Electronics Blog

There are certain things all electronics hobbyists should know.

Some of them are simple and easy to learn, while others can take years to completely master.

For example, learning to solder is relatively easy for most people. Becoming an expert in C programming can take some time though.

Because of this, don’t think that you need to become an expert in all of these things if you’re thinking of getting started in electronics. We all start somewhere and even if you know nothing about any of the topics below, you’ll learn as go.

However, as time goes on you should try to become at least somewhat proficient with all the below. Just don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t happen overnight.

There’s never been a better time to start than now!

Robosapien Teardown

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Robosapien Teardown

In this video, I perform a Robosapien teardown (it’s broken anyway), talk about why/how it broke (hint: MAJOR manufacturing defect), and go over the anatomy of the robot looking at the different parts that made it tick.

[Read more…] about Robosapien Teardown

Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) Tutorial

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At its core, pulse width modulation (PWM) is just another modulation technique like AM or FM, among others.

Many electronics hobbyists who build robots and other moving things recognize the term as it pertains to controlling the speed of a motor.

But PWM has a lot of other, lesser known uses also.

Let’s first start with some PWM fundamentals.

What is Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)?

Choosing a Development Board for Your Project

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Choosing a development board for your projects can be a daunting task. Given the large number of development boards available today, it’s no wonder.

For those who don’t already know this, let’s first come up with a definition for development board.

A development board is a small circuit board containing either a microcontroller, microprocessor (or both) which supplies the necessary components and software for design and programming.

Most of us are familiar with boards like the various incarnations of Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and even BeagleBone. These are some of the most popular options among hobbyists and makers.

Some of us are familiar with other, lesser known boards like Intel’s Galileo or Texas Instrument’s TI LaunchPad. [Read more…] about Choosing a Development Board for Your Project