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Created as a gift for the technically-inclined, Paul Swider's morse code word clock is an interesting and fun example of the kinds of clocks you can easily make with the Arduino development platform. The clock not only displays the time in words using an LCD, is is also played back in morse code.

To keep the user's sanity, the clock only announces the time when a hand is waved in front of an infra-red distance sensor - however those who enjoy a joke may like to modify the sketch so this happens at random intervals. Nevertheless the project is a success and Paul demonstrates this for us in the following video:

For complete details on how to make your own version, click here to visit the product page.  And for more, we're on facebook, twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.

Smartphone control of various devices is becoming somewhat ubiquitous, and controlling your Arduino-powered project with an Android device is easy thanks to the use of a Bluetooth shield and a free or customised app.

Once excellent example of this has been demonstrated by the ICT Tools for Teachers program, who have a hybrid LEGO/Arduino-controlled robotic vehicle used in technology teaching areas. As you can see in the video below, the robot has a decent speed and can deal with the rigours of experimentation:

For more information and discussion about this project, please visit the Freetronics forum. And for more, we're on facebook, twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.

If you're looking into starting with Arduino and robotics, such as controlling a stepper motor (or DC motors) from your Arduino or compatible, check out our HBRIDGE: DC/stepper motor shield.

Based around the powerful Allegro A4954 H-bridge driver IC you can control two DC motors with complete ease, or one bipolar stepper motor. With connections for external power management, a complete beginners' guide and documentation - motor control couldn't be any easier. For more information and to order, visit the HBRIDGE: page.

One of the great features of the Arduino platform is the ability to receive or generate incoming data, and use that to control various outputs. With that knowledge and a little imagination you can come up with all sorts of fun output devices, including the following "steampunk" example by Costa Yannakis.

His system uses a mixture of contemporary and older devices - such as an Arduino-controlled servo to move a classic dial, along with lasers and an LCD. This would be a great display device for an interesting clock, weather station and more.

For more information about this and other related projects, visit Costa's website. And for more, we're on facebook, Google+, and twitter - so follow us for news and product updates as well.

Looking for a rapid-use LCD for your Arduino or compatible development boards such as the example above? Save time and move forward with the Freetronics LCD & Keypad shield which contains a bright 16x2 character LCD and five buttons that can be read from only one analogue input pin:

Next in the series of ongoing tutorials for the beginner from the Arduino LEGO Trains YouTube channel is a neat explanation of how to use inexpensive infra-red LEDs as sensors to detect trains as they approach a set of points (switches for US readers) and then change them as required along with train motion to avoid an accident.

We like how two trains can be automated on the one example layout, including automation of the points, signals and how these have been implemeted using an Arduino "state machine". This video shows the true strength of using an Arduino or compatible board for more serious applications:

The sensors used in the demonstration can also be used for other applications, such trackside detection or adding collision-avoidance to other devices. For more interesting LEGO train videos, subscribe to their YouTube channel. And for more, we're on twitter, facebook and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.

If you're looking to learn about Arduino development platform and how it interacts with external devices such as ultrasonic distance sensors -  you can't go past "Arduino Workshop -  A Hands-On Introduction with 65 Projects” by John Boxall.

Arduino Workshop takes the reader from having zero knowledge about the Arduino platform, electronics and programming and leaves them with the know-how and instructions on everything from blinking an LED, to robotics, wireless data, cellular communications, motor control, sensors, Internet connected systems and more. For more information including a sample chapter and table of contents, visit the book page.

We're great fans of the MrHobbyelectronics' YouTube channel, and in the latest update they show us how easy it is to use the Freetronics HBRIDGE Motor shield for Arduino by demonstrating a neat Arduino-based tank robot.

With the addition of an ultrasonic distance sensor to avoid collisions, and an infra-red sensor at the front bumper to detect a line - the robot can follow lines and also avoid objects in the way. You can see this in action through the following video:

For more interesting videos like this, subscribe to the MrHobbyElectronics YouTube channel. And for more, we're on facebook, twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.

