MindKits News and Blog

We just brought in a plethora (yeah, gotta love that word) of new goodies which we think you are going to love!
So far we're counting 13 new items ranging from serial driven LED displays, XBee breakouts, a new Arduino book, the Arduino Screw Shield, Flex sensor, humidity and temp sensor, SparkFun Sensor kit and the trusty old 9v battery snap.

Best thing to do is to Check out the goodies here and if you have any questions just drop us an email/contact form and we'll get right back to  you.

Regards,
Tim
MindKits Chief Ninja

Just a note: This has been postponed until next year when Massey have more time to organise the course. If you're interested email me (Tim at mindkits dot com) and I'll get in touch when they are running the course.

28th - 29th November 2009
Massey University's College of Creative Arts
$598 Two Day Short Course



Tim Carr from MindKits and Massey University are offering 20 participants a fantastic opportunity to sign up to a two day short course that introduces you to the world of micro-controllers and electronics through Arduino. On the first day, you will be shown how to get up and running with the Arduino environment and the principles of electronics along with loads of hands on tinkering to put the principles into practise. You will learn how to leverage the vast pool of community resources to allow you to interface with just about any piece of hardware and find code to make it do what you need without having to be a hardware hacking genius yourself. You will be encouraged to experiment hands on with electronics and Arduino and have knowledgeable resource there to make learning easy, fun and fast.

You will also receive $85 worth of Arduino equipment and components to walk away with at the end of the workshop which gives you everything you need to start learning while being guided and having fun.

The second day will be focused around putting your new found skills to good use and adding new skills to those from the first day. You are encouraged to ask as many questions as you like and your tutor will help you all the way. After gaining a foothold on what Arduino is and what it can do for you, you will be given a chance to extend your knowledge by working on a real life project of your choice or one of our pre-tinkered project ideas while your tutor helps you when you have questions and will advise on best practices. You will not only gain the hands on experience and confidence to continue tinkering after the course but you will work through many of the fundamental issues that lead to quality design and implementation.

If you're new to electronics and micro-processors, think they are a mystery but have an inquiring mind and would like to learn more then this is the course for you. We take the concepts of electronics, combine them with the fun of micro-controllers and programming and give you an opportunity to learn new skills and have good fun building a project at the same time.

The course costs $598 for the two days which includes $85 worth of kit from MindKits, tea, coffee and refreshments and we'll provide lunch for you each day too. The workshop will take place at Massey University and we'll provide WI-FI access for internet on the day. You are encouraged to bring your own laptop which you will set up on the day but if you haven't a laptop we'll provide you with a computer in the lab on the day to use.



Please feel free to contact Tim Carr (Tim@MindKits.co.nz) if you have questions and register your interest with Massey University by emailing Megan Nash: m.e.nash@massey.ac.nz

This is a well structured course and you will walk away with a head full of usefull information that would have taken months to gather if you had of tinkered away in your own time.

Making things. It’s a bastion of New Zealand culture. We call it the “Number 8 Wire” mentality. Some would argue that the future of our economy relies on our ability to keep on with the makery. Both Ben (from Ben.geek.nz) and I love making stuff, and Ben loves local kiwi company Mindkits (that's us), because we supply all sorts of electronic goodies to help you make anything you might put your minds to.

So it is my pleasure to announce that Mindkits and Ben.geek.nz are teaming up to give you a little bit of inspiration. I'm giving away a SparkFun Arduino Starter Kit, and Ben's going to throw in a dual motor gearbox, motor controller, and couple of tiny servos from his collection of RC bits. All you have to do is tell us what you would make if you had free reign of the Mindkits store room. Let your imagination run wild and yes, you get points for being entertaining. We won’t make you prove you can build it (but we would love it if you did). If we get enough entries, we’ll put the top three (selected by Ben and Tim) up for a vote.

Step 1: Browse Mindkits

Take a look at everything in the MindKits store for inspiration and add anything else you feel you'd like to use (disassembled VCR's, cats and anything electronic you feel would help). Come up with a plan of what you'd love to build if money, equipment, skill or knowledge weren't a concern.

Step 2: Write up what you’d build on Ben.geek.nz (click here to link to Ben.geek.nz)

Have a look around at the items available. Arduino boards, Lilypads (for the laydees!), gearboxes and proximity sensors, LCD screens, carbon monoxide sensors, wifi transceivers … heck we’ll even let you branch out a bit and consider using Xbees.

Step 4: Win!

Ben and I (Tim - MindKits Chief Ninja) will choose the most creative and/or amusing entry. That person will win:

• 1 SparkFun Arduino Starter Kit
• 1 dual motor gearbox
• 1 motor controller
• 2 tiny servos from Bens collection of RC bits - everything else is brand new.

The ‘Crossing Wires’ installation in the Gallery at Tuatara House provides a window into the seldom seen world of the science laboratory blended with performance exhibition art.

The installation will offer the public the opportunity to experience  science experimentation and participate in active  dialogues on the cultural, social and temporal constructions of our sensed reality.

If you're a fan of technology and would like to see how it can be used in art then it could be worth you popping in for a look.

You'll find a more readable copy of the flier here