Monday, December 22, 2008

How would you change the Arduino? Part 2

The schematics are ready! The schematics are ready! (Well, at least ready to share... I'm sure I'll find something wrong with them) So here goes nothing... this feels a bit like telling someone at work you're scared of spiders (somehow I feel oddly "exposed" by sharing my schematics - ha).

So, I've just finished the first set of schematics for the unofficial Arduino board I'm trying to make, for now I guess I'll just call it the "Antipasto Illuminato". At least until David and I figure out how to make this a real "Arduino." Hmmm... Antipasto Arduino? Antipasto Board? Or maybe the Arduino Illuminato (my favorite)?

"Arduino Illuminato"

Now that just sounds cool :)

Anyway, funny thing is, I think the easiest part of the "open source hardware" process is done. It was just a question of finding a chip with enough I/O, and then pinning it out. I've gotten quite a few emails about wanting to help out, ... well, I could definitely use some help double-checking the USB circuitry, especially before I send it to the PCB company. Also, the original Arduino is clever about its serial triggers, in that when DTR goes low, the Arduino resets, and that forms the backbone of how the Arduino IDE can download code to the board. Anyway, I'm sure I got the capacitor trick wrong...

I really want to treat this thing like a work of art, so I think I'm going to try something fancy on the top of the board's circuit. I've been scouring the web looking for examples of weird looking PCBs for inspiration.






Everyone's favorite (not) USB controller

Antipasto board support


So, that said,... if you look closely at the circuit board files in the link, maybe you can see why I want to call it the "illuminato"? :)

In any case, this is definitely the first time I've used Flickr as a repository for circuitry... I've uploaded the full images are over here.

3 comments:

Justin said...

Wow, Matt, looks like you've been busy. It's certainly coming along nicely and I can't wait to see it finished!

UnwiredBen said...

Hmmm... first time I've seen "bling" as a label on a schematic. :)

Erik Dasque said...

so what does it do that the basic new Arduino 2009 doesn't do ? No sarcasm here, just wondering.