.NET Gadgeteer Useful Resources & Links

gadget

If your interested in developing new curricula in 2012, which will really stimulate your students then you need to have a look at  .NET Gadgeteer.

The .NET Gadgeteer is an amazing  platform, so if your interested in teaching and inspiring students practically about electronics, microcontrollers, robotics and Computer Science.

Gadgeteer

The .NET Gadgeteer is an ideal resources, as its name suggest the .NET Gadgeteer is based on the .NET Micro Framework, using C# as the primary development language.

DreamSpark-2_bL_t

C# is available as part of Visual Studio 2010 and can be downloaded via existing MSDNAA subscriptions or via DreamSpark for Free by all UK Students.

Who are the Manufacturers

Gadgeteer boards and modules are primarily available from the following manufactures

GHI

  • GHI Electronics – .NET Gadgeteer mainboard, and supplier of many modules as well.

SEED logo

  • Seeed Studio  – Maker of numerous sensor modules, from gyro and compass to accelerometer and GPS.

SYSTECH

Community and Microsoft Sites

There are a number of excellent resources available online to begin your Gadgeteer adventures and to ask questions about .NET Gadgeteer hardware or software:

  • .NET Gadgeteer Site -  Microsoft .NET Gadgeteer is an open-source toolkit for building small electronic devices using the .NET Micro Framework and Visual Studio/Visual C# Express. Build all manner of electronic gadgets quickly and easily with .NET Gadgeteer!
  • TinyCLR Gadgeteer Forum – Run by GHI, this forum is dedicated to .NET Gadgeteer topics, and is very active, with a number of smart and friendly folks from the community pitching in to help newcomers get started.
  • Seeed Studio Forum – Technical support and device device drivers for Seeed products.
  • Official .NET Gadgeteer Forums –  The official Microsoft Research team responsible for Gadgeteer
  • Core Gadgeteer API documentation – API resources and information, this is a good place to start.
  • Gadgeteer Source on Codeplex – when documentation alone isn't enough, you can always check out the source code to see what's really happening under the covers.
  • Skewworks – Supplies additional software useful in .NET MF and Gadgeteer projects, including UI libraries and operating environments that allow for running multiple applications without reflashing.

Blogs

Here are some good blogs on .Net Gadgeteer:

Supplies & Parts, for bigger better projects

Although you can do a great deal with just a mainboard and a few modules, eventually you're going to want to go beyond, and for that you'll probably want some additional gadgets to your projects, things like a breadboard, jumper wires, LEDs one of the best places in the UK to get these items in the UK for your Gadgeteer projects is https://coolcomponents.co.uk/catalog/ They have a vast array of accessories, from LEDs to header pins, jumper wires, servos, motors. 

So 2012 looks a very interesting year for curricula developments using .NET Gadgeteer

More importantly .NET Gadgeteer is a neat way of introducing students of all ages to STEM.

Happy New Year!