When: Wednesday March 25th, 5:30pm to 7pm
Where: AS220 Performance Space

The real fun in electronics is when you can use a circuit to make things go. Come learn some basics of electric motors, including DC motors, AC motors, servos, and steppers with Tom Sgouros (www.sgouros.com). Guest appearance by Judy the robot.

This session is free if you want to come and listen. You'll have to pay for materials if you want to complete the kit and take things home with you. Some sample motors will be available, which can also be purchased cheaply.

When: Tuesday, March 10, 4 - 6 pm
Where: Cranston Public Library, 140 Sockanosset Cross Road

Teens! Do you like to tinker? Come join us at the Cranston Public Library for Make and Break: Build a 555 Noisekit! - a workshop designed to inspire you to further investigate electronics technology and technology-based scientific inquiry. An instructor from AS220 Labs will show you how to use an old reliable integrated circuit - the 555 timer - to produce electrifying noisemusik. You will leave with a completed project that that can be plugged into any amplifier, computer speaker, or home stereo. All soldering tools and materials will be provided free of charge.

This program is funded by a YALSA Teen Tech Week Mini Grant!

To register, call 943-9080 x 5

When: Wednesday, January 14th 5:30-7pm
Where: AS220 Performance Space

Have you heard about the Arduino -- a great, easy microcontroller platform for artists and designers -- but didn't know where to get started? Come on down to AS220 and learn about all things Arduino! The Clinic is free for everyone.

A microcontroller like the Arduino can be used to control motors, switches, and sensors. They're used a lot in installations, for musical instruments, or to create a bridge between the real world and computer models or applications.

If you want to take one home we'll have about 10 Arduinos for sale ($38 for Arduino + USB cable + battery clip). In any case, bring your laptop -- if you have one -- and we can install the software right on your computer.

For more about the Arduino, see www.arduino.cc.

Questions? Email shawn@as220.org.

See you there!

When: Wednesday December 10th, 2008 5:30pm
Where: AS220 Performance Space
How much: $20 for parts

Come on down to AS220 and learn how to use an old reliable integrated circuit -- the 555 Timer -- to produce interesting raunchy noisemusick. The 555 chip is one of the oldest integrated circuits still available. It's also one of the few ICs you can buy at the mall! Its hardiness -- and the fact that you can drive a speaker directly from its output pin -- have made it a natural choice for electronic music experiments in noise since the seventies.

This workshop will provide a layman-friendly introduction to experimenting with the versatile 555 chip. Everyone will leave with a completed project that can be plugged into any amplifier, computer speaker, or home stereo. The circuit is controlled by varying the amount of infrared light hitting the board (like an optical theramin) and injecting the natural resistance of your body into the circuit via four touch points. If you participated in the September workshop with Jessica Rylan, this is a pretty similar project using a different set of components.

No experience necessary! All soldering tools and instruction will be provided. This is an easy project to make.

Parts for 25 noisekits are available ($20 each); please RSVP to shawn@as220.org to get on the list. If you can't make the workshop, kits are also available at Craftland through December 2008.

Build the BPNG-Touch!

In this workshop we'll build a touch-sensitive version of the Flower Electronics battery-powered noise generator. Participants will assemble and solder the circuit themselves. Besides learning how to solder, we'll talk about how transistors work and the flow of information in circuits. We'll also touch on aesthetic issues related to microelectronics and mass production.

Participants will leave with a fully functional, expressive musical instrument.

All tools and parts are provided. Cost of parts is $25. Participants are limited to 20, so come early!

Wednesday Sept. 17th, 5:00 to 7:00pm

Jessica Rylan is a sound artist and creator of the Baby Blue synthesizer. Her designs draw on the best of 1960's and 70's modular synthesizers, 1980's guitar effects pedals, multiple-feedback techniques (a la David Tudor), and circuit bending.

Read on for photos from the evening...

Anyone can make cool things with electronics!

It s easy! It s fun! -- No experience necessary!

Mitch Altman (inventor of the TV-B-Gone and Brain Machine) will continuing his series of workshops at AS220 to teach any and all how to solder. And you will take home a Trippy Mood light that you build yourself! This a great opportunity to make something intriguing and fun, while learning from the (in)famous inventor. All tools and parts are provided. Cost of parts is $20.

Wednesday Aug. 27th, 5:30 to 7:00pm

Mitch Altman (inventor of the TV-B-Gone and Brain Machine) will be at AS220 to teach any and all how to make their own Brain Machine. If you're in or near Providence, this is a great opportunity to make something intriguing and fun, while learning from the (in)famous inventor.

The Brain Machine is something anyone can build. Through lights and sounds it synchronizes your brain to a wonderfully relaxed meditation state, and along the way you'll hallucinate beautiful colors and patterns! Mitch originally wrote up the Brain Machine for MAKE Magazine issue 10, and it soon became one of MAKE's most popular projects. Since then he's been teaching people all over the world how to make Brain Machines and other fun projects at workshops and hacker conferences. Mitch guarantees that everyone will successfully complete their Brain Machine, ready to bring home and amaze their friends (and their brains).

All tools and parts are provided. Cost of parts is $25.

Location: AS220, 115 Empire St, Providence. Directions
Date: Tuesday, August 19
Time: 5:00pm - 9pm

See photos from the workshop.

Mitch Altman (inventor of the TV-B-Gone and Brain Machine) will be at this month's Make and Break meetup to teach any and all how to make their own TV-B-Gone remote control. If you're in or near Providence, this is not to be missed!

The TV-B-Gone kit is quick and easy to build. Mitch has had lots of experience teaching people how to make all sorts of cool things. He can teach you too, even if you've never sewn a button. When you take it home, you can use your TV-B-Gone to turn off TVs everywhere you go -- up to 150 feet away!

All tools and parts are provided. Cost of parts is $20.

5:30pm to 7pm, Wednesday Augst 13th, in the Performance Space (directions). See you there!

First, a pop quiz...

1. Are you:

   a. obsessed with LEDs?
   b. building an effects pedal for your didgeridoo?

2. Have you ever:

   a. hooked an Arduino up to your cat's litter box?
   b. used a wok as an antenna?
   c. put contact mics in your rock tumbler?
   d. let the magic smoke out of your iPhone?

If you answered YES to any of the above*, or if you're just interested in learning and sharing information about electronics, read on...

Wednesdays Just Got Geekier

Starting in August, AS220 will be hosting Make And Break Wednesdays, a series of eclectic, hands-on electronics-making workshops. Workshops will generally be free and open to people of all skill levels and interests. In some cases we will ask for a fee to cover materials provided to participants, if necessary.

Make and Break workshops will be held from 5:30-7:00pm on the Wednesdays that Geek Dinners and DC401 meetings don't happen. So, August and September will look like this:

Wed. Aug 13th: Make and Break
Tue. Aug. 19th: Make and Break (note: Tuesday, not Wednesday) Wed. Aug. 27th: Make and Break

Wed. Sept. 3rd: DC401 Meeting
Wed. Sept. 10th: (previously scheduled event)
Wed. Sept. 17th: Make and Break
Wed. Sept. 24th: Geek Dinner

If you are interested in learning more, staying in the loop, or sharing your electronics and tinkering experience, join the new announce/discuss mailing list: electronics@as220.org! Just go to:

http://www.as220.org/mailman/listinfo/electronics

See you on the 13th!

• For more quiz questions, visit here.