Note: Collaboration with engineering makerspace and exploring the possibility of near peer learning assistants can greatly simplify this process!
This document provides recommendations for hardware to be used in the assignment. The goal is to use low-cost, accessible, and well-documented components to ensure students can successfully build and verify their projects.
We recommend standardizing on one or both of the following microcontroller platforms.
The Pico is a low-cost, high-performance microcontroller from the Raspberry Pi Foundation. Its use of MicroPython makes it an excellent choice for courses where students are already learning or using Python, as they do not need to learn a new language.
The Arduino Uno is arguably the most popular and well-known microcontroller for beginners and hobbyists. It has a massive ecosystem of shields, sensors, and tutorials. It is programmed in C++ using the Arduino framework, which simplifies many common tasks.
For simplicity, we recommend that students purchase a "starter kit" that includes one of the above microcontrollers along with a variety of common components. This is often cheaper and easier than buying individual parts.
IMPORTANT: If you have a school makerspace lab / tinkering space, they already have most items needed for hardware verification in the assignment. So this assignment promotes active engagement with the facilities on campus.
A good starter kit should include most of the following. These are the components most likely to be used in the suggested projects.