getting started with flora

Getting Started with FLORACreated by Becky Stern

Last updated on 2014-09-04 06:45:18 PM EDT

23667789

1417181921222325

Guide Contents

Guide ContentsOverviewDownload software

Mac OSXInstall Drivers! (Windows Only)

Windows 8Windows 7Locating the Driver File (Win 7 & XP)

Blink onboard LEDPower your FLORAThe VBATT PadFLORA pinout diagramFLORA projectsFLORA techniquesFLORA modulesIDE Florafication

© Adafruit Industries https://learn.adafruit.com/getting-started-with-flora of 27

Overview

FLORA is Adafruit's wearable electronics platform. We designed it from the ground up toprovide the best experience for Adafruit's community of makers, hackers, crafters, artists,designers and engineers. It's built around the Atmega32u4 chip, which has built-in USBsupport. No pesky special cables or extra parts for programming, just plug it in and getstarted making the wearables project of your dreams! Works on Windows and Mac.

The FLORA is extremely beginner-friendly-- it is difficult to destroy the FLORA by connectinga battery backwards due to polarized connector and protection diodes. The onboardregulator means that even connecting a 9V battery will not result in damage or tears.

This guide is the first step in using FLORA, plugging it in and programming it to blink itsonboard LED! After that you can move on to our Flora RGB Smart Pixelstutorial (http://adafru.it/aRT) and/or Flora GPS tutorial (http://adafru.it/aRP).


http://learn.adafruit.com/flora-rgb-smart-pixels

http://learn.adafruit.com/flora-wearable-gps

Adafruit created the FLORA from scratch after many months of research and we really thinkwe came up with something that will empower some amazing wearable projects.

The FLORA is small (1.75" diameter). We wanted the smallest possible board for ourwearable platform. It's based on our experiences shipping our own, shipping, customer-tested Atmega32u4 (http://adafru.it/296) Breakout Board (http://adafru.it/296).

FLORA has a small but easy to use onboard reset button to reboot the system. The powersupply is deigned to be flexible and easy to use. There is an onboard polarized 2 JST batteryconnector with protection schottky diode for use with external battery packs from 3.5v to 9vDC in (It can run on 3V but 3.5V-5V or higher is ideal). Can be used with LiIon/LiPoly, LiFe,alkaline or rechargeable NiMh/NiCad batteries of any size. The FLORA does not have a LiPo charger included by design, this allows safe use withmultiple battery types and reduces risk of fire as it is not recommended to charge thesebatteries on fabric.

FLORA has built-in USB support. Built in USB means you plug it in to program it, it just showsup. No additional purchases are needed! Works with Mac, Windows, Linux, any USB cableworks great. Currently the PCB comes with a mini B connector but future versions maychange to microUSB. The FLORA has USB HID support, so it can act like a mouse or keyboard, etc.


https://www.adafruit.com/products/296

https://www.adafruit.com/products/296

Download softwareTo start, please download our version of the Arduino IDE that's been updated to include theFlora drivers, libraries & code examples! We have versions for Windows and Mac OS X.

For Mac, click the button below - then unzip. Move the application to your Applications folder.

Windows Arduino IDE v1.05w/Trinket, Gemma, Flora

http://adafru.it/cUa

Mac Arduino IDE v1.05 w/Trinket,Gemma, Flora

http://adafru.it/cTN

Linux (32-bit) Arduino IDE 1.0.5w/ Trinket, Gemma, Flora

http://adafru.it/dXa

Linux (64-bit) Arduino IDE 1.0.5w/ Trinket, Gemma, Flora

http://adafru.it/dXb

Mac OSX

If you're using Mac OS Mavericks you will need to update the setting to permit runningArduino IDE

1. Go to your Security and Privacy Settings2. Click the Lock Icon and Login3. Change "Allow Apps Downloaded From": to "Anywhere"4. Launch the app, then go back to Security Settings and change the selection back to

"Mac App Store and Identified developers"5. You only need to do this procedure once - the Mac will remember that it's OK to run

the Arduino App.


http://adafruit-download.s3.amazonaws.com/Adafruit Arduino 1.05 - Win 11-11-13 .zip

http://adafruit-download.s3.amazonaws.com/Adafruit Arduino 1.0.5 - Mac 11-8-13.zip

http://adafruit-download.s3.amazonaws.com/trinket-arduino-1.0.5-linux32.tgz

http://adafruit-download.s3.amazonaws.com/trinket-arduino-1.0.5-linux64.tgz

Install Drivers! (Windows Only)

Mac users, you can skip to the next part of the tutorial - you don't need to install any drivers!

