
• Lots of example available
• Language based on processing

22. Programming Arduino
• Open-source
• Large community
• Lots of example available
• Language based on processing
• extensible with C, C++, Flash...

23. Programming Arduino
• Open-source
• Large community
• Lots of example available
• Language based on processing
• extensible with C, C++, Flash...
• examples in the IDE and on http://tv.adobe.com

24. Programming Arduino
• Connecting to Flash/Flex

25. Programming Arduino
• Connecting to Flash/Flex
• Upload Firmata program to board

26. Programming Arduino
• Connecting to Flash/Flex
• Upload Firmata program to board
• SerProxy/TinkerProxy

27. Programming Arduino
• Connecting to Flash/Flex
• Upload Firmata program to board
• SerProxy/TinkerProxy
• AS3Glue: http://code.google.com/p/as3glue/

28. Programming Arduino
• Connecting to Flash/Flex
• Upload Firmata program to board
• SerProxy/TinkerProxy
• AS3Glue: http://code.google.com/p/as3glue/
• Use Arduino object methods

29. Arduino Example
private var arduino:Arduino;
private function initApp():void {
arduino = new Arduino("localhost", 5331);
arduino.setPinMode(13, Arduino.OUTPUT);
arduino.writeDigitalPin(13, Arduino.HIGH);
var value:int = arduino.getAnalogData(2);
}

30. Phidgets
• http://www.phidgets.com
• Lots of components
• Get started for $77

31. Phidgets components

32. Phidgets Programming Languages
• Flash • C#
• Flex • Python
• Java • MathLAB
• Delphi •C
• Cocoa • C++
• Visual Basic • ...

33. Programming Phidgets
• Connecting to Flash/Flex

34. Programming Phidgets
• Connecting to Flash/Flex
• Install drivers for boards

35. Programming Phidgets
• Connecting to Flash/Flex
• Install drivers for boards
• Run web service

36. Programming Phidgets
• Connecting to Flash/Flex
• Install drivers for boards
• Run web service
• Use Phigets21Library.swc

37. Phidgets Servo Motor Example
private var phidgetsServo:PhidgetAdvancedServo;
protected function initApp():void {
phidgetsServo = new PhidgetAdvancedServo();
phidgetsServo.addEventListener(PhidgetEvent.ATTACH, onAttach);
phidgetsServo.open("localhost", 5001);
}
private function onAttach(event:PhidgetEvent):void {
phidgetsServo.setPosition(0, 120);
phidgetsServo.setPosition(1, 120);
phidgetsServo.setPosition(4, 120);
phidgetsServo.setPosition(5, 120);
}

38. Phidgets Interface Example
private var phidgetsInterfaceKit:PhidgetInterfaceKit;
protected function initApp():void {
phidgetsInterfaceKit = new PhidgetInterfaceKit();
phidgetsInterfaceKit.addEventListener(PhidgetEvent.ATTACH, onAttach);
phidgetsInterfaceKit.addEventListener(PhidgetDataEvent.SENSOR_CHANGE,
onSensorChange);
phidgetsInterfaceKit.open("localhost", 5001);
}
private function onInterfaceAttach(event:PhidgetEvent):void {
phidgetsInterfaceKit.setOutputState(0, true);
phidgetsInterfaceKit.setOutputState(1, false);
}
private function onSensorChange(event:PhidgetDataEvent):void {
trace("sensor value = " + Number(event.Data));
}

39. Phidgets showcase
Remote controlled maze

40. Under the hood

41. The only limit is your imagination

42. The only limit is your imagination

43. The only limit is your imagination

44. Thank you
Twitter:
@aikisteve
Email:
steven@multimediacollege.be
Personal site:
www.flexpert.be