DECO1013 – Lecture, Week 2.

8/08/17

Introduction to Electronics and Arduino

Electricity: Current, Voltage and Resistance.

- Voltage = Power (Pushing force)

- Current in milliamp hours.
- Resistance = Works against current.

Ohm’s Law: R = V / I.

- Electrons flow from negative to positive terminals.

- Need to have a closed circuit.
- If there is an open circuit, electrons cannot get from the negative to positive terminal.

Voltage

- Difference in electric potential (energy/electromotive force) applied between two points.

o Force that moves electrons around a circuit.
o The greater the potential, the greater the force.
- Sources of voltage come from a range of sources such as chemical processes.

Resistance

- Inverse to current.
- Measured in Ohms.
- Good conductors have low resistance.
- Good insulators have high resistance.
- LEDs take low voltage, using a resister reduces the current hence the voltage applied into
the LED.

Some Simple Components.

- Batteries
o Major difference is the variation in voltage.
o Have positive and negative terminals.
o Lead-Acid: Typical battery found in devices such as TV Remote.
o Nickel Cadmium / Nickel Metal Hydride = Rechargeable batteries.
o Lithium Ion (To be used) -> Most stable used in phones.
 Most expensive but the best, very small in size (similar to a usb stick).
 Produces a small current.
- Connecting Batteries:
o Parallel: All batteries connected in a single positive to negative relationship.
 Voltage is low and constant.
 Current is high.
 Resistance is low.
o Series: All batteries connected in multiple positive to negative relationships.
 Voltage is high.
 Current is low and constant.
 Resistance is high
- Discrete vs. Non-Discrete Components:
o Non-Discrete components are made up of discrete components.
o Integrated Circuits (ICs) are the core of modern computing technology.
DECO1013 – Lecture, Week 2. 8/08/17

 Made up of silicon inside to control electrical relationships.

- Resistors: Resist current.
o Colour bands: Each band represents a resistance value (can be calculated).
o Known as a tolerance band.
- Capacitors
o Store and reuse electrical charge.
o Tiny reusable batteries. Used for filtering, tuning and blocking voltages.
o When Power is in -> Electricity is stored -> Released when power is out.
o Turning on -> Capacitor charges -> Turns off, released.
- Inductors: Coils.
o Uses Electromagnetism.
o EMR.
o Resists changes in electrical current, passing through it.
- Diodes: Polarised.
o Allows electrons to only move in one direction.
o Electrical circuits that have a flow are used.
o Band notation: where which side is positive and negative.
- Transistors: Semiconductors.
o Amplifies and switches the electric signals and power.

Arduino

- Integrated circuit inside.

- C-based.
- Microcontroller chip is programmed.
- Use schematic circuit drawings.
- Arduino Uno is used.
- Tool for making computers that use sensors and controls to manipulate the physical world,
through an IDE.
- General purpose platform. Binary language.

Understanding Prototyping.

- Why prototype?
o Incomplete, early version of an envisioned product.
o Simple or complex.
o Various approaches.
o Physically doing it.
- Benefits:
o Cheap, low amount of time and technical knowledge. Efficient.
o High return in investment.
o User feedback early in the design process.
o Uncovers problems in the early stages.
o Minimises miscommunication.
o Results in a better product.
o Empathic design: Design for the user.
- Low fidelity vs. High Fidelity prototyping:
o Properties of fidelity:
 Breadth, Scope, Look and Interaction.