Georgia Tech Getting Started with TI LaunchPad Workshop 2015

Introduction

We are going to introduce the TI LaunchPad development kit using some basic circuits. The TI LaunchPad is a microcontroller kit that you can use to create embedded projects. In this workshop we will use the MSP430P401R LaunchPad but any LaunchPad will work. We will use the Energia IDE or Energia inside of CCS Cloud (dev.ti.com) for the software development.
 

This workshop is based off of the examples provided in the soon to be available Sidekick Basic Kit for TI LaunchPad. You can use this kit to replicate the examples or acquire the components individually. The examples can be found at www.energia.nu/sidekick

If you don't have the Sidekick Basic Kit for TI LaunchPad, you can also use the Sidekick Basic Kit for Arduino V2 which has most of the components to complete the lab exercises.

The Sidekick Basic kit for LaunchPad includes

1x 400 Tie-Point Breadboard
1x Breadboard Adapter BoosterPack (not included in Arduino version)
5x Green LED
5x Red LED
1x RGB Common Anode LED
10x Ceramic Capacitor 10nF
10x Ceramic Capacitor 100nF
5x Aluminum Capacitor 100uF
10x Resistor 330 ohm
10x Resistor 1K ohm
10x Resistor 10K ohm
1x Tilt Switch
1x Thermistor
1x Photoresistor (photocell)
1x Diode (1N4004)
1x Piezo Buzzer
5x Button
5x Switch
2x Potentiometer with knob
1x Small DC Motor (1x Servo in Arduino version)
1x 7 Segment Single Digit Display (SA39-11SRWA – datasheet) (not included in Arduino version)
1x 8-bit Shift Register (SN74HC595N – datasheet) (not included in Arduino version)
2x NPN Transistor (LP395Z/NOPB – datasheet) (not included in Arduino version)
1x Analog Temperature Sensor (LM19CIZ/NOPB – datasheet) (not included in Arduino version)
5x Jumper Wire Long
20x Jumper Wire Short
1x Sidekick Quick Start Guide
1x Sidekick Manual

Breadboard circuits can be hard to debug. Make sure you are making careful, proper connections. One misplaced wire can cause unexpected behavior or frustration. If you run into a wall, disconnect everything and start over.

You can download the code at www.energia.nu/sidekickcode and load those into your Energia IDE by putting the unzipped folder into your My Documents > Energia folder on windows and Documents > Energia folder on Mac. Restart the Energia IDE to see the examples loaded under Sidekick_LaunchPad

Lab 0: Blink

http://energia.nu/guide/sidekick/sidekick_blink/

Please pause and use the code found at the sidekick page.

This lab involves making sure your LaunchPad environment is set up correctly. You only need your LaunchPad.

Lab 1: Fade RGB LED

http://energia.nu/guide/sidekick/sidekick_fadergbled/

Please pause and use the code found at the sidekick page.

This lab will get you started with the breadboard. You will be connecting an RGB LED to your LaunchPad. The MSP432 LaunchPad also has one on board. This is another example of using an OUTPUT.

Lab 2: Push Button

http://energia.nu/guide/sidekick/sidekick_pushbutton/

Please pause and use the code found at the sidekick page.

This lab will cover using a push button as an INPUT. You will actuate an LED using a button press.

Lab 3: Multiple LEDs - (Skip to save time)

http://energia.nu/guide/sidekick/sidekick_blinkmultiple/

Please pause and use the code found at the sidekick page. 

Lab 3 will let you hook up multiple LEDs that can be controlled by your LaunchPad. You will be doing the same exercise with a shift register in Lab 4, so you can immediately skip to that if you understand how to directly control multiple outputs and want to save time. You can always come back later if you finish early.>

Lab 4: Shift Register

http://energia.nu/guide/sidekick/sidekick_shiftregister/

Please pause and use the code found at the sidekick page.

This lab will give you a chance to use an integrated circuit. The shift register gives your LaunchPad more output pins. This can let you control more things (more LEDs for example). You will control 8 LEDs and make a binary counter.

Lab 5: Piezo Buzzer

http://energia.nu/guide/sidekick/sidekick_piezobuzzer/

Please pause and use the code found at the sidekick page.

Lab 5 will let you play some sound with a buzzer. Making sound can be useful as an audio indicator. You will learn how to play a basic melody with the buzzer.

Lab 6: Potentiometer

http://energia.nu/guide/sidekick/sidekick_potentiometer/

Please pause and use the code found at the sidekick page.

This lab will give you a chance to play with a variable resistor. The potentiometer is used in knobs and other control schemes to give an analog input. You will use the potentiometer to play a tone and turn on an LED when a threshold is crossed.

Lab 7: Photoresistor - (Skip to save time)

http://energia.nu/guide/sidekick/sidekick_photoresistor/

Please pause and use the code found at the sidekick page.

This lab uses another variable resistor that changes its value based on light exposure. This is helpful for when you want something to happen based on when a room is light or dark (turn on and off a light for example). You will change the light exposure on the photocell to affect an LED.

If you need to save time you can skip to Lab 8 and come back later. We already did a variable resistor in Lab 6 so the concept is similar in Lab 7.

Lab 8: Spin the Motor/Servo

If you have a DC Motor: http://energia.nu/guide/sidekick/sidekick_spinmotor/

Please pause and use the code found at the sidekick page.

In this lab you can spin the small motor with a transistor. Motors are useful in a wide variety of projects that require movement and automation.

If you have a Servo: http://energia.nu/guide/sidekick/sidekick_spinservo/

Please pause and use the code found at the sidekick page.

In this lab you can hook up a servo and make it spin. Servos have a gearbox that can be controlled digitally. They are great for robots and a variety of projects that require movement and automation.