Based on the open-source Arduino Uno board, this new educational kit, currently available only from RS Components, aids entry-level electronics design

SINGAPORE, Oct. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
RS Components( http://uk.rs-online.com/web ) (RS), the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc( http://www.electrocomponents.com ) (LSE:ECM), the world's leading high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products, has announced exclusive stock availability of a new starter kit for Uno, the well-known Arduino low-cost and open-source electronics prototyping board for professional embedded system engineers, students, and enthusiasts.

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The new starter kit has been developed together with a series of ten video tutorials hosted by Arduino co-founder Massimo Banzi, which can be viewed free-of-charge from www.rs-components.com/arduino. Ideally used in conjunction with the videos, the kit provides an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It contains all of the essential components required to start programming with the Arduino Uno board, and a guidebook featuring 15 different projects, which are designed to evolve the user from beginner to professional level. Comprising a motor, servomotor and driver, the kit also offers particular benefits to users wishing to apply mechatronics to their designs.

The Arduino Uno is based on the Atmel ATmega328 32-bit microcontroller, with 32KB of Flash memory, 2KB of SRAM and 1KB of EEPROM. It supports Windows, OS X and Linux operating systems, in common with the open-source IDE, which can be downloaded free-of-charge. The Uno has 14 digital input/output pins (of which 6 can be used as PWM outputs), 6 analogue inputs, a 16 MHz crystal oscillator, a USB connection, a power jack, an ICSP header, and a reset button. There are three options to power the board: via a USB cable, an AC-DC adapter or a battery.

A series of peripheral boards, known as shields, are available to plug into the top of the main Arduino PCB, providing an interface to components for a gamut of applications, including the Motor Shield, which enables the control of DC motors and read encoders, and the Ethernet Shield for connectivity.

"Arduino has been a pioneer in low-cost open-source development, creating an accessible environment for both skilled and budding electronics engineers," said Glenn Jarrett, Head of Product Marketing, RS Components. "This new kit, along with the practical and instructive video series, is set to enthuse and inform a whole raft of users, from qualified engineers to those just embarking on their first taste of electronics design."

Massimo Banzi, Arduino Co-Founder, commented, "RS Components has clearly demonstrated, through initiatives like DesignSpark www.designspark.com, that supporting today's and tomorrow's engineers is at the core of their business ethos. This commitment to electronics design, along with their global presence, service excellence and ongoing projects to ease the online sourcing and ordering process, makes them the ideal distribution partner to take our new Arduino kit to users worldwide."

The new Arduino starter kit is available exclusively from RS Components until October 16th, 2012, with continued RS Components stock availability after this date. To order the competitively priced kit from RS Components for same-day despatch, visit www.rs-components.com/arduino.

Video Synopses:
Video 1 Get to Know Your Tool
Difficulty level: Beginner
You'll make a simple circuit with some switches, an LED, and a resistor. In doing so, you'll learn about the basics of electricity and how to wire up components on a breadboard.

Video 2 Spaceship Interface
Difficulty level: Beginner
Your Arduino is going to act as the backdrop to a science fiction movie. You'll get a couple of lights to blink, only to be interrupted by a switch that will turn a different light on

Video 3 Love-o-meter
Difficulty level: Beginner
Turning the Arduino into a love machine! Using an analog input, you're going to register just how hot you really are!

Video 4 Light Theremin
Difficulty level: Intermediate/Advanced
Using a photoresistor and a piezo element, you're going to make a light-based theremin.

Video 5 Keyboard Instrument
Difficulty level: Intermediate/Advanced
Time to make some noise! With a couple resistors and buttons you're going to build a small musical instrument.

Video 6 Motorized Pinwheel
Difficulty level: Intermediate
Getting the Arduino to spin a colorful pinwheel using a motor.

Video 7 Crystal Ball
Difficulty level: Advanced
Create a crystal ball to tell your future.

Video 8 Touchy-Feely Lamp
Difficulty level: Intermediate/Advanced
Using a third party library, you will create a lamp that turns a light on and off just by touching some conductive material, no buttons required!

Video 9 Tweak the Arduino Logo
Difficulty level: Advanced
You've done a lot of cool stuff with the physical world, now it's toe to control your computer with your Arduino.

Video 10 Twitter-controlled Mood Lamp
Difficulty level: Advanced
Let's control the color of a rgb led with a peculiar hashtag. With Arduino, a wifi shield, an rgb led and 3 220 ohm resistors we will learn how to parse twitter looking for #arduinoRGB and an hex of the color.

About RS Components

RS Components and Allied Electronics are the trading brands of Electrocomponents plc, the world's leading high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products. With operations in 32 countries, we offer more than 550,000 products through the internet, catalogues and at trade counters to over one million customers, shipping more than 46,000 parcels on the same day the orders are received. Our products, sourced from 2,500 leading suppliers, include electronics, automation and control, test and measurement, electrical and mechanical components.

Electrocomponents is listed on the London Stock Exchange and in the last financial year ended 31 March 2012 had revenues of GBP1.27bn.

For more information, please visit the website at www.rs-components.com.

Further information is available via these links:

RS Components on Linkedin( http://www.linkedin.com/company/rs-components )

Relevant Links:
Electrocomponents plc( http://www.electrocomponents.com )
RS Components( http://www.rs-components.com )

Editorial Contact:
RS Components
Tan Soo Chun
Public Relations Manager - Asia Pacific
Tel: +65 6391 5745
Email: [email protected]

The Hoffman Agency
Rasheed Abu Bakar
Senior Account Executive
Tel: +65 6361 0250
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE﹛RS Components