User Manual

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PicoBoard

The PicoBoard allows you to create interactions with various sensors. Using the Scratch programming language, you can

easily build simple interactive programs based on the sensors’ input. The PicoBoard incorporates a light sensor, sound

sensor, a button and a slider, as well as four additional inputs that can sense electrical resistance via included cables. The

guts of the PicoBoard are identical to the Arduino Uno.

Designed for educators and beginners, the PicoBoard is a good way to get into the very basics of programming and reading

sensors. Check out the PicoBoard product page for more information: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10311

Download Scratch: http://scratch.mit.edu/

Download FTDI Drivers. To do that, head over to the FTDI website (http://www.ftdichip.com/FTDrivers.htm).

Click ‘Drivers’ on the left, and then click ‘VCP Drivers.’ This stands for Virtual Com Port. Windows and Mac users

follow instructions below for your operating system. Linux users please refer to the FTDI website for more info.

GETTING STARTED

INSTALL FTDI DRIVER: PART 1

Windows Instructions

Please note: These instructions are for Windows 7.

However, the process should be very similar for other

versions of Windows.

Mac Instructions

Please note: Most of the time, when you install PicoBoard on Mac

OS X, the drivers are installed automatically.

Now choose the ‘setup executable’ link

under the ‘Windows’ row.

There is no need to save this ﬁle. Choose

‘Run’ once it is has ﬁnished downloading.

If everything was successful, you should

see some nice green check marks,

indicating success!

Now we need to determine if you need the x86 or x64

bit version of the drivers. Click on the apple icon in the

top left of the screen, and choose ‘About this Mac.’

Check under ‘Processor’ to see which version you have.

Follow the chart below to determine which drivers to

download.

Download the ﬁles from the site by clicking on the

link. Locate the .dmg ﬁle that was downloaded to your

computer, and double click on it. If you are not sure

which version of OS X you have, use the same process

as before when ﬁnding the processor type. Click on the

apple and choose ‘About This Mac.’ You will then see

Version 10.X.Y – use the 10.X to determine your system

version. Continue through the installation, and wait for

it to ﬁnish. Then click ‘Close.’

Summary of content (6 pages)

PAGE 1
PicoBoard The PicoBoard allows you to create interactions with various sensors. Using the Scratch programming language, you can easily build simple interactive programs based on the sensors’ input. The PicoBoard incorporates a light sensor, sound sensor, a button and a slider, as well as four additional inputs that can sense electrical resistance via included cables. The guts of the PicoBoard are identical to the Arduino Uno.
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INSTALL FTDI DRIVER: PART 2 1 Connect your Mini USB cable’s Mini-B end (the smaller side of your USB cable) to your PicoBoard. 2 Connect your Mini USB cable’s Type A end (the other side) to a USB port on your computer. 3 You may be prompted to install the driver for your PicoBoard once it has been plugged in. If so, follow the instructions on your screen to finish the installation. Some older versions of Windows may prompt you to do this twice.
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2 On the other side of the alligator clip, there are two wires that have a clip at the end. Grab a jumper wire; notice one side has a pin sticking out? That is called a male connector. The other side, which doesn’t have a pin sticking out, is the female side. Connect the alligator clips to the male sides of two different jumper wires. 3 In your kit, you should have a flex sensor, force sensor and trimpot. When the flex sensor is bent in any direction, the sensor’s values changes.
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To add the trimpot: The trimpot has three pins. Connect the female end of one of the jumper wires to one of the outer trimpot pins - it doesn’t matter which outer pin you choose. Take the other jumper wire and connect the female end to the middle pin. YOU’RE PROTOTYPING! Since you are prototyping, please keep in mind that the jumper wires might become loose or disconnect from the sensor if you move the parts around. If that happens, you will need to reconnect the jumper wires to the sensor again.
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ACTIVATING COM PORT IN SCRATCH 1 Identify which COM port your PicoBoard is on. ! Need Help Finding COM Port in Windows? First, go to Control Panel. Then click on System. After that, click on your Device Manager. To expand and see what ports are being used, click on the down arrow next to Ports. If you are still having trouble with which COM port the PicoBoard is on, you can unplug the USB cable from your computer and see what COM port disappears.
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4 Right click on slider - sensor value or sensor - button pressed. Then click on show ScratchBoard watcher. 5 Right click the off on the ScratchBoard watcher. You will want to click select serial/USB port. Then click the COM port your PicoBoard is on. If you are running Mac OS X, choose the port that says /dev/tty.usbmodem###### or /dev/tty.usbserial-A#######. If you are running Windows choose the COM port you indentified earlier.