This second electronics project goes a bit further than the microbug one in that it contains not just analogue electrical components (like resistors, motors, transistors) but also a microprocessor. So it can do complicated stuff depending on the programming of the chip (which we'll try to modify later). Again it comes in kit form with all the components included (even the batteries) and the instructions are available online including lots of photos at ladyada.net.
 The completed digg button kit |
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Step one is building the kit, including soldering the components together and testing to make sure everything works. The next step is building a parallel cable to use for reprogramming the chip on the board. Once that's complete, we can use free software to modify the chip's memory and upload new software. |