EAGLE stands for Easily Applicable Graphical Layout Editor. This software offers user friendly, powerful and affordable solutions for PCB design, including Schematic Capture, Board Layout and Autorouter. User Language Programs enable features such as simulation and 3D-visualization. There is a free version of the EAGLE PCB editor, with some features disabled.
Fritzing is an open-source initiative to support designers, artists, researchers and hobbyists to take the step from physical prototyping to actual product. We are creating this software in the spirit of Processing and Arduino, developing a tool that allows users to document their Arduino and other electronic-based prototypes, and to create a PCB layout for manufacturing. The complementing website helps users to share and discuss drafts and experiences as well as to reduce manufacturing costs.
A great series of Arduino video tutorials by Jeremy Blum. The series wlaks you from setting up your Arduino prototyping environment and making a single LED blink, to complex experiments like controlling DC motors, LCDs and GPS tracking….
This is an “instructable” on how to hack a cheap remote controlled toy car and turn it into an Arduino powered autonomous robot vehicle. It requires some soldering, so be prepared to mess around with wires on a tiny PCB and learn to de-solder a chip from a board! Once you master that though, you open endless possibilities for hacking and salvaging components from old “junk” electronics!
Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It’s intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments. There is a wealth of resources on their web-site: tutorials, examples, code libraries and a very active community in the forums.