Splash Biography

Apple, HP, Dell, Gateway, Asus, and all the other computer manufacturers have one thing in common: they make A LOT of money from people believing that computers are hard to build. Spoiler alert: they're not. This class will show you what it takes to build your own desktop computer. Buying components and assembling your own computer enables you to save hundreds of dollars on a basic machine, put together the ultimate gaming rig, or whatever else you want -- the point is that you are empowered to put exactly what you want in your computer. We'll cover what the components of a computer are (motherboard, processor, graphics card, hard drive, case, etc.), how to compare components and pick out what you want, how they all work together, and what resources you have available to you on your journey. Rather than asking your parents for a new computer for the holidays/your birthday, ask for funding on building a computer of your own! Take this class if that sounds like a cool plan, or you just want to learn more about what it would take.

Have you ever wanted to build a self-balancing robot, RFID cat door, or automate your house lights? Then you should get an Arduino! Arduino is an "open source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software." It's super easy to use and enables a whole host of interesting projects and applications. In this course, we'll introduce you to the Arduino platform and walk you through some simple projects, culminating in the design of an electronic instrument. Even if you don't own an Arduino, you'll walk out of this course with the knowledge to begin tackling your very own electronics projects. Join us for a fun hour of electronics breadboarding, prototyping, building, and hacking!