---
# System prepended metadata

title: Sony Spresense Workshop - StanfordXR

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# Sony Spresense Workshop @ Stanford

Date: Oct 18 2023
Time: 18:00 - 20:00
Host: Stanford XR Club
Facilitators: Armaghan/Jinger

## Workshop goals

- Getting familiar with the Spresense microcontroller board
- Brainstorm XR/Spresense project ideas for upcoming hackathon
- Understanding broader Spresense use cases
- Get intro to Spresense development environments
- Creating project documentation on Hackster 
- Create a StanfordXR club community hub for hackathon + future



# Sony Spresense Microcontroller Board
![](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/H1XORcbJ6.png)





## Quick Links

[Overview Slides](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1b0zOBma12Bpv2CSRWGnQFFXW9Csi36tKHpQt8Xt21O4/edit?usp=sharing)
[Sony's Hackster Platform Hub](https://www.hackster.io/sony)
[Spresense Documentation](https://developer.sony.com/spresense/development-guides/home_en.html)
[Spresense Website](https://developer.sony.com/spresense/)
[Spresense Forum](https://forum.developer.sony.com/category/fd009783-3a61-4d48-a448-e7dd67272c07)
[Spresense YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@SonyDevWorld)
[FAQ](https://developer.sony.com/spresense/development-guides/faq_en.html)




# Create your Hackster project

Register on **hackster.io** to get started and upload your concept files, images, notes as a tool for documentation + online publishing + global sharing.

1. Click on the **"+"** button at the top bar to start a new project.

2. Choose a project name that is descriptive of your concept and then describe it briefly in the **Elevator Pitch** section. Finish it up with an image that represents your concept.

![](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/H1-f-nZkT.png)

3. On the **Team** tab, tell us who your teams is, or if you're working alone:
![](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/HkkccsWyT.png)

4. On the **Things** tab, you can put the hardware and software components necessary for your project. 
 - Type the name of your component and if it's not already listed in Hackster, it will give you a "create a new one" green button that you can easily use to create your component. 
 - Don't forget to list your spresense main board and any other extension boards you would like to use. 
 
![](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/r1xLG3ZJT.png)

5. **Story**. Here is where you will explain your concept. The best stories are design concept explainers that everyone can understand.

    Simple template to capture concepts verbally.*(You can copy this template and fill it with your concept)*
```
Here’s Moore’s original 6-step value proposition formula:
For (target customer/user)
Who (statement of need or opportunity)
The (product name) is a (product category)
That (statement of key benefit - that is, compelling reason to buy)
Unlike (primary competitive alternative)
Our product (statement of primary differentiation)
```

[Link to the project with more detailed concept explanation](https://hackmd.io/@CaptainNemo/Sy5o50rmi)

**Example:**
```
For: Molecular biologists/scientists/science enthousiasts
Who: Looking for decoration/art
The: microtubule-lamp is a decorative-item
That: Shows off the beauty of a vital protein structure
Unlike: off the shelf novelty lights
Our product: Has a novel subject and unique PCB
```

**Advanced example (contest winner):**
https://www.hackster.io/inaki-nagore/free-car-parking-monitoring-device-c760ee 



![](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/S1Y3Nn-1T.png)

6. **Attachments**. Code and schematics that will help other people reproduce your project.
![](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/BknVB3WJ6.png)

7. When you click to **"Go to project"** you will see a Project admin field where you can change the project status. Change the status from private to public so we cal all see your project.
![](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/SkV3rnZ1a.png)



## Organize your club projects in your own Hackster community hub

1. On the [TUDelft Community hub](https://www.hackster.io/tudelft) and go to the Projects tab.
![](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/BJBZtjWya.png)

2. Click on Submit a project and then choose to create a new project
![](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/rkCQFjbka.png)


## Develop with your Spresense board (for upcoming hackathon)
There are a few ways to program your Spresense board. 

**Recommended Operating System:**
- Linux 64bit (Recommended choice)
    - Ubuntu 16.04 or later
- Windows 64bit
    - Windows 11 with WSL2 console 
(More of this will be explained later)

The easiest setup for beginners is to use the very popular **Arduino IDE** and install the Spresense library
But if you want to have more control and you're up for a little bit of a challenge, the **Spresense SDK** is the way to go.

The instructions on how to set up your Spresense board depend on which development environment you choose to program with. 

 * If you are already familiar with the Arduino IDE and want to use that, here is the guide for you:
[Guide for Spresense with Arduino IDE](https://developer.sony.com/spresense/development-guides/arduino_set_up_en.html)

* If you want to use the Spresense's own SDK, you have two choices of interface:

    [Guide for SDK with CLI](https://developer.sony.com/spresense/development-guides/sdk_set_up_en.html)
    [Guide for SDK with Visual Studio](https://developer.sony.com/spresense/development-guides/sdk_set_up_ide_en.html)




## Running the camera example

After setting up the SDK, let's run our first example program: 

1. Connect the camera board to your Spresense main board
[How to connect the camera board](https://developer.sony.com/spresense/development-guides/introduction_en.html#_how_to_connect_and_prepare_the_spresense_main_board_and_spresense_camera_board)
2. Connect the extension board and the main board together
[How to attach the Spresense extension board](https://developer.sony.com/spresense/development-guides/introduction_en.html#_how_to_attach_the_spresense_extension_board_and_the_spresense_main_board)
3. Make sure the SD card is formatted to FAT32
4. Connect the SD card
5. Run the camera example code
[SDK](https://developer.sony.com/spresense/development-guides/sdk_tutorials_en.html#_camera_sample_application)
[Arduino IDE](https://developer.sony.com/spresense/development-guides/arduino_developer_guide_en.html#_camera_library)
6. Check out the pictures you took!
You can attach the SD card to your computer or you can directly access the file via the USB port on the Spresense extension board by using the USB MSC feature: 
[SDK](https://developer.sony.com/spresense/development-guides/sdk_tutorials_en.html#_system_usbmsc)
[Arduino IDE](https://developer.sony.com/spresense/development-guides/arduino_developer_guide_en.html#_emmc_library)




# Next steps
- You get to keep the hardware after todays'event as long as you will work on it during the upcoming hackathon or using it on a research/school project.
- Join the [Spresense discord channel](https://discord.gg/QjtM2EAtVT) on Hackster to discuss with peer developers from around the world and Sony engineers during your development process.
- Submit your project to StanfordXR community hub on Hackster by **Dec 31, 2023** (or end of semester) to be included in SSUP2023 project galleries and challenge entries.
- On **Feb 24th, 2024** we will announce the best university project on Hackster,io and the winner will receive PS5 + VR2. 

![](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/S1Xkm5b16.png)



## Content Credit
Camila Souza, Jinger Zeng, Armaghan Ebrahimi