Purpose:
The goal of the group is to share knowledge and help people learn to program embedded computers with open source software. Embedded computers of interest range from microcontrollers such as the ATMEL AVR chips and Microchip PIC to boards that are essentially standard PCs, such as the products from Soekris and PC Engines or a variety of Geode based small board computers. We want to make this group fun, but we also want to learn. We have a code of conduct, which is designed not to restrict, but to keep us on track with our ultimate purpose.

When:
Our first meeting will be at 6 PM, Sept 4, 2009 at 1701 North Collins Boulevard Suite 2000, where we are graciously being hosted by CompanyDallas. See details of the location at the CompanyDallas website of http://www.companydallas.com/.

First meeting:
At the first meeting, we want to find out what experience people have and what they are most interested in working on. For example, the Arduino is used by two of the people starting this group. But, maybe 8 out of 10 people who join us use the Propeller or a Microchip Pic. In that case, we will probably use that chip, instead. Whatever we pick needs to be inexpensive and have open source tools. The idea is that we want to plan on a common set of hardware and then we can all work through the first few projects together. We can come up with some parts lists and maybe buy a few things in bulk. Bright LEDs are usually cheaper in 100 lot units, for example.

Future meetings:
We want to do a few basic workshop style meetings and then branch out. This can be an entertaining, and useful hobby and it does not need to be expensive. We will be guided by what the participants are interested in and that means you need to come and be a part of it, if you want to guide our efforts. The expectation is that there will be more divergence of tools later and people will show and train others in the tools they have chosen.

If you want to do some reading to prepare, here are some pointers to places we have found interesting.

Interesting hardware:

• Arduino home page http://www.arduino.cc/
• ModernDevice breadboardable arduino clones http://www.moderndevice.com/index.shtml
• Bifferboard cheapest x86 board we’ve seen http://bifferos.bizhat.com
• Kuro box(hackable NAS box) http://penguinppc.org/embedded/kuro/
• ET-STM32 Stamp Module http://www.futurlec.com/ET-STM32_Stamp.shtml
• BeagleBoard (high end embedded board, but expensive) http://elinux.org/BeagleBoard
• Wii Nunchuk to Arduino http://todbot.com/blog/2008/02/18/wiichuck-wii-nunchuck-adapter-available/
• NES controller to Arduino http://yikescode.blogspot.com/2007/12/nes-controller-arduino.html
• Is your WRT54G hackable http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_WRT54G/GL/GS/GX
• Open Linksys NSLU2 firmware http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/SlugOS/SlugOSBE

Interesting software:

• Denx embedded build system http://www.denx.de/wiki/DULG/ELDK
• OpenEmbedded http://wiki.openembedded.net/index.php/Main_Page
• Buildroot cross compilation/build system http://buildroot.uclibc.org/
• pfSense embedded FreeBSD http://www.pfsense.com/
• Lady Ada’s tutorials and free project designs http://www.ladyada.net/
• Free hardware guides to lots of projects http://www.instructables.com/
• Lots of project with much detail hidden behind Flash http://hackaday.com/

Project ideas our members are working on:

1. DefCon each year produces badges that have some interesting electronics. One member is working on a design of something similar. He initially wants to modulate multi-colored LEDs on a badge based on input from a microphone.
2. Toy ray guns are readily available and cheap. Most are pretty boring. One member wants to add LEDs that light up in some controller based patterns to make them more interesting. Stage 2 would be to add sounds.
3. One member has a cat that takes another cat’s food. He wants to have the thief wear a collar with an RFID tag. A sensor near the food would detect the tag and shoot the cat with a water gun when it got too near.
4. One member is designing a sign promoting the Python language. It uses a CNC carved Python logo and is lit from behind in a hopefully interesting manner.
5. One member is helping design the software for a firewall/router that is focused around keeping young children from browsing inappropriate material. The parents would control what is inappropriate.