Looking for a Microcontroller Robotic Kit to buy
Kye
Posts: 2,200
I'm interested in buying a microcontroller robotics kit for a 9th grader. I want to get something that introduces electronics and robotics, etc. I remember the 'What's a microcontroller' for the BASIC Stamp being very good. But, I was wondering if the Propeller Activity Kit has the same amount of material and quality. I can't seem to find the same trove of data that was available on the new Parallax website that the old one had.
Comments
http://learn.parallax.com/propeller-c-set-simpleide
http://learn.parallax.com/propeller-c-simple-circuits
http://learn.parallax.com/propeller-c-simple-devices
Propeller Activity Board + What's a Microcontroller Parts Kit would be the equivalent for Propeller.
Or, if you prefer the BS2, you can still buy What's a Microcontroller which includes the BS2. It's still very popular.
Ken Gracey
What would you recommend for the teacher-less environment where the kid has to work through everything by themselves?
Or there is the BASIC Stamp Activity Kit (BSAK - 90005) which has WAM along with a BASIC Stamp Homework Board (HWB). The HWB is a stripped-down version of the BOE.
The BSAK and BOE-Bot are both currently sale.
The BOE-Bot can always be converted to an Activity Bot, which uses the Propeller Activity Board, at a later date.
LOL..yeah I know. ;<)
If one goes Parallax I would go with the Basic Stamp.
There is a reason why Basic has been the first computer language for millions...it works.
The Propeller, while an interesting architecture, would be adding unneeded complexity to the first experiences with a microcontroller.
(But, if Mac is the only option, I'd suggest an ActivityBot. There's less material to date (the program is less than a year old while Stamps in Class has had years to grow and refine) but there is still quite a bit to do and the long-term capabilities are much broader. Suggest Start Simple and some Simple Circuits first, before diving into the ActivityBot. Many code examples and libraries come with the installer, and others are right in their tutorials for download, so there is working code to start with instead of having to type it all from scratch. If you think that your friend will need lots of one-on-one support and only Arduino users will be on hand for mentoring, I'd say go with the Shield-Bot as a third choice.)
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What's a Microcontroller? activites you can do with Boe-Bot Robot Parts
Question: "What activities can we do from the "Whats a Microcontroller?" text using the parts included in the Boe-Bot Robot Kit?
Answer: "Quite a lot!"
Teachers frequently ask this question, so we have made a list below, for your reference. It shows the cross-compatibility for using the "What's a Microcontroller?" v3.0 with just the parts included in the Boe-Bot Robot kits v3.0.
Many teachers present some activities from "What's a Microcontroller?" in a separate unit before working with the Boe-Bot robot. This helps introduce core programming and electronics concepts and circuit-building skills without the distraction of wanting to "just make the robot go!" Then students are even better equipped for success with the Boe-Bot when used in a second unit.
Chapter 1: Getting Started (Download & install the software, write simple PBASIC programs.)
(All) The activities are the same in both books, done through the BASIC Stamp Editor Help file (or equivalent PDF download).
Chapter 2: Lights On Lights Off (Controlling LEDs, DO...LOOP, FOR...NEXT)
Activity #1: Building and Testing an LED Circuit
Activity #2: On/Off Control with the BASIC Stamp
Activity #3: Counting and Repeating
Activity #4: Building and Testing a Second LED Circuit
Chapter 3: Digital Input: Pushbuttons (Reading input states, IF...THEN)
Activity #1: Testing a Pushbutton with an LED Circuit
Activity #2: Reading a Pushbutton with the BASIC Stamp
Activity #3: Pushbutton Control of an LED
Activity #4: Two Pushbuttons Controlling Two LEDs
Chapter 7: Measuring Light (Phototransistor, data logging, hysteresis, READ, WRITE)
Activity #1: Building and Testing the Light Meter
Activity #2: Tracking Light Events
Activity #3: Graphing Light Measurements (Optional)
Activity #5: On/Off Phototransistor Output (Circuit from Activity #1, ignore 7-segment LED)
Activity #6: For FunMeasure Outdoor Light with an LED
Chapter 8: Frequency & Sound (Piezospeaker, FREQOUT, LOOKUP, LOOKDOWN, SELECT...CASE)
Activity #1: Building and Testing the Speaker
Activity #2: Action Sounds
Activity #3: Musical Notes and Simple Songs
Activity #4: Microcontroller Music
Activity #5: Ringtones with RTTTL
Chapter 10: Prototyping Your Own Inventions (Subsystem testing and integration)
(#14, except...) The first four activities could be accomplished with the addition of a 10 kΩ single-turn potentiometer (#152-01031). The remainder is worth reading.
Those two kits hooked me for life...
Dark Side and back. Now you are InSide, SpinSIDE, right SIDE up, the bright side!
I'm with you on that last point - I also learned with the BS2 and would've never gotten started without it.
While it took little to find BS2 limiting and jumping to the prop, starting from scratch with the Propeller would've been a much steeper curve, maybe too steep...
Massimo