• Review the course web page, syllabus, web resources, etc
• Introductory material on Arduino site:
  • Arduino Home Page (http://www NULL.arduino NULL.cc/)
  • Introduction to the Arduino Board (http://arduino NULL.cc/en/Reference/Board?from=Guide NULL.Board)
  • Arduino Guide (http://www NULL.arduino NULL.cc/en/Guide/HomePage)
• Understanding Electricity (http://www NULL.tigoe NULL.net/pcomp/code/circuits/understanding-electricity/), by Tom Igoe

• Arduino for Beginners: Chapter 1 (all), pgs 27-34, 187-199, 228-242
• “Towards a Performative Aesthetics of Interactivity” (http://ccastellanos NULL.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Penny_Performative_Aesthetics NULL.pdf), by Simon Penny, (PDF)

• Electronics Club: Studying Electronics (http://electronicsclub NULL.info/study NULL.htm)
• Seattle Robotics: Really Basic Electronics (http://www NULL.seattlerobotics NULL.org/guide/electronics NULL.html)
• Pictorial guide to identifying electronic components (http://www NULL.uchobby NULL.com/index NULL.php/2007/07/15/identifying-electronic-components/)
• Arduino for Beginners: Chapters 3, 5-6

• “Interactivity and Agency in Real Time Systems” (http://ccastellanos NULL.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/interactivity_and_agency_in_real_time_systems_jo-anne_green NULL.pdf), Jo-Anne Green (PDF)
• “Seven Ways of Misunderstanding Interactive Art” (http://blog NULL.lib NULL.umn NULL.edu/willow/makingartinteractive/interaction NULL.pdf), Erkki Huhtamo (PDF)
• “On Totalitarian Interactivity (http://www NULL.manovich NULL.net/TEXT/totalitarian NULL.html)“, Lev Manovich
• “Tangible Bits” (http://xenia NULL.media NULL.mit NULL.edu/%7Eullmer/papers/tangible_bits/), Hiroshi Ishii & Brygg Ullmer

• Natural Born Cyborgs: Introduction, Andy Clark
• Potential Contribution of the Arts to Research Agendas in Ubiquitous Computing and Gesture Understanding (http://userwww NULL.sfsu NULL.edu/swilson/papers/wilson NULL.ubi NULL.gesture NULL.html), Stephen Wilson

• “Man-Machine Coupling 2012” (http://ccastellanos NULL.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/man-machine-coupling-Page NULL.pdf), RM Page (PDF)
• Affective Computing (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=ujxriwApPP4), Rosalind Picard (video, 19 mins)
• Seeing with your Tongue (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=7s1VAVcM8s8) (video, 10 mins)

• Arduino for Beginners: Chapter 4

Exercise #1, Due Th, Week 2 (02/06)

Installing Arduino & Fritzing
Download Arduino Development Software to your computer or to a computer in the lab. Read the instructions carefully and set it up – for example, drivers for the USB may need to be installed. (links also available on arduino home page – lab manager may need to install USB drives)

• To get started, download latest Arduino version available: http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Software (http://arduino NULL.cc/en/Main/Software). Read the set up guides as you set it up – remember that some USB drivers may need to be installed
• Go through the entire guide for your operating system: http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/HomePage (http://arduino NULL.cc/en/Guide/HomePage)
• Document this process on your blog (i.e. installing, connecting the board, uploading a program, etc), using text, screenshots, etc

Download the Fritzing Software and read the introductory material

• Read the Getting Started Guide (http://fritzing NULL.org/learning/get-started/)
• Go through the tutorial on starting a new project and breadboarding a circuit (http://fritzing NULL.org/building-circuit/)
• Document this process on your blog (e.g. export a pic of your circuit)

Upload everything to your blog by the due date (02/06).

