Electronics in the Age Of The Arduino

Status

A workshop that SCIL is thinking about offering.

General

Electronics has changed in the age of the Arduino, not just because of the Arduino but other things have also contributed:

• Most electronics now have micro controllers and software
• While discrete components still exist much work is done with sub assemblies often containing 100's of components.
• Prices have fallen.
• The web provides almost real time access to components and other gear.
• Specifications that used to require ownership of manuals are now online.
• Tons of learning material online.

This course will help you navigate this new landscape.

More info? contact: User:Russ_hensel

Theory

Then

In the old days electronics was taught from a theory of basic components:

• Batteries - source of dc voltage
• Resistors
• Series and Parallel Circuit.
• Network theory
• Current
• Capicators
• Inductors
• Transistor
• ......
• Complex circuits
• AC theory.....

Now

Now you still need to know the basics of Voltage, Current, and Power, this is perhaps best understood by using the analogy of electricity to water and water pressure: ( link needed ). Rather than think of AC and DC it is probably best to think of these as quantiles variables that change with time. DC is just a Voltage that is constant, and therefore the simplest, to understand.

Next think of other circuit components as "black boxes" that have some practical use, and for now ignore how they work. The old basic components: Batteries, Resistors, Capacitors, Inductors, Transistor.... are just examples of these black boxes, but perhaps not the place to start as you can easily buy much more interesting ones for cheap money.

In the new world we need to think of the power/load characteristics of "the black boxes" and the communications between "black boxes".