In much the same way that "kids" are the ones who really know how to work computers in your house, microcontrollers - small, self-contained computers - are the "brains" inside dozens of the devices and appliances in your home. Microwaves, washing machines, telephones, and stereos all have microcontrollers inside them. A microcontroller is a computer-on-a-microchip, and includes a processor, memory for storing data, timers, and ports for connecting to other components. As our everyday devices become increasingly "smart" with embedded technology, microcontrollers are becoming more and more important - nearly as important as the young minds who want to learn about them!

This kit introduces young minds to microcontrollers, sensors, and programming through 100 experiments. Build devices that use sensors to monitor and record data, and use the data to control motors, buzzers, lights, and a digital display. Write programs to control the devices you build. For example, one can build a light meter using a light dependent resistor and record the light levels in a room over a 12-hour period. Or measure and record the temperature outside with a temperature sensor, then graph the results. The number of possible experiments is infinite.

First, assemble a circuit and write a program, following the detailed instructions in the manual. Then, upload the program to the microcontroller using an infrared interface. The program tells the microcontroller how to perform your experiment and store the data. Finally, the data stored in the microcontroller can be downloaded to the computer using the infrared interface. Young minds can then tell their parents what they did and watch them shake their heads in puzzlement. Welcome to the future!

Additional Information

Specifications:
Ages 12 and up

Includes:

• 96-page Manual with 100 Experiments
• Microcontroller module
• Dual digital display module
• 3 transistors
• 7 light emitting diodes
• Motor
• Light sensor (light dependent resistor)
• Temperature sensor (negative temperature coefficient type)
• Potentiometer, microphone
• Buzzer
• Diodes
• Capacitors
• Resistors
• Switches
• Wires
• Contact clips
• Infrared interface device
• Usb to 9-pin serial adapter (rs-232 type)
• Software cd
• Portable case