Exercise #2, Due Th, Week 2 (02/06)

Blinking LED
If you have not already done so, download the course code repository (https://github NULL.com/carloscastellanos/teaching) on GitHub

Part I:

• Open your Arduino development environment and run the Blink example located in Arduino/Basics/Blink (Blink.ino)
• Read the Blinking LED tutorial located at http://arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/Blink (http://arduino NULL.cc/en/Tutorial/Blink)
• Read the code carefully
• Hook up the LED to the Arduino board as explained
• Upload the program from your computer to the Arduino
• Run the program (it should begin automatically, a second or two after download)
• Troubleshoot (if necessary)
• Document your process and be ready to explain what each line of the program does

Part II:
Now you will modify the blinking code

• Change the rate at which the LED blinks
• Imagine a conceptual mapping of the on & off timing cycles
• Upload the program from your computer to the Arduino
• Run the program
• Troubleshoot
• Document your process and be prepared to talk about your idea and how the lights and timing relate metaphorically

Part III:
Experiment with ways of making the blinking behavior more complex

• Modify the blinking code to control 2 LEDs
• Make it turn one on and the other off and then reverse which is on and off and loop
• You will need to use 2 separate pins so you will need to add those definitions to the program
• when you use a led in any pin but 13 you will need to add a small resistor (220ohm – 1Kohm) in series with the LED
• Upload the program from your computer to the Arduino and run it
• Experiment with other blinking patterns & rates
• Document your process and be prepared to explain who you modified the code and what each line of the program does

Part IV:
Sequential LED blinking

• Modify the blinking code to control 3 LEDs
• Make it turn each one on in sequence (turning off the others) so the light will appear to move down the line
• Upload the program from your computer to the Arduino and run it
• Try reversing the sequence
• Document your process and be prepared to explain who you modified the code and what each line of the program does

Part V:
Use the LEDs to encode a message

• Use as many LEDs as you like (note: the Arduino has only 20 pins that can be used as digital in/outs)
• Use the blinking patterns to encode a message (e.g. Morse code)
• Upload the program from your computer to the Arduino and run it
• Document your process and be prepared to explain who you modified the code and what each line of the program does. Be sure to explain your messaging “language” or “protocol”

Part VI:
Learning a computer programming environment

• Start online tutorials for whatever programming environment you plan to use to interface with Arduino (e.g. Processing, Director, Max/MSP, Flash, Python, etc)
• We will be using Processing and Max/MSP in this course but you are free to use whatever you feel comfortable with
• Look at Arduino Playground tutorials for interfacing with the Arduino (http://playground NULL.arduino NULL.cc/Main/Interfacing)

Artist Research Presentation, Due T, Week 3 (02/11)

Do a web search for an artist who interests you who works with sensors and/or physical computing (or a related field). Write a short paragraph or two on why you find the artist interesting and deliver a 5-minute presentation in class briefly surveying the artist’s work, showing at least two examples.

Upload the following to your journal/blog:

• A short description of the artist and a link to his or her website (or site containing more info on them)
• 1-2 (or more) paragraphs on why you find the artist’s work interesting and analyzing one of his/her works

Some useful links:

• Artists working in Conceptual Kinetics, Electronics, Physical Computing; Robotics; Activated Objects, Mixed Reality, Tangible Interfaces, Virtual/Physical Connections; Kinetic Instruments, Sound Installation (http://userwww NULL.sfsu NULL.edu/infoarts/links/wilson NULL.artlinks2 NULL.html)
• Artists working in Motion, Gesture, Touch, Gaze, Manipulation, Haptics; Artificial Intelligence & Agents; Information Systems, Surveillance, Science as Information System, Shadow Corporations; Speech Synthesis, Voice Recognition, and 3-D Sound;Virtual Reality (immersive); Computer Media; Artist Games (http://userwww NULL.sfsu NULL.edu/infoarts/links/wilson NULL.artlinks2 NULL.comput NULL.html)

Exercise #3, Due Th, Week 3 (02/13)

Hacking a Toy or Device
Bring in a toy or simple electronic device to hack into. A cymbal-banging monkey toy, a computer mouse an electronic keyboard, etc. Something you don’t mind breaking. Before bringing it in, open up the device and try to figure out how it works. Without destroying it, study the components (electronic, mechanical ,etc). Think of ways you can trigger your devices with sensors or ways the device’s components can be repurposed. Document your process (photos, video, etc) and write down your ideas on your blog. We will continue the hacking in class.