If you're looking into starting with Arduino and robotics, such as controlling a stepper motor (or DC motors) from your Arduino or compatible, check out our HBRIDGE: DC/stepper motor shield.

Based around the powerful Allegro A4954 H-bridge driver IC you can control two DC motors with complete ease, or one bipolar stepper motor. With connections for external power management, a complete beginners' guide and documentation - motor control couldn't be any easier. For more information and to order, visit the HBRIDGE: page.

For fun and research you can make your own simple "lie detector" - a device which measures the leven of skin conductance of the user with two simple sensors. The theory of lie detection in this instance is that the greater the conductance - the increased chance the subject under test isn't telling the truth.

Nevertheless the device is easy to make and would be fun for younger enthusiasts to experiment with - the two sensors are made from coins and connected to the Arduino's analogue input - which can easily measure the changing skin conductance thanks to the returned voltage through the human.

For complete details on making your own version, head over to the project page. And for more, we're on facebook, Google+, and twitter - so follow us for news and product updates as well.

Looking for a rapid-use LCD for your Arduino or compatible development boards such as the example above? Save time and move forward with the Freetronics LCD & Keypad shield which contains a bright 16x2 character LCD and five buttons that can be read from only one analogue input pin:

In a nod towards the classic "Choose your own Adventure" books that were popular during many of our childhoods, Wayne Jones has recreated the experience based around an Arduino-compatible board and a large LCD.

The user can navigate through the story using the four buttons on the control panel, and with an extraordinarily large LCD the game is quite readable and gives a good experience. The size of the story is limited by the Arduino's internal memory - you could expand this with a larger board or perhaps reading text from an SD card. Either way, a demonstration of this example is shown in the following video:

A neat project that could also be the framework for other information display systems - of which you can learn more about from the project page. And for more, we're on facebook, twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.

If you're looking for a neat and colourful display to use with your Arduino or Raspberry Pi - consider our 128x128 pixel OLED Module. With a diagonal size of 1.5" and 16,384 colours to select from, so almost anything is possible. Furthermore there's a microSD card socket, and removable tabs on each side which can hold LEDs and buttons:

And using the module is made simple - we have tutorials and drivers for both the Arduino and Raspberry Pi platforms - great for experimenters or those who use both systems. Furthermore, check out the forum where members are already creating modified drivers to rapidly increase the display speed. For more information including our Quickstart guides - and of course to order - visit the OLED Module product page.

The classic memory game Simon has been recreated in many forms using the Arduino development platform, with an almost infinite amount of variations with regards to the controls and outputs. However Instructables member recyclerobot has taken things further and not only shows how to make the game with a solderless breadboard, but also transfer it to a custom PCB.

A lot of enthusiasts may not feel comfortable about creating their own circuit boards, however apart from being the next logical procession in circuit design - it will give them them (and you!) the confidence to tackle larger and more complex projects, or possible a career change.

Finally this example project has been created with Autodesk 123D Circuits - an interesting online simulator and circuit design centre which is worth exploring as well. In the meanwhile, a demonstration of the Simon shield is shown in the following video:

For complete details on this project, head over to the Instructables page. And for more, we're on facebook, Google+, and twitter - so follow us for news and product updates as well.

If you need to add external hardware or devices to your next Arduino project, such as the Simon game described above - you'll need a protoshield to mount the external circuitry. When doing so, consider our range of ProtoShields. From the tiny LeoStick to the Mega we have a wide range to suit your application.

Making your own LED cube is not only satisying, but also a test of one's soldering and engineering abiltiy. However don't let that put you off - as a cube can also be a lot of fun. To make your own version is possible, and prolific tutorial publisher Rui Santos shows how you can do it yourself.

His cube consists of 3 x 3 x 3 single colour LEDs, and is controlled via a common cathode system where each horizontal layer is scanned to create a full image with the LEDs. Rui demonstrates the assmbly and use in the following video:

To learn more about this and many other interesting projects, visit Rui's detailed website. And for more, we're on facebook, twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.