#  Teaching 

 



The Research Instrumentation Core created and teaches two DMS Nanocourses that are each offered (roughly) annually.

## Arduino for Biologists

This nanocourse covers the basics of programming an Arduino microcontroller and interfacing with sensors and actuators in order to build simple lab instruments. These microcontroller-based tools can help researchers quickly automate and scale up aspects of their research. During the video lectures, we will explain how a microcontroller works and cover basic topics in electronics and programming. Each student will be provided with a kit of parts and self-paced exercises to design, build, and debug small projects of their own. **(**[**Arduino Nanocourse Website**](https://github.com/HMS-RIC/ArduinoNanocourse)**)**

## Electronics and Signal Processing for Experimental Rigs

The goal of this course is to demystify the rig: What does each instrument do? How should they be connected? How does one troubleshoot noise, or adjust settings in a principled way? It focuses on fundamental concepts in electronics and signal processing, covering both theory and practice. Topics will include: signal impedance, capacitance, amplifiers and opAmp circuits, mitigating noise, digitization, sampling rates, and aliasing. These topics should be broadly applicable to experimental biologists who use a rig to generate or record small, precise signals in the presence of noise. We will rely on hands-on assignments to reinforce the lecture content and build intuitive understanding. **(**[**Rig Nanocourse Website**](https://hms-ric.github.io/rig-nanocourse/)**)**

 ![Students working on nanocourse projects](/sites/g/files/omnuum5416/files/instrumentation/files/nanocourse2.png)