Links
The Common Methods of Hardware Hacking (https://www NULL.sparkfun NULL.com/news/1314)
Simple ways to circuit bend a toy (http://www NULL.instructables NULL.com/id/Simple-ways-to-circuit-bend-a-toy/?ALLSTEPS)
Hackaday (http://hackaday NULL.com)

Exercise #4, Due Th, Week 3 (02/13)

Digital Input/Output
You will need the course code repository (https://github NULL.com/carloscastellanos/teaching) on GitHub

Look at the tutorial on the ITP physcomp labs site: http://itp.nyu.edu/physcomp/Labs/DigitalInOut (http://itp NULL.nyu NULL.edu/physcomp/Labs/DigitalInOut) for more details

Part I:

• Open Fritzing environment and open the Button example located in Arduino/Basics/Digital/BreadboardAndCircuitDiagrams (Button.fzz)
• Set-up your breadboard and Arduino board as shown
• Open your Arduino environment and open the Button example located in Arduino/Basics/Digital (Button.ino)
• Read the Arduino code and comments carefully and follow the instructions
• Look at the Breadboard and Schematic views in Fritzing
• Upload the program from your computer to the Arduino and run the program
• Troubleshoot (if necessary)
• Modify the circuit (both the schematic and breadboard view) and/or Arduino code so it uses different inputs and outputs than the demo
• Upload the program from your computer to the Arduino and run the program
• Document your process and be ready to explain what each line of the program does

Part II:

• Open Fritzing environment and open the DigitalInOut example located in Arduino/Basics/Digital/BreadboardAndCircuitDiagrams (DigitalInOut.fzz)
• Set-up your breadboard and Arduino board as shown
• Open your Arduino environment and a program that reads the digital input on pin 2. When the switch is pressed, turn the yellow LED on and the red one off. When the switch is released, turn the red LED on and the yellow LED off.
• Download the program from your computer to the Arduino and run the program
• Troubleshoot (if necessary)
• Modify the circuit (both the schematic and breadboard view) AND the Arduino code so it uses different inputs and outputs than the demo – I want to see new code (.ino) and Fritzing (.fzz) files!
• Hook up the Arduino board in the modified form
• Rewrite the program so it works with the modified circuit
• Upload the program from your computer to the Arduino and run the program
• Troubleshoot (if necessary)
• Document your process (include image files of the schematics and breadboard views in Fritzing. Copy & paste the Arduino code into your blog post) and be ready to explain what each line of the program does

Part III:

• Modify the circuit (both schematic and breadboard view) and code to explore timing and sequence (add more buttons and less if necessary) – I want to see new code (.ino) and Fritzing files (.fzz) files!
• Try to map various button pressing/timing patterns (e.g. a “double press” or a “press and hold”) to various light/color patterns (e.g. double or triple blink, or sequential blinking, etc)
• Upload the program from your computer to the Arduino and run the program
• Troubleshoot (if necessary)
• Document your process and be ready to explain what each line of the program does (remember: include image files of the schematics and breadboard views in Fritzing. Copy & paste the Arduino code into your blog post)

Exercise #5, Due T, Week 5 (02/25)

Analog Input/Output
You will need the course code repository (https://github NULL.com/carloscastellanos/teaching) on GitHub

Look at the tutorial on the ITP physcomp labs site: http://itp.nyu.edu/physcomp/Labs/AnalogIn (http://itp NULL.nyu NULL.edu/physcomp/Labs/AnalogIn) for more details

Part I:

• Open the Arduino environment and open the AnalogBasics example located in Arduino/Basics/Analog (AnalogBasics.ino)
• Read the code & comments carefully (refer to the Potentiometer Tutorial (http://www NULL.arduino NULL.cc/en/Tutorial/Potentiometer) on the Arduino site)
• Upload the program from your computer to the Arduino and run the program
• Troubleshoot (if necessary)
• Modify the circuit and/or code (see suggestions in the comments of the AnalogBasics.ino file) – I want to see new code (.ino) and Fritzing (.fzz) files!
• Upload the program from your computer to the Arduino and run the program
• Document your process and be ready to explain what each line of the program does (remember: include image files of the schematics and breadboard views in Fritzing. Copy & paste the Arduino code into your blog post)

Part II:

• Open the Fritzing environment and open the AnalogSensorsAndVoltageDivider example located in Arduino/Basics/Analog/BreadboardAndCircuitDiagrams (AnalogSensorsAndVoltageDivider.fzz)
• Write code to read all three sensors and control the blinking rate of three LEDs
• Upload the program from your computer to the Arduino and run the program
• Troubleshoot (if necessary)
• Modify the circuit and/or code (see suggestions in the comments of the AnalogBasics.ino file
• Upload the program from your computer to the Arduino and run the program
• Document your process and be ready to explain what each line of the program does – remember to show all necessary screenshots, code, etc

Part III:

