# FLORA and GEMMA ICSP ## Overview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPGj0mf158E ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/017/710/medium800/gemma-flora-isp-00.jpg?1404230585) On each Arduino-compatible chip runs a tiny program called the bootloader. The bootloader is a helper that reads your Arduino sketch over USB and burns it into the little microcontroller brain. FLORA and GEMMA both come with bootloaders when your get them in the mail, but there are a few reasons you might want to know how to burn your own bootloader, besides the nerd cred. Maybe you’re an AVR hacker and you want to change the bootloader’s functions, or maybe you’re building your own circuit and need to flash a new blank chip. And sometimes it’s possible to corrupt your bootloader-- flashing it again can bring the board back to life. Bootloading a standard Arduino Uno is easy-- it has an ISCP connector on board. But to connect to FLORA and GEMMA, we have to get a little more creative. Read on to learn how to bootload Adafruit's sewable microcontrollers. You will need: - [USBtinyISP AVR Programmer Kit](http://www.adafruit.com/product/46 "Link: http://www.adafruit.com/product/46") - [FLORA](http://www.adafruit.com/product/659) or [GEMMA](http://www.adafruit.com/product/1222) - 2x3 header (for FLORA) - 6-pin box header, six alligator clips, soldering tools, heat shrink and zip tie (for GEMMA) - [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/flora-and-gemma-isp/reprogram-flora-over-icsp.md) ## Featured Products ### USBtinyISP AVR Programmer Kit (USB SpokePOV Dongle) [USBtinyISP AVR Programmer Kit (USB SpokePOV Dongle)](https://www.adafruit.com/product/46) USBtinyISP is a simple open-source USB AVR programmer and SPI interface. It is low cost, easy to make, works great with avrdude, has **both** [6 and 10 pin standard ISP cables](http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/avrtargetboards), is AVRStudio-compatible and... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/46) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/46/guides) ### FLORA - Wearable electronic platform: Arduino-compatible [FLORA - Wearable electronic platform: Arduino-compatible](https://www.adafruit.com/product/659) FLORA is Adafruit's fully-featured wearable electronics platform. It's a round, sewable, Arduino-compatible microcontroller designed to empower amazing wearables projects.FLORA comes with Adafruit's support, [tutorials and...](http://learn.adafruit.com/category/flora) In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/659) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/659/guides) ### Adafruit GEMMA v2 - Miniature wearable electronic platform [Adafruit GEMMA v2 - Miniature wearable electronic platform](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1222) **Deprecation Warning: The Gemma bit-bang USB technique it uses doesn't work as well as it did in 2014, many modern computers won't work well. So while we still carry the Gemma so that people can maintain some older projects, we no longer recommend it.** In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1222) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1222/guides) ### Small Alligator Clip Test Lead (set of 12) [Small Alligator Clip Test Lead (set of 12)](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1008) Connect this to that without soldering using these handy mini alligator clip test leads. 15" cables with alligator clip on each end, color coded. You get 12 pieces in 6 colors. Strong and grippy, these always come in handy! We often use these in conjunction with a multimeter so we... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1008) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1008/guides) ### Heat Shrink Pack [Heat Shrink Pack](https://www.adafruit.com/product/344) Heat shrink is the duct tape of electronics, it keeps your stuff all safe and kept together. Especially when wiring and soldering, use heat shrink to add mechanical strength to cables. We use this stuff all the time and having a zip-lock bag of all the possible sizes is super... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/344) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/344/guides) ### Getting Started with Adafruit FLORA [Getting Started with Adafruit FLORA](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1839) **Making Wearables with an Arduino-Compatible Electronics Platform** This book introduces readers to building wearable electronics projects using Adafruit's tiny FLORA board: at 4.4 grams, and only 1.75 inches in diameter, and featuring Arduino compatibility, it's the... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1839) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1839/guides) ### Getting Started with Adafruit FLORA Book Pack [Getting Started with Adafruit FLORA Book Pack](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2404) Pickup a copy of [Getting Started with Adafruit FLORA](https://www.adafruit.com/products/1839) and then hit the ground running with everything that you need to become an [Adafruit FLORA](https://www.adafruit.com/products/659) supreme being! This pack is... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2404) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2404/guides) ### FLORA Sensor Pack [FLORA Sensor Pack](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1458) Sense the world around you! The FLORA Sensor Pack includes many types of sensors for your wearable enjoyment. Sense motion, direction, color, light levels, touch, and connections with FLORA sensor breakouts and conductive materials, and a few NeoPixels for experimenting with displaying your... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1458) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1458/guides) ## Related Guides - [Washing Wearable Electronics](https://learn.adafruit.com/washing-wearable-electronics.md) - [GEMMA Hoop Earrings](https://learn.adafruit.com/gemma-hoop-earrings.md) - [Build your own Borg (BYOB)](https://learn.adafruit.com/build-your-own-borg-byob.md) - [NeoPixie Dust Bag](https://learn.adafruit.com/neopixel-pixie-dust-bag.md) - [NeoPixel Punk Collar](https://learn.adafruit.com/neopixel-punk-collar.md) - [3D Printed LED Microphone Flag](https://learn.adafruit.com/3d-printed-led-microphone-flag.md) - [3D Printed LED Buckle](https://learn.adafruit.com/3d-printed-led-buckle.md) - [Superhero Power Plant](https://learn.adafruit.com/superhero-power-plant.md) - [Textile Potentiometer Hoodie](https://learn.adafruit.com/textile-potentiometer-hoodie.md) - [Animated NeoPixel Glow Fur Scarf](https://learn.adafruit.com/animated-neopixel-gemma-glow-fur-scarf.md) - [Let’s Put LEDs in Things!](https://learn.adafruit.com/lets-put-leds-in-things.md) - [Plush Game Controller](https://learn.adafruit.com/plush-game-controller.md) - [NeoPixel Ring Bangle Bracelet](https://learn.adafruit.com/neopixel-ring-bangle-bracelet.md) - [Interior Purse Light](https://learn.adafruit.com/interior-purse-light.md) - [Firewalker LED Sneakers](https://learn.adafruit.com/firewalker-led-sneakers.md)