May the 4th has become the day to celebrate the Star Wars phenomenon all around the world, with fans attending events and parties, dressing up as their favorite character.
But, what if you could bring a side-kick such as BB-8 or R2-D2 to the party? Do you have some Arduino boards handy? Young inventory Angelo used household items and Arduino circuitry to build a DD-8 droid for himself. Lucky for you, he wrote a tutorial so you can make one, too.
Angelo is a 17-year old Physics major at De La Salle University in Manila, Philippines with a passion for creating projects, documenting them, and writing DIY tutorials that are fun and easy for others to follow. On his page on Instructables.com, he features more than 60 of the projects he has developed, including his BB-8.
What was key for Angelo to make his BB-8 a reality? An Arduino board.
The beauty of Arduino circuitry, is that it lends itself not only to complex projects, but also to simple projects for people who are just beginning to work (or play) with electronics. The open-source Arduino platform is perfect in the classroom, as the software and hardware makes it simple to introduce fast prototyping to students with no knowledge of electronics or programming. By using a physical programmable circuit board–known as the microcontroller–and integrated development environment (IDE) software that runs on a computer, Arduinos are bound to inspire young minds to create amazing things, hands-on.
Looking to get started with Arduinos? Check out our Arduino Starter Kit. Looking to teach Arduinos in the classroom? Attend Plaz Tech’s Intro to Arduinos Workshop.
Learning about electronics and programming has never been so much fun! So, get going! And May The Fourth Be With You!