Getting your parts

Software

The open-source Arduino IDE software is available for Windows PC, Mac OS X, and Linux, and it is free.

For Windows

  1. Download the Arduino IDE software for Windows here or here.
  2. Open the Downloads folder. You should see a file named arduino-1.x.x-windows.exe inside the folder.
  3. Double click on this exe file to install the Arduino program. After the installation, there should be an Arduino program icon on the desktop.
  4. You will also need to install this driver (or this driver if the first one doesn't work). After downloading the driver, extract the folder from inside the zip file by dragging the folder to your desktop. Open this folder that is on your desktop (not the zip file). Double click the setup program that is inside the folder to run it.

For Macs

  1. Download the Arduino IDE software for Macs here or here.
  2. Open the Downloads folder. You should see a zip file named Arduino-1.x.x-macosx.zip inside the folder.
  3. Double click on the zip file to expand the contents. After expanding, you should see a file named Arduino.
  4. Copy this Arduino program by dragging the program from inside the zip file (not the zip file itself) to your Applications folder.
  5. You will also need to install this driver. During the installation it will ask for a security permission. You need to allow it.
  6. Double click on the Arduino icon inside the Applications folder to run the program. The first time you run the program you will see a message saying “Arduino” is an application downloaded from the Internet. Are you sure you want to open it? Click Open to open it.
    Mac installation

For Chromebooks

  1. Install the Arduino Create for Education app from the Chrome web store.
  2. Click the Add to Chrome button.
  3. Run the downloaded app.
  4. Sign in or create a new Arduino Cloud account.
  5. Click the Install button when you see the yellow popup window that says "To upload sketches via USB port, make sure you have Create App installed on your computer."

    Chromebooks installation

Circuit drawing program

Fritzing is a free open-source circuit drawing program that is very useful for teachers who want to draw their own Arduino circuits. All of the circuit pictures found in these tutorials are done with Fritzing. Furthermore, there is an option to professionally custom make a PCB board of your circuit.

Hardware Parts

Email to parts@robotsforfun.com if you want to purchase any of the following kits and parts.


Pay with Zelle logo Zelle QR Code to pay@robotsforfun.com.
or

Pay with Venmo logo Venmo QR Code to @EnochHwang.

Kits

Instead of getting individual parts, you can get more for less by getting a kit.

Parts

Name, Description, and Price (in USD) Picture
Arduino Uno R3. Size: 6.9cm x 5.3cm. Includes USB cable. $10 Arduino Uno R3USB cable
Arduino Nano. Size: 4.3cm x 1.7cm. Includes USB cable. $7 Arduino Nano
Arduino Pro Mini. Size: 3.4cm x 1.8cm. DOES NOT include USB cable and requires the USB-to-Serial adapter (sold separately) to program. $5 Arduino Pro Mini
Lights and Displays
LEDs (blue, red, white, yellow, green) $1 for two or $2 for set of five (blue, red, white, yellow, green) LEDs
RGB LED $2 RGB LED
7-segment LED (1 digit) $2 7-segment LED (1 digit) 7-segment LED (1 digit)
7-segment red LED (3 digits) (does not include the MAX7219 driver IC) $3 7-segment LED (3 digits)
7-segment red LED (4 digits) (does not include the MAX7219 driver IC) $4 7-segment LED (4 digits)
7-segment red LED (8 digits) (includes the MAX7219 driver IC) $7 7-segment LED (8 digits)
8x8 dot matrix red LED (includes the MAX7219 driver IC) $7 8x8 dot matrix LED
MAX7219 LED display driver IC for controlling up to eight 7-segment LED displays $3 MAX7219 LED driver
5 meters long RGB LED string with 150 RGB LEDs with built-in WS2812 controller $30 150 RGB LED string
24 RGB LED ring with built-in WS2812 controller $12 24 RGB LED ring
16 RGB LED ring with built-in WS2812 controller $10 16 RGB LED ring
12 RGB LED ring with built-in WS2812 controller $8 12 RGB LED ring
8 RGB LED ring/strip with built-in WS2812 controller $6 8 RGB LED ring
8 RGB LED strip
2x16 character LCD display $6 2x16 LCD
0.96" 128x64 OLED LCD display (SPI or I2C) $6 128x64 OLED display 128x64 OLED display
Buzzer (passive) $1 Buzzer
Speaker $5 speaker
Switches and Sensors
Push button $1 Push button
Keypad 3x4 flexible plastic $5 Keypad
Keypad 3x4 durable hard plastic $7 Keypad
Light sensor (photo resistor) $1 Light sensor
Tilt sensor SW-520D $1 Tilt sensor
Infrared (IR) black/white/object sensor $5 Infrared sensor
Ultrasonic sensor HC-SR04 $5 Ultrasonic distance sensor
Motion (PIR) sensor HC-SR501 $5 HC-SR501 Motion sensor
Motion (PIR) sensor AM312 $5 AM312 Motion sensor
Sound sensor $5 Sound sensor
Color sensor TCS230/TCS3200 $5 Color sensor
Temperature and humidity sensor DHT11 $5 Temperature sensor
Gas (flammable) sensor MQ-2 $5 Gas sensor
Magnetic compass GY-273 $5 Compass
Gyroscope and accelorometer GY-521 $5 Gyroscope and accelorometer
Clock and Audio
Real-time clock IC (for making a clock with calendar) $5 Real-time clock
SD card audio player (SD card not included) $7 music player
Motors and Relays
Servo motor SG90 $7 Servo motor
Stepper motor (includes driver IC) $7 Stepper motor
Robot chassis with two DC motors, wheels, battery holder and mounting hardware. Includes the L293D H-Bridge IC for controlling the DC motors. $35 Robot chassis
L293D H-Bridge IC for controlling DC motors $3 L293D H-Bridge
Relay module $5 Relay
Communication
ESP8266-01 Wifi module (has 2 I/O ports) $5 ESP8266-01
ESP8266-12 Wifi module (has 12 I/O ports) $7 ESP8266-12
Wemos D1 mini development board with ESP8266-12 Wifi module (has 12 I/O ports) and built-in USB-to-Serial adapter $10 Wemos D1 mini
Bluetooth master and slave HC-05 $10 Bluetooth HC-05
Bluetooth slave only HC-06 $7 Bluetooth HC-06
USB-to-Serial adapter for programming the ESP8266 or the Arduino Pro Mini $7 USB-to-Serial Adapter
5V to 3.3V converter for powering the ESP8266 WiFi module $2 5 to 3.3V converter
Transistor NPN 3904 or 2N2222 $1 Transistor
Diode $1 Diode
Potentiometer (10K) $1 Potentiometer
Resistors $1 for 5 (any value)
  • 150 Ω (brown-green-brown)
  • 330 Ω (orange-orange-brown)
  • 1K Ω (brown-black-red)
  • 4.7K Ω (yellow-violet-red)
  • 22K Ω (red-red-orange)
Resistors
Resistors
Resistors
Resistors
Resistors
Breadboard with 400 tie points $5 Breadboard
Wires 12 pieces with assorted colors (3 long and 9 short) $2 Wires
Storage box $15 Storage box

Parts subject to change or vary slightly.