For Windows users, you'll need to install the drivers for the Flora. Begin by plugging in theFlora board. Look for a green power LED (left of the mini USB jack) and a pulsing red LED(right of the mini USB jack).

WinXP users, skip down past these few photos, you should get a popup asking you for adriver location, just browse to it as shown.

Windows 8We now have signed Windows 8 drivers for flora. Download the driver by clicking here. Youshould be able to right-click the inf file to install it directly, or point Windows to thisuncompressed folder when prompted!

Download the Windows 8 signedFlora Driver


http://www.adafruit.com/downloads/Flora_win8signed.zip

http://adafru.it/dpT

Windows 7You'll see this pop up in the bottom right corner:

Now go to the Start menu (bottom left corner, the round windows logo) and click on it andstart typing in Device Manager

Click on the Device Manager (top icon in the menu) to launch it, scroll down until you seeAdafruit Flora with a ! mark. Right click and select Update Driver Software


Locating the Driver File (Win 7 & XP)OK if you have XP you'll basically start from here, click Browse my computer for driversoftware


Then browse to the uncompressed Flora IDE folder, and select the drivers folder (notany other folder!) and click OK.


Make sure the folder next to the Browse... button is correct, then click Next.

When you get this scary window next, click Install this driver software anyway.


That's it! Thankfully you only have to do this once.


Blink onboard LED

Next it's time to load up a program on your FLORA. There is an LED on board, so let's blink it!Plug in the USB cable and paste the following code into the Adafruit Flora IDE:

// Pin D7 has an LED connected on FLORA.

// give it a name:

int led = 7;

// the setup routine runs once when you press reset:

void setup() {

// initialize the digital pin as an output.

pinMode(led, OUTPUT);

}

// the loop routine runs over and over again forever:

void loop() {

digitalWrite(led, HIGH); // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)


From the Tools menu, under "Board," choose "Adafruit Flora"

Also in the Tools menu, under "Serial Port," choose the one that contains the phrase"usbmodem" if you have a Mac. If you're using a Windows computer, it will be named COMsomething, but not COM1 or

delay(1000); // wait for a second

digitalWrite(led, LOW); // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW

delay(1000); // wait for a second

}


COM2 (so it will be whatever comes after those two if they exist, such as COM3 or COM4).

Press the Upload button to transmit the program to the FLORA. It looks like an arrow pointingto the right.

That's it! The on board LED marked "D7" should blink on and off repeatedly, and you'vesuccessfully programmed your FLORA!


Power your FLORAThe Flora runs at 3.3V with an onboard regulator to keep the voltage steady. You'll need topower the board with a 3.6V or greater battery. For that reason, we find 3 x AA or AAA or alithium-polymer battery to be ideal. You can only power FLORA through its onboard JST port.

After loading your program onto the FLORA, you'll want to unplug the USB cable and goportable with battery power! USB will always power the board, but battery power (throughthe JST connector) can be turned on and off with Flora's onboard switch (near the "ON" texton the board). We recommend our 3xAAA holder (http://adafru.it/727) for beginners, whichconveniently plugs into FLORAs JST port.


http://www.adafruit.com/products/727

More advanced users may wish to use a rechargeable lithium polymerbattery (http://adafru.it/258) for their smaller size and longer duration. These batteries poseadded risk if abused, shorted, bent, crushed, or punctured. FLORA does not have onboardcharging, so you would also need a separate LiPoly charger (http://adafru.it/259).

The VBATT Pad

The most commonly confused part of the Flora is the VBATT pad and how powermanagement is handled in the Flora. We designed the flora to be mainly powered via the JSTconnector. You can power it with a battery pack or lipo battery. That input is polarityprotected and also controlled via the on/off switch. The battery output after the switch isVBATT. You shouldn't use VBATT as an input as you might damage your battery if you alsoplug in the USB connector to a computer! The ideal use of VBATT is when you want topower something like NeoPixels or a servo, something that requires more than the 150mAavailable from the onboard regulator.




FLORA pinout diagram

For handy reference, we've created this pinout diagram illustrating all the alternate functionsfor each of the pins on the Flora.

The most commonly confused part of the Flora is the VBATT pad and how powermanagement is handled in the Flora. We designed the flora to be mainly powered via the JSTconnector. You can power it with a battery pack or lipo battery. That input is polarityprotected and also controlled via the on/off switch. The battery output after the switch isVBATT. You shouldn't use VBATT as an input as you might damage your battery if you alsoplug in the USB connector to a computer! The ideal use of VBATT is when you want topower something like NeoPixels or a servo, something that requires more than the 150mAavailable from the onboard regulator.


