Thanks for attending today - let's keep in touch

Hi all,

It was great connecting with you in our 2 sessions today.

Feel free to contact me via email derrick.sobrien@gmail.com about ways to get involved in Electrical Engineering or something you may have seen about my projects e.g. Robot plane, 2D robot.

The Robot plane project was inspired by content from http://www.diydrones.com/
My aerial video and tests are available on my youtube site.

You can get parts for this project from the suppliers I mentioned in previous posts. I also sell complete systems if you have the budget.

If you want to get started in RC, some local shops are:
Model land
PMhobbycraft
Action Hobbies

There are lot's of online stores, too. Email me for suggestions.

Do let me know if you want to get started with Arduino's. It's addictive, to say the least.

For cameras that you can use for aerial photography and video, I use the Sony Bloggie.  More advanced systems are available at Range Video.  There are lot's of alternatives but these guys are tried and true.

PS> the mini-robots from today's session are available at toys-r-us.  Here's a video featuring the "Zibits". I also mentioned the TV show "Prototype This" on the Discovery Channel.  Episode highlights are available on the website!

Some recommended microcontrollers for your projects

Arduino is very popular, even for those who are just beginning.  It pairs nicely with Processing, a language for displaying the output from your Arduino project.

The Parallax Stamp is another of my favorites

Picoboard is really cool for younger ones.  This is being used by the Telus World of Science for school workshops.

Getting started in IT

You don't need to attend an expensive program to get started in IT.  Just download free stuff and use it at home.

Microsoft
Cisco
Apple
Oracle

If you like it then pursue more formal studies!

Some great places to get stuff

Solarbotics is based in Calgary and stocks a wide range of parts and kits for Robotics and Electronic projects.

Active Electronics is a good supplier of tools and kits

Sparkfun has a wider range of parts but they are based in the USA

Some of my favorite sites for projects

Make Magazine is the grand-daddy of all project magazines.  Not just for electrical stuff - they showcase all kinds of wonderful creations from folk that call themselves "Makers"

The Discovery Channel's discovery store features the latest educational and fun resources.  They provide very good delivery service to Canada, too.

More info from today's presentation

Have a look at these blog posts if you want more info from today or how to get involved in Electrical Engineering.

Also, let us know if you have a great project you want to share about!

The IEEE is a great place to start gathering career information.

Contact me if you want info on Calgary based post secondary destinations to kick start your career!