Pulse Width Modulation (“Analog Out”)

• Run the examples located in Arduino/Basics/Fade
• Modify the examples in Part II to use sensors to control the PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) rate (and thus the blinking rate of the LEDs). Hint: you are going to have to map the values of the sensor (somewhere around 0-1023) to pwm values (0-255)
• Can you make the fading smoother, by altering the circuit instead of the code? Hint try Googling “low pass filter or “rc circuit”
• Give up? Go here (http://provideyourown NULL.com/2011/analogwrite-convert-pwm-to-voltage/)
• Document your process and be ready to explain what each line of the program does – remember to show all necessary screenshots, code, etc

Part IV:

Experiment/get creative:

• Try different sensors (see the FSR and IR sensor Fritzing examples)
• Substitute relays for the LEDs in part II*
• Consider ways you could change the program and the breadboard hookup. Consider what kind of events you could orchestrate.
• Document your process and be ready to explain what each line of the program does – remember to show all necessary screenshots, code, etc

Project 1, Due Th, Week 6 (03/06)

Prototype for a Human-Machine Interface
Using the skills you have gained up to this point (basic electronics, sensors and Arduino programming), design and construct a prototype for an interactive human-machine interface that lives in the real world of physical objects. This will be a prototype for an art object/installation/system that explores the ideas and topics that have been discussed thus far: tangible computing, activated objects, physical computing, interactivity, embodiment, identity, and/or human-machine coupling. Concentrate on the interactivity and interface as opposed to detailed functionality (e.g. if your idea is to pull data from the Internet, you can mimic these operations, concentrate on the physicality or the “human” side of how to do it) **Note this project should be limited in scope so it can be accomplished in 2 weeks.

You will mock this up (diagrams, circuit schematics, sketches, illustrations, etc) and present it to the class. Clearly and physically show what it is, how it would work and communicate the experience of using it, interacting with it and living in a world where it was real. You will also write 1-2 paragraphs explaining your idea. You will post this on your blog and present it to the class.

Prototype: You will also present a simple prototype that demonstrates the idea and some aspect of how the system would work (e.g. read data from a sensor, blinking LED patterns that form some kind of communication protocol, etc). You will also post this on your blog and present it to the class. Make sure to document your protoyping processes (photos, video, etc) as well as the final results.

Upload everything to your blog by the due date and be prepared to present it in class

Project 2, Due T, Week 9 (04/01)

Interactive Art Object
This project is really open-ended. The only real restriction is that it must be some working interactive art object, possibly related to the themes, concepts or medium (e.g. sensors) from Project 1. You may assemble into small groups (and indeed are encouraged to) and decide, based on your previous projects and research, what kind of project you would like to do. Consider integrating skills you already have (e.g. sculpture, instrument making, dance, etc) into this project. The core requirement of this assignment is that it must look and/or behave like an artwork (as opposed to say a cool Make or Instructables project) and it must work (with few or no bugs or technical issues)

Make sure to document as much as you can

Upload everything to your blog by the due date and be prepared to present it in class

Final Project: Proposal Due Th, Week 10 (04/10), Project Due T, Week 15 (05/13)

Mapping and Interacting With Environmental Data: Lake Merced CoLab
Collaboration with Paula’s Artist as Cartographer course (ART 511.1)

Project blog: http://lakemercedcolab.blogspot.com (http://lakemercedcolab NULL.blogspot NULL.com)

Background
Lake Merced is a fresh water lake located within the city of San Francisco. It is one of two lakes of this kind within the city, the other one being Mountain View Lake, in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It is a natural body of water, first described by a member of Juan Bautista de Anza’s exploration when he landed in San Francisco, in 1776.

Lake Merced once functioned as a water source for residents, later an active site of recreation. Now, it suffers from a myriad of environmental challenges. It remains an important part of the city’s watershed (http://en NULL.wikipedia NULL.org/wiki/Drainage_basin) system and is home to a vast number of animals and bird life, including migratory species.

Lake Merced is within walking distance from the SFSU campus however if you ask anyone the last time they visited the site; chances are it would not be recently.

Process
This project is a rediscovery, or making a new discovery of Lake Merced, using what you learn or experience to become the impetus for a public site-specific project. This can be a series of maps, public walks, tours, games, books, public intervention, sound installations, data visualizations, performances, or something not listed. It should be in a form that other people can share through participation or as an audience. The projects will combine and/or be complimentary with the projects from Paula’s Artist as Cartographer course, with which we will be collaborating. Projects, experiments, research between the two courses should relate, intervene, augment, address or have some specific relationship to the environment in which they are located. All will be using tools you are learning in both classes.