FLORA projectsFlora Pixel Brooch (http://adafru.it/aTj)

Flora TV-B-Gone (http://adafru.it/aUk)

GPS Jacket (http://adafru.it/aWF)

Capacitive Touch with Conductive Fabric (http://adafru.it/aWG)

Wearable Piezo Tones (http://adafru.it/aWH)

LED Ampli-Tie (http://adafru.it/c1u)

Plush Game Controller (http://adafru.it/c9F)


http://learn.adafruit.com/flora-pixel-brooch

learn.adafruit.com/flora-tv-b-gone/

http://learn.adafruit.com/flora-gps-jacket

http://learn.adafruit.com/capacitive-touch-with-conductive-fabric-and-flora

http://learn.adafruit.com/wearable-piezo-tones-with-flora

http://learn.adafruit.com/led-ampli-tie/

http://learn.adafruit.com/plush-game-controller

FLORA techniquesFlora snaps (http://adafru.it/aUl)

Conductive thread (http://adafru.it/aVx)

Capacitive Touch with Conductive Fabric & Flora (http://adafru.it/aWG)


http://learn.adafruit.com/flora-snaps/

http://learn.adafruit.com/conductive-thread

http://learn.adafruit.com/capacitive-touch-with-conductive-fabric-and-flora

FLORA modulesFLORA Accelerometer + Compass (http://adafru.it/aYS)

FLORA Luminosity Sensor (http://adafru.it/c9H)

FLORA GPS (http://adafru.it/aRP)


http://learn.adafruit.com/flora-accelerometer

http://learn.adafruit.com/flora-lux-sensor

http://learn.adafruit.com/flora-wearable-gps

Flora RGB Smart NeoPixels (http://adafru.it/c9J)


http://learn.adafruit.com/flora-rgb-smart-pixels/

IDE FloraficationIf you have a version of the Arduino IDE that you want to 'Floraify' - it isn't that hard! Try thefollowing instructions to add support to your IDE, works with anything after v1.0 (and itsknown good with v1.0.5)

Find your boards.txt file (its in the Arduino/hardware/arduino folder on Windows, and onMac right click the application and select "Show Package Contents," then navigate toContents/Resources/Java/hardware/Arduino) and add to the bottom:

Place in arduino-1.0.5\drivers (Windows only):

Adafruit_Flora.inf

http://adafru.it/cFH

Add to hardware/arduino/variants/flora (windows) orhardware/arduino/avr/variants/flora (mac) (create folder):

pins_arduino.h

http://adafru.it/cFI

Add to hardware/arduino/bootloaders/caterina (windows) or

flora8.name=Adafruit Flora

flora8.upload.protocol=avr109

flora8.upload.maximum_size=28672

flora8.upload.speed=57600

flora8.upload.disable_flushing=true

flora8.bootloader.low_fuses=0xff

flora8.bootloader.high_fuses=0xd8

flora8.bootloader.extended_fuses=0xcb

flora8.bootloader.path=caterina

flora8.bootloader.file=Caterina-Flora8.hex

flora8.bootloader.unlock_bits=0x3F

flora8.bootloader.lock_bits=0x2F

flora8.build.mcu=atmega32u4

flora8.build.f_cpu=8000000L

flora8.build.vid=0x239A

flora8.build.pid=0x8004

flora8.build.core=arduino

flora8.build.variant=flora


http://learn.adafruit.com/system/assets/assets/000/009/336/original/Adafruit_Flora.inf

http://learn.adafruit.com/system/assets/assets/000/009/337/original/pins_arduino.h

hardware/arduino/avr/bootloaders/caterina (mac)

Caterina-Flora8.hex

http://adafru.it/cFJ

Edit hardware/arduino/cores/arduino/USBCore.cpp (windows) orhardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/USBCore.cpp (mac)find:

Add right below it

Then find

or (applies to v1.5):

Add right below it

or (v1.5):

#elif USB_PID == 0x9208

'L','i','l','y','P','a','d','U','S','B',' ',' ',' ',' ',' ',' '

#elif USB_PID == 0x8004

'A','d','a','f','r','u','i','t',' ','F','l','o','r','a',' ',' '

#elif USB_VID == 0x1b4f

'S','p','a','r','k','F','u','n',' ',' ',' '

#elif USB_VID == 0x1b4f

#define USB_MANUFACTURER "SparkFun"

#elif USB_VID == 0x239A

'A','d','a','f','r','u','i','t',' ',' ',' '

#elif USB_VID == 0x239A

#define USB_MANUFACTURER "Adafruit"


http://learn.adafruit.com/system/assets/assets/000/009/338/original/Caterina-Flora8.hex

getting started with flora

Documents