Canada & Independence Day

Last summer during a Solarbotics Robotics for Educators session, one of the teachers noted something about many of the mainstream robotics and electronics learning platforms commonly used in classrooms. He said that those platforms suffered from the Black Box Effect. This effect was where the “black boxes,” the controllers, were plugged into the computer and […]

Seeed One Wire Temperature Sensor $7.97 For simple and easy temperature measurement using the 1-wire protocol with a prepared DS18B20 sensor. Adjustable IR Reflection Sensor (3-80cm) $9.32 This panel/plate mount IR reflection sensor has a 3-80cm threshold detection range. Grove - High Temperature Sensor $12.02 This isn't a plain outdoor thermometer - it has a […]

Electronic things come in all shapes and sizes, with all sorts of different appendages. This week we have a few itty-bitty components that have legs/leads. They're like bugs, except made of metal. And, you know, completely inanimate. (Inanimate bugs? Those are the best kind...) LM1084 5V 5A LDO Voltage Regulator $3.94 The LM1084IT-5.0 is a […]

Solarbotics held a few workshops and lectures at the MAKEr faire April 22/23rd. After giving a workshop, a nice man from Microsoft invited me over to see their BEAM robots. Obviously intregued, I found their display at the Microsoft pavilion where Microsoft encouraged all their engineers with "MAKE"-style hobbies to exhibit, including this squad of […]