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 With some experimenting and time it can be possible to measure the readings from digital scales with an Arduino for many reasons, including interfacing with a PC for direct data entry or further analysis, and technologist Albert from the Netherlands has done just that. By locating the analogue to digital converter used to interface the load cell in digital scales with it's own microcontroller, you can then tap into the circuit and feed the PWM data from the ADC into the Arduino's digital input pin. 

Although this procedure will vary between models of scales, it's an interesting insight into hardware hacking - and if you can trace the circuit in your own scales, you're halfway there. So click here for the project page and more details. And for more, we're on twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.

If you're new to Arduino, the first step is a solid board for your projects - our Freetronics Eleven - the Arduino-Uno compatible with low-profile USB socket, onboard prototyping space and easy to view LEDs:

If you're considering adding keypad-access control to an electric door-strike or any other security application, check out the "keyentry" project by Arduino enthusiast Dean Fogarty. It is simple to follow, and easy to replicate yourself with any typical keypad available from electronics retailers here and abroad. The project was designed to control two strikes, however you can easily add more using the relay control boards shown below. 

Well done Dean. For more information head over to the project's github page. And for more, we're on twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.

If you're looking to control relays and other higher-current devices - it's much easier to use dedicated relay control boards. Here at Freetronics we have the RELAY4: board, perfect for controlling up to four relays with Arduino (or any other microcontroller's) digital output pins:

Or if you'd like to control up to eight relays - or more at once with an Arduino Uno or compatible board - consider our RELAY8: board. Controlled via I2C, you can stack up to eight shields with the appropriate power supply to support 64 relays at once:

 Although this may sound complex, it isn't as difficult as first imagined. Created by Arduino forum member "wizard123", one side is a simple Android phone app that reads the handset's accelerometer - and sends the result to the Bluetooth port. At the Arduino side there is a cheap serial Bluetooth adaptor connected to the serial line - which receives the message from the phone and thus controls the tank. In the following video you can see it in action:

Well done to wizard123 for a great Android-Arduino demonstration.And for more, we're on twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.

 For something completely different, check out this project by Arduino forum member "moryde". They have used the sending and receiving of a blinking LED to transmit data between two Arduino boards at a sedate pace, in a method similar to that used by maritime folk. It's still in development, but could be the framework for slow but simple data transmission across two very different types of equipment. The project is demonstrated in the following video:

For discussion and links to the project code, click here. And for more, we're on twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.

If you're looking to detect changes in light levels, don't fool about with irregular light-dependent resistors. Instead use our LIGHT: light sensor module with the TEMT6000 light sensor which gives consistent and repeatable readings even between different units. Simple to use and versatile for many applications. For more information and to order,click here. 

 Sending text messages with an Arduino-based project can be expensive and somewhat complex, with the hardware usually costing over $100. However if you have an older Nokia 6150 GSM handset with an F-bus interface, you're in luck. With the instructions and sketches provided by Australian engineer Alex Iannuzzi you can easily send SMS without too much effort. Alex explains how the F-bus packets can be sent and received from the handset to achieve control of messaging

So to get started, hit eBay for those old Nokias - then click here for Alex's project. And for more, we're on twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.

If you're new to Arduino, the first step is a solid board for your projects - our Freetronics Eleven - the Arduino-Uno compatible with low-profile USB socket, onboard prototyping space and easy to view LEDs:

 Using some polyfill stuffing and a basic Arduino circuit, Instructables user "dablondeemu" created a project for a class which is incredibly simply - yet visually stunning. It's simply an Arduino controlling a variety of LEDs, and with the use of an infra-red receiver it can be controlled remotely (for example, from a ceiling). This would be a great project to share with younger people or introduce someone to the world of Arduino:

For more information and the build instructions, click here. And for more, we're on twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.

 Parking cars in garages can always be a challenge when you're in a hurry, or your new car or garage is just a bit too tight. Instead of resorting to the tennis ball and fishing line, Instructables user "Aptpupil" created a device based around an Arduino circuit and an ultrasonic distance sensor. It measures the distance between the vehicle and the wall, and uses a range of LEDs to display the progress to the driver from the garage wall. 

Apart from helping avoid a small accident, it's a fun project that's inexpensive and easy to make. And for more, we're on twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.

If you're making your own permanent Arduino-based project such as the parking assistant mentioned above - and don't want to banish an entire board - instead get yourself an ATmega328 preloaded with the Arduino bootloader:

This is the same Atmel AVR ATmega328P microcontroller used in the official Arduino Uno, as well as our Eleven, EtherTen, USBDroid, and other boards. Perfect for building your own Arduino-compatible project directly on a breadboard or on a custom PCB, or for replacing the MCU in an existing board. For more information to order, click here. 

 When you're working on prototypes, experimenting or teaching others about the world of electronics - you can never have enough solderless breadboards. Therefore we're now stocking them in three sizes, starting with the mini breadboard with self-adhesive back:

Available in six colours and transparent, it has 170 tie points (17 pairs of rows, each with 5 points) and fits nicely onto a ProtoShield. Next we have the medium, transparent breadboard again with the self-adhesive back:

This model has 400 tie points (300 as cross-connected rows, 100 as power distribution rails), and be easily clipped together to form larger sizes. However if you need to go large, there's our largest transparent model with 830 tie points (630 as cross-connected rows, 200 as power distribution rails) that can also be clipped together:

All of these can find a home in any prototype, and are also great for extending the projects found in our Experimenter's Kit for Arduino:

These are only a few of the new products coming in 2013 - so stay tuned by following us on twitter and Google+ for news and product updates.

 Using our awesome little infra-red temperature sensor, ScottC has created a great analogue temperature gauge. By mounting our Eleven and IRTEMP beneath the display gauge, the entire unit has been made portable yet useful. Thus by simply pointing the gauge at an item, a physical needle moves across a scale indicating the spot temperature, for example:

That's pretty awesome, and a great framework for anyone looking to measure temperature without making a physical contact, so click here to get started. And for more, we're on twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.

 While working on another tutorial, Sudar Muthu came across a simple way of using the Yahoo Query Language to "query, filter, and join data across Web services". The Arduino can then parse the JSON reponse and return the results. When replicating this yourself, take heed of Sudar's notes about memory space and perhaps the idea of adding an LCD shield for results output. 

For more information, including links to Sudar's code and the YQL system, click here. And for more, we're on twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.

When Ethernet-enabled projects outgrow the memory space available from normal Arduino-compatible boards, running out of program and flash memory space - it's time to upgrade to the Freetronics EtherMega:

Quite simple the EtherMega is the fully-loaded Arduino-compatible board on the market today. Apart from being completely Arduino Mega2560-compatible, it includes full Ethernet interface, a microSD card socket, full USB interface, optional Power-over-Ethernet support and still has a circuit prototyping area with extra I2C interface pins. So if your project is breaking the limits, upgrade to the EtherMega today.