ElectroDroid Pro : powerful collection of electronics tools and references

  ElectroDroid PRO is a simple and powerful collection of
electronics tools and references.

Visual Analyser: Virtual Oscilloscope :)

Visual Analyser is a complete professional real time software, transform your PC in a complete set of measurement instruments; no new hardware necessary (you can use the Sound Card of your PC) or you can use a specific external hardware.

Robo Toys: an illustrated guide to building combat robots

Robo Toys: an illustrated guide to building combat robots

By: Grant Imahara

ExpressPCB – PCB Designing Tool

Free PCB software is a snap to learn and use. For the first time, designing circuit boards is simple for the beginner and efficient for the professional.
Learning the ExpressPCB software is fast because of its familiar user interface.
Best of all, its Free!
ExpressPCB is a very easy to use Windows application for laying out printed circuit boards.
youcan draw a schematic for your circuit using the ExpressSCH program. By linking your schematic, ExpressPCB will guide you by highlightingthe pins that should be connected
together with traces.
( www.expresspcb.com )

HyperTerminal

HyperTerminal is a program that you can use to connect to other computers, Telnet sites, bulletin board systems (BBSs), online services, and host computers, using either your modem, a null modem cable or Ethernet connection.

Make PCB at Home

   In India, a DIY faces one common problem that is to get the PCB done. There are lots of firms that manufacture PCB but the ordered quantity required is very high else order value should be minimum 5 to 6k.
Here is the process for making PCB at home.

Some electronic’s Component & There Approximate Price in Indian Rupees

Part {Approximate Price in Indian Rupees}
Price shown in { }

Visible Light Leds {1.00}
White or Bicoloured {5.00}
IR LED {7.00}
Capacitor (small values) {0.25 to 2.00}
Capacitor (large values / electrolytic) {2.00 to 20.00 Or more}
Resistors (1/4 W) {0.25}
Variable Resistor (Preset) {2.50}
Variable Resistor (Pot) {8.00}

Some Of The Basic Tools & Software’s Required For Robotics Project’s

# AVR Studio:
For writing code in assembly and simulation of code.
Current versions has AVR-GCC plug-in to write code in C.

# Compilers: IAR, Image Craft , Code Vision AVR, WinAVR

# Programmers: Pony Prog, AVR Dude, icprog, AVRISP, AVR-P1B and many more.

# Evaluation Boards: STK200, STK500 from Kanda Systems

# Books:
Programming and Customizing the AVR Microcontroller – Dhananjay V. Gadre
Parallel Port Complete – Jan Axelson

Many of these software’s you get free of cost at their websites.
You can use Homemade IC programming kit to program your microcontroller IC.
To build this, “Google” for circuit of IC programmer. It will cost you Rs.100-200 aprox. It support fewer IC’s & sufficient for basic project’s. Try USB cable circuit, it works fast otherwise continue with Serial cable RS232. But be very careful about connections otherwise you will blowup your computer.
You can also buy readymade programming kit from shops, but it will cost you in Rs.1000 & more. They support most IC’s.

Some Electronics Shops Where You Get Robotic & Electronics Component’s

If you are in Mumbai, then this might help you. Here are some shops
Where you get robotic & electronic related components.

Shops:-

Motors:
1. Mechtex - Mulund, Mumbai.
2. Servo Electronics - Lamington road, Mumbai. Phone: 56346573
3. Bombay Electronics - Lamington Road, Mumbai.

Electronics:
1. Visha Electronics - Lamington road, Mumbai.
[Programmer for 8051, PIC and AVR available]
Phone: 23862650 / 23862622
2. Gala Electronics - Lamington road, Mumbai.
3. Chip Components - Lamington road, Mumbai.
Telephone: 56390468 / 56587005
4. Yogi Electronic
Electronics Components & Parts,
Vashi, Sector-17

5. Alpha Troniks
Engg.college project materials, Hobby kits & more
Shop no.4, kumar corner, plot no.115, near D’Mart,
Next to shiv sagar hotel, sec-21, Nerul East, Navi Mumbai.
Email: alok.deherkar@yahoo.com

PC-based oscilloscope (PCO)

   Oscilloscope software running in Windows that uses the computer's sound card as a cheap ADC
Although most people think of an oscilloscope as a self-contained instrument in a box, a new type of "oscilloscope" is emerging that consists of a specialized signal acquisition board (which can be an external USB or Parallel port device, or an internal add-on PCI or ISA card). The hardware itself usually consists of an electrical interface providing insulation and automatic gain controls, several hi-speed analogue-to-digital converters and some buffer memory, or even on-board DSPs. Depending on the exact hardware configuration, the hardware could be best described as a digitizer, a data logger or as a part of a specialized automatic control system.