Arduino - Look Who's Talking

Connecting the Arduino to Flash from scratch was a success :)

First of all, we downloaded and installed the Arduino software and a USB-to-serial driver. The Arduino IDE expects a serial connection to the Arduino. Since our Duemilanove ATmega328 connects to a computer via USB, we need to install a FTDI driver so the Arduino IDE will find it.

1. Code to run on the Arduino ✔

Standard Firmata sketch uploaded in the Arduino IDE so we never have to upload code to Arduino again. Just as well since we don't know Java. Now we will use Flash with ActionScript 3 to send commands that will get the Arduino to do what we need, and visa versa.

'Firmata is a generic protocol for communicating with microcontrollers from software on a host computer.' firmata.org

2. Serial to Socket Server ✔

Serproxy configured correctly to connect Flash and the Arduino board using Arduino2Flash. After editing the serproxy.cfg file with our baud number and serial device name it worked straight away, and displayed a command prompt.

3. Flash Socket Library ✔

Next we need to add a software library to Flash that understands the Firmata protocol so that Flash will communicate with the Arduino board. For this we used the as3glue.

4. Flash Code ✔

The video below features an example that came with the glue library. Our own code is a work in progress.

So, it works! Check it out...

Look Who's Talking from rePLAY on Vimeo.

Many thanks to Jean-Philippe Cote for his step-by-step tutorial.

Annie.

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Arduino Test #1

Did a test run with the Arduino board and software, everything is in working order :)

Below is a basic blinking led light sketch built into the Arduino open project software.

Next I will learn about the physical interaction capabilities between Arduino and Adobe Flash.  I am working on this tutorial: Interfacing Flash and Arduino from scratch, and learning about Flash and the as3glue library.

Currently reading: Open Softwear for ideas on working with the Arduino board and soft circuits.

Annie.


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Arduino

Our Arduino board and starter kit arrived a few days ago. 

First step is to download the Arduino Software.

The model of Arduino board used for rePLAY is the Duemilanove ATmega 328 microcontroller. It is a circuit board programmed via USB. I chose to use an Arduino over a keyboard hack because I feel it is well suited to the physical interface of the rePLAY project. It will provide a sturdy framework to the hardware.

Annie.

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