Usb boe
sveenr
Posts: 4
Ken and staff,
I teach 60 grade 8 and 9 junior high students robotics, using BOE-Bots. I have couple of suggestions for you to consider.·
When I·walk around my class and someone·is having·problems,·one place I·cue is·the big green LED·one the serial BOE. I·teach my students to notice if the LED is off,·after they turn on the power. This may indicate a variety of things, but often means that they have·created a short with their wiring.·With the new USB BOE,·I find that the header hides the little green LED from my and my students' views, unless·we orient the BOE or BOE-Bot at an angle. In a future version, would it be possible to move the LED over so that it is between the header and the proto-typing board, instead of between the header and the voltage regulator?
In the new version of WAM, I have noticed that the 3 or 4 projects at the end of each chapter have been reduced to one. I teach mainly Gifted and Talented Students. I use these projects and the chapter activities to evaluate their learning. The easier projects are within reach of all of my students, whereas the hardest projects push my brightest ones. Of course, I can still use the projects in the previous versions of WAM. But I was looking forward to them being enhanced in the new version.
Finally, I want to congratulate the WAM author, Andy Lindsay, I believe. You have written a remarkable learning vehicle for my students, whether they work in my classes and/or at home.
Ron Sveen
I teach 60 grade 8 and 9 junior high students robotics, using BOE-Bots. I have couple of suggestions for you to consider.·
When I·walk around my class and someone·is having·problems,·one place I·cue is·the big green LED·one the serial BOE. I·teach my students to notice if the LED is off,·after they turn on the power. This may indicate a variety of things, but often means that they have·created a short with their wiring.·With the new USB BOE,·I find that the header hides the little green LED from my and my students' views, unless·we orient the BOE or BOE-Bot at an angle. In a future version, would it be possible to move the LED over so that it is between the header and the proto-typing board, instead of between the header and the voltage regulator?
In the new version of WAM, I have noticed that the 3 or 4 projects at the end of each chapter have been reduced to one. I teach mainly Gifted and Talented Students. I use these projects and the chapter activities to evaluate their learning. The easier projects are within reach of all of my students, whereas the hardest projects push my brightest ones. Of course, I can still use the projects in the previous versions of WAM. But I was looking forward to them being enhanced in the new version.
Finally, I want to congratulate the WAM author, Andy Lindsay, I believe. You have written a remarkable learning vehicle for my students, whether they work in my classes and/or at home.
Ron Sveen
Comments
Some of the shorts you create that turn the power LED off cause some big problems. Burning hot regulators, exploding components. . . you already know the effects I am sure.
I compared a USB-BOE and a Serial-BOE (both powered) this evening to understand your comment about not easily seeing the power light on the USB version. I have to say that I agree with your conclusion. At the moment we have a few thousand of this version in stock, but on our next production run I will ask John B. to change the LED either between the header/proto board or near the power switch (like the serial version). Please confirm if this is what you want before we make the change, okay?
Thanks for complimenting Andy. We're really proud of him and pleased that his work can aid you in getting the students started. Andy has all kinds of neat projects planned for release. Normally you will see them on this discussion forum. Download his new Infrared book (you have most of the parts already - just to go WalMart and get a programmable remote) here http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=28139. The next big hit from Andy will be the Memsic Accelerometer book. All of this is good for teaching robotics, sensors, programming, etc.
Thank you for the input.
Sincerely,
Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.
I normally have·the BOE power switch right·in front of me: IC on my left and proto-typing board on my right.. My USB BOE currently has a line-following module plugged into the header. If the little green LED was between the header and the proto-typing board, I would be able to see it easily. With my current configuration, the ribbon cable somewhat hides the green LED.
Thanks for your prompt response and openness to suggestions.
Ron
There is a Teacher's Guide for the newest version of What's A Microcontroller, and in the Teacher's Guide are additional projects, with the answers.· So all the projects still exist in the Teacher's Guide, even though only selected ones are actually printed in the book.
The Teacher's Guides are available to educators only, in the private forum named "Parallax Educators".· I've added you to this forum so you should have access to it now.
Kris Magri,
Parallax, Inc.
Thanks for directing me to the Educators' Private Forum. My expectations regarding an enhanced version of Projects were met·in Andy's work on WAM 2.2, after all.
Ron