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Servos are incredibly handy devices, offering precise rotational positioning when connected to a pulse-width modulation (PWM) pin on an Arduino. They're at the heart of most robotics projects, including the pocket-friendly MeArm from our friend Ben Gray, and while we've torn one down for educational purposes and taught people how to use them we've never looked at how to handle testing or calibrating large quantities of servos. YouTube user PinPointECE has handily stepped in with a video detailing a servo motor tester that is perfect for just that job. Based on an Arduino Uno with cheap LCD display, the project...

The theremin is a fascinating musical instrument in and of itself, but for electronics enthusiasts it takes on a new dimension. Two antennas track the player's hands, using the body of the player as a capacitor in a giant oscillator the output of which is compared to a fixed source to produce an ethereal, haunting electronic tone. Invented in 1919 by Lev Termen, the theremin is often treated as a project for the more experienced electronics engineer - which is where the Open Theremin project comes in. While traditional theremins can be complicated to build, the Open Theremin Uno takes...

The Arduino project is celebrating its birthday, and while the UK isn't lucky enough to play host to any of the five official celebrations - Torino, Malmo, Bangalore, Boston and Budapest being selected for that honour - the call has gone out for organisers to set up regional events. While the birthday event, dubbed Arduino Day, isn't until the 28th of March, the project is looking for volunteers to set up celebrations in their local areas. Suggestions for suitable events include Arduino-themed talks, hands-on workshops, open days for businesses and educational establishments that use Arduino or Arduino-based devices, and show-and-tell...

There's a misconception that getting started in robotics has to be complex and expensive, and while there are plenty of ways to spend a fortune on the hobby it's not necessary. We've previously mentioned the MeArm by our friend and fellow Maker Belter Ben Gray, who created a fully-functional robot arm from a single A4 sheet of laser-cut acrylic, but for those whose tastes run a little more to the Terminator side of the table Nick Thoma's creation is worth a look. While the bill of materials for his Instructable is significantly higher than the MeArm, sitting at around $140,...

Image by Hans Otten Here at oomlout we're particularly proud of our open-source ARDX Starter Kit for Arduino. Bundling components, an Arduino Uno, our handy-dandy laser-cut prototyping board and a fully-open collection of projects documented in a printed guidebook and circuit layout sheets, it has found its way into homes, hackspaces, offices, schools and universities throughout the world. While we'd love to say we invented the concept of a beginner-friendly electronics kit, though, it'd be a lie - as our good friend and fellow UK Maker Belter Iain Sharp of Lushprojects reminds us with his write-up of his childhood love,...