You will be working in small groups composed of people from both classes. Projects, topics and designs will be the focus of your collaborative research, as well as discussions within the class. The schedule for production will be determined collectively through class discussions, where we will also determine and clarify the scope, scale and focus of the projects.
Your blog entries should reflect your research, readings, sites, notes, images, etc. Your grades are based on both process as well as the final projects.

Project Blog
The project blog will be a shared space for this collaborative project. Everyone will have access for posting. Keep your individual process blogs ongoing, but use this shared blog to add to the collective knowledge for the project.
http://lakemercedcolab.blogspot.com (http://lakemercedcolab NULL.blogspot NULL.com)

Description
The project will take place in 5 steps (subject to change):

1. Research: Learning about the site
2. Development of project ideas
3. Selection of project focus
4. Execution of projects
5. Documentation, Presentations, Critiques

We are embarking on a project that may call for a different way for many of you to work. It is a project that involves experimentation, exploration, art making, problem solving and research. We are all creating new ground in this project, using our tools, observational skills, recording skills and experiences to create some kind of relationship or response to the Lake Merced site. So in the words of the poet, Mary Oliver: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.

Everyone must join the course discussion group (https://groups NULL.google NULL.com/d/forum/art511-sensors-sp14) the first week of class. This is a Google Group for discussion of course topics, announcements, sharing of links, ideas, technical support, etc. It is the primary method of communication I will have with all of you outside of class https://groups.google.com/d/forum/art511-sensors-sp14 (https://groups NULL.google NULL.com/d/forum/art511-sensors-sp14)

We will be using SFSU’s iLearn system (http://ilearn NULL.sfsu NULL.edu) for portions of the course. Please check it frequently.

You will need to download the repository at https://github.com/carloscastellanos/teaching (https://github NULL.com/carloscastellanos/teaching). This contains code and circuit diagrams that you will need for your exercises and projects. If you are familiar with GitHub or other version control systems you may clone this repository to your computer or even fork it and have your own open source code repository that you can share with others. I will be adding to this repository as the semester progresses.

Arduino Home (http://arduino NULL.cc)
Arduino Playground (http://playground NULL.arduino NULL.cc/Playground) (wiki with lots of tutorials, code, etc)
Fritzing Home (http://fritzing NULL.org) (Circuit Diagramming and Breadboarding Software)
Max Wiki (http://cycling74 NULL.com/wiki/index NULL.php?title=Main_Page) (great resource for learning Max/MSP/Jitter)
ITP Electronics & Physical Computing Tutorials (https://itp NULL.nyu NULL.edu/physcomp/Tutorials/Tutorials) (Great resource!)
Electronics Club: Studying Electronics (http://electronicsclub NULL.info/study NULL.htm)
Seattle Robotics: Really Basic Electronics (http://www NULL.seattlerobotics NULL.org/guide/electronics NULL.html)
All About Circuits (http://www NULL.allaboutcircuits NULL.com) (the name says it all)
Transistor Tutorial (http://www NULL.mayothi NULL.com/transistors NULL.html)
ITP/NYU Transistor & Relay Tutorial (http://itp NULL.nyu NULL.edu/physcomp/Tutorials/TransistorsAndRelays)
Connecting a relay to Arduino (http://makezine NULL.com/2009/02/02/connecting-a-relay-to-arduino/)
Sensor Wiki (http://www NULL.sensorwiki NULL.org/)
Some cool materials: Velostat (http://www NULL.adafruit NULL.com/products/1361), Conductive Paint (http://www NULL.adafruit NULL.com/products/1305), Conductive Pen (http://www NULL.adafruit NULL.com/products/1306), Indium Tin Oxide Coated (Conductive) Glass (http://www NULL.adafruit NULL.com/products/1310)
Open Materials (http://openmaterials NULL.org) (lots of cool stuff here!)
ITP’s list of Organic & Smart Materials (http://itp NULL.nyu NULL.edu/physcomp/Site/BioMaterials)
Basic Electronics Exercises (http://teachmetomake NULL.wordpress NULL.com/basic-electronic-exercises/) (Michael Shiloh, great learning resource!)
Voltage Divider Tutorial (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=XxLKfAZrhbM)
Resistor Color Code Chart (http://www NULL.digikey NULL.com/us/en/mkt/calculators/4-band-resistors NULL.html)
Steve Wilson’s Art, Technology, Science & Culture Links (http://userwww NULL.sfsu NULL.edu/infoarts/links/wilson NULL.artlinks2 NULL.html)

Make Magazine video series on basic electronics (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/user/makemagazine/search?query=colin) with Collin Cunningham (great resource!)

