Those encoders we mentioned last week are finally here! Here are some pictures:

Check out the product page for more details.

We’ve published a new sample project that shows you how to use the Wixel and its Joystick App to convert a non-USB joystick into a USB device. This guide walks you through the whole process: all you have to do is make the right wiring connections and configure the app on the Wixel; no programming is required.

Check out the project page to see how we converted a Tandy Deluxe Joystick and learn how to adapt your own input device with a Wixel!

Related post: Joystick App for Wixel now available

In this video, Amjad Al-Ahdal demonstrates his wirelessly-controlled robot with multiple modes that he programmed in C. The robot contains a PIC18F2455 microcontroller, an nRF24L01+ transceiver, a SN754410 motor driver IC, a Pololu wheel and encoder set, and two 100:1 Micro Metal Gearmotors. Its controller has a homemade keypad, another transceiver, a 9DOF sensor, and a serial 16×2 LCD screen.

Featured link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1oRE5TTVFU

The Robot Quartet is an art installation by Andres Wanner that features four marker-equipped 3pi robots working together to create drawings. The robots receive identical commands and draw repetitive patterns on the same surface.

You can see more pictures of the completed artworks on Andres’s website.

Featured link: http://www.pixelstorm.ch/pro_robotquartet.php

The node-pololumaestro project is a module for the Node.js platform that allows you to control a Maestro USB Servo Controller over its serial interface from a Node.js program. This module provides functions like maestro.setTarget(0, 1500) and internally takes care of assembling the bytes of the serial command for you. The module was written by Owen McAree and was recently expanded by achingbrain. We always like to see our customers helping each other through projects like this!

Featured link: https://npmjs.org/package/pololu-maestro

We have expanded our selection of NEMA 23-size stepper motors:

Three of the steppers are in a new 57×56 mm size. We are carrying three voltage/current options: 7.4V, 1 A/phase, 3.6V, 2 A/phase, and 2.5V, 2.8 A/phase.

We have also added a new 4.5V, 2 A/phase option to our selection of larger 57×76 mm stepper motors, at an intermediate point between the 8.6V, 1 A/phase and 3.2V, 2.8 A/phase motors.

We carry one other NEMA 23-size motor in a 57×41mm, 5.7V, 1 A/phase configuration, as well as many other stepper motors.

In this video, Jerry Guttman shows off his Pololu m3pi Robot combined with the SpeakJet Phraselator Speech Development System. The SpeakJet chip was developed by Magnevation and allows for speech synthesis and robot sound effects.

Featured link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYWQB12Ibsw

Here’s a sneak peek at some encoder wheels we are developing for our micro metal gearmotors:

We will be closed on Monday, September 2 in observance of Labor Day. Orders placed after 2 PM Pacific time on Friday, August 30 will be shipped on Tuesday, September 3.

The SparkFun Inventor’s Kit has everything you need to construct a variety of circuits that will teach you how to use an Arduino-compatible RedBoard to read sensors, display information on an LCD, drive motors, and more. No previous programming or electronics experience is necessary, which makes this a great way for beginners to get started with embedded systems. The V3 version includes a RedBoard and detailed instructions for building 15 educational circuits with the kit components.

This replaces the older SparkFun Inventor’s Kit for Arduino with Retail Case.

For more information about the SparkFun Inventor’s Kit, see the product page.