So, I will admit that I am new here, but I am joining the community with a sense of eagerness and a willingness to learn. I have been reading the Arduino for Dummies series, and I am learning quite a bit from it. I have a huge background in LEGO design and am looking to pair that with some Arduino knowledge.
So, for my first project, I was looking to animate a TARDIS. I know there is a book out there that does this called Lego and Arduino or something like that, but I wanted to tie it to my cell phone... play certain noises and light up for alerts.
I have the TARDIS built and an UNO R3. I am assuming I need the bluetooth shield and the waveshield for noises, correct? What about programming? Admittedly, this is where I falter. I have been having a hard time picking up the language, but I am still new. Can anyone direct me to a good resource on programming as it pertains to this project?
For programing basics check out Arduino Examples and References. For basic understanding of programing I would also recommend an online class in C/C++ programming at a site like udacity (usually free).
Most of the basic examples you'll find in the reference section here are in the dummies book. Use the two of them together to help learn the code. On the top of the screen there is a Learning > Reference tab. Start there. Follow the descriptions of how each sketch works in the book. The book is well written and hits the target demographic well, you don't need to know C++ before you start reading it, but after you'll have enough of a foundation to start making sketches on your own. You have an UNO, but did you get a starter kit to go with it? Thats worth the money IMO for a beginner, you'll be able to build most of the projects in the book. It's one thing to read the examples, but it's another to put them into practice.