• Resistor (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=VPVoY1QROMg)
• Capacitor (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=ZYH9dGl4gUE)
• Transistor (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=-td7YT-Pums)
• Inductor (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=STDlCdZnIsw)
• Diode (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=AqzYsuTRVRc)
• LED (Light Emitting Diode) (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=P3PDLsJQcGI)
• The Integrated Circuit (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/user/makemagazine#p/c/970BF3F6D77B12E8/5/uSRIc-sEgPw)
• Circuit Schematics (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=9cps7Q_IrX0&list=SPDE23FAC8A681FA46&index=2)
• Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=Lf7JJAAZxEU&list=SPDE23FAC8A681FA46)
• Electronics Tools (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=Kv7Y8nAOoFE)
• The Multimeter (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=BW3Wj7UD-_s)
• Building Enclosures (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=jzs2Zo_mc4c)
• Homebrew Piezo (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=K3G2QM5a-9U) (Make your own piezoelectric crystals!)

Plenty more at http://www.youtube.com/user/makemagazine/ (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/user/makemagazine/)

Electricity and electronics have some dangers associated with them – for example, electrocution, toxic materials.  Students will be taught safe procedures.  Most of the course will concentrate on low voltage electronics which generally will not do much damage. 110 v AC (wall plug current) on the other hand can be quite dangerous. Students may not work on 110v projects unless they are cleared by the professor or graduate assistant. Any student working on these kind of projects without clearance or other unsafe processes may be asked to withdraw from the course.

Safety guidelines for working with electronics
Personal safety:

• Keep dry, wipe hands, avoid spills, don’t work in wet environments – liquids make for much lower resistance.  Wet skin conducts much easier than dry and increases shock danger.
• Avoid contact with soldering irons; they get very hot and burns are possible.  Avoid molten solder.  Avoid putting soldering irons down in areas where they can melt wires etc.
• Conventional solder contains lead.  Work in well ventilated spaces.  Avoid direct inhalation of solder fumes.
• Wire cutters and strippers can also cut skin.  Exposed wires are sharp and can cut. Use pliers to manipulate wires if  possible.
• In this course no one should work on 110v circuits unless cleared by professor. When working on authorized projects, avoid direct contact with 110v sources, watch for frayed wires, disconnected grounds, inadvertent contacts between 110 and low voltages systems – eg wires touching.  If working with 110, turn off power while constructing circuits, inspect for open wires.  Work with one hand if possible putting the other in pocket ( thus avoiding circuit path to ground).  Wear shoes.  Take off metal jewelry.   If someone does get shocked, turn off power supply immediately if possible.  Don’t touch person directly, try to use insulating material (such as broom handle or rubber material) when moving them to safety.

Equipment safety:

• Low voltage components are easily damaged by high voltages. Even static electricity can damage components (such as rubbing your hair). Ground your body by touching metal chasis or pipes before working.  Try to avoid touching metal leads and pads. Store components in static free bags.  Use a grounding wristband if possible.
• Components can be damaged by excessive voltages.  Read specification sheets to determine voltage limits. Start out with lower voltages and work up.  Test sources with multimeter.
• Components can be damaged by reversed polarities.  Make sure you understand what the component is designed for.  Test the circuit to check polarities.  Learn how to use the power supplies.
• Computer components are especially vulnerable.  Be very careful about what voltages you expose the Arduino to.

Additional resources:

• http://www.reprise.com/host/circuits/voltage_safety.asp (Dangerous voltages) (http://www NULL.reprise NULL.com/host/circuits/voltage_safety NULL.asp)
• http://www.reprise.com/host/circuits/substance_safety.asp (Dangerous Substances) (http://www NULL.reprise NULL.com/host/circuits/substance_safety NULL.asp)
• home electrical safety guidelines (http://www NULL.howstuffworks NULL.com/a-guide-to-home-safety3 NULL.htm)