Kategorie: Technology

  • What is the impact of attending a Code Club or CoderDojo?

    What is the impact of attending a Code Club or CoderDojo?

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    We support two networks of coding clubs where young people around the world discover the countless possibilities of creating with digital technologies.

    Three learners working at laptops.
    Young people in a CoderDojo in India.
    • Code Club is a global network of after-school coding clubs for learners aged 9 to 13, where educators and other volunteers help young people learn about coding and digital making
    • CoderDojo is a worldwide network of free, open, and community-based programming clubs for young people aged 7 to 17, where they get the opportunity to learn how to create fantastic new things with technology

    Every year, we send out a survey to volunteers at all the clubs we support. Today we share some highlights from the findings and what we’re planning next.

    An educator teaches students to create with technology.
    A Code Club session in the USA.

    Why do we do an annual survey for clubs?

    The simple answer is: to help make clubs even better for everyone involved! Educators and volunteers are doing a remarkable job in helping young people learn about computing and coding, so we want to know more about them, about how they run their clubs, and what impact the club sessions have for young people.

    A group of children and an adult have fun using Raspberry Pi hardware.
    A CoderDojo session in the UK.

    By knowing more about clubs — how frequently club leaders run them, what resources they use, what they would like more of — we can continue to improve the learning experience for educators, volunteers, and young people involved in our clubs.

    This year in March we sent out our survey to all Code Clubs and CoderDojos around the world, and we heard back from almost 500. As always, the results were very positive, and they also gave us a lot of useful information on how we can continue to improve our support for clubs all over the world.

    Who is involved in clubs?

    Based on the survey, we estimate that at the time, the network of over 4200 Code Clubs and 700 CoderDojos was reaching almost 139,000 young people globally. The global community of clubs has continued to grow since then, with a now even larger network of volunteers supporting ever more young people.

    Three learners laughing at a laptop in a Code Club.
    Participants in a Code Club in the UK.

    According to the survey, the majority of young people attending clubs are aged between 8 and 13, but clubs host young people as young as 6 and as old as 18. It was great to hear about the participation of girls, and we’d love to see this rise even higher: respondents told us that 42% of their Code Club attendees and 30% of their CoderDojo attendees are female.

    Respondents feel that attending club sessions improves young peoples’ interest and engagement in computing and programming, and increases their understanding of the usefulness of computing.

    None of these young people would be able to attend clubs without the great work of teams of educators and volunteers. Based on the survey, we estimate that at the time of the survey, there were over 10,300 Code Club leaders and almost 4000 CoderDojo champions around the world. Many survey respondents said that they were motivated to start volunteering after attending a club themselves.

    Students in a Code Club run by CSEd Botswana.
    A Code Club session in Botswana.

    Community is at the heart of clubs and the clubs networks: over 80% of respondents said that belonging to a global community of clubs helps motivates them to volunteer at their own club.

    What is the impact of clubs?

    Clubs focus on a wide range of topics and programming languages. Scratch is overwhelmingly popular, with over 95% of respondents telling us that they used Scratch in club sessions in the previous year. Micro:bit projects and Python-based programming were also very popular. Club leaders told us that in future they would like to offer more activities around AI applications, as well as around games and mobile apps. 

    A bar chart.

    Club leaders told us that being part of a Code Club or CoderDojo affects young people positively. Respondents feel that attending club sessions improves young peoples’ skills and interest in computing and programming, and increases their understanding of the usefulness of computing. Almost 90% of club leaders also agree that after attending a club, young people are interested in additional experiences of learning about computing and programming.

    Attending also positively affects young people’s wider skills and attitudes, with club leaders stating that young people who attend improve their personal confidence, independence in learning, and creative thinking. 

    Young people who attend improve their personal confidence, independence in learning, and creative thinking.

    We were pleased to find out that most Code Club leaders, who run their sessions in schools, think that their clubs increase the visibility of computing within their school. Many also said that the attendees’ parents and guardians value their clubs as opportunities for their children.

    What’s next?

    We want to keep providing clubs with support to increase their positive impact on young people. Thanks to the survey results, we know to focus our work on providing training opportunities for club volunteers, as well as supporting club leaders to recruit volunteers and advertise their clubs to more young people.

    You can read the survey report to dive deeper into our findings.

    As we take an impact-focused approach to our work, we are currently partnering with Durham University on an evaluation of Code Clubs in UK schools. The evaluation will provide further insights for how we can best support people around the world to run clubs that provide welcoming spaces where all kids can learn to create with digital technologies.

    Website: LINK

  • Reaffirming choice and openness on Android and Google PlayReaffirming choice and openness on Android and Google PlayVP, Government Affairs & Public Policy

    Reaffirming choice and openness on Android and Google PlayReaffirming choice and openness on Android and Google PlayVP, Government Affairs & Public Policy

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Android and Google Play have continuously evolved to provide more flexibility and choice in response to feedback from developers and regulators, as well as intense competition from Apple and app stores across the open Android ecosystem. We demonstrated this in the recent trial and were disappointed that the verdict did not recognize the choice and competition that our platforms enable. While we are challenging that verdict and our case with Epic is far from over, we remain committed to continually improving Android and Google Play.

    Today, the details of a settlement reached in September with state attorneys general were filed publicly. This settlement builds on Android’s choice and flexibility, maintains strong security protections, and retains Google’s ability to compete with other OS makers, and invest in the Android ecosystem for users and developers. We’re pleased to resolve our case with the states and move forward on a settlement that includes:

    • Growing our commitment to app store choice: We have always allowed alternative app stores to be preloaded onto Android devices and for users to download alternative app stores directly. In fact, most Android devices ship with two or more app stores preloaded. The settlement with the attorneys general makes clear that OEMs can continue to provide users with options out of the box to use Play or another app store. We recently implemented features in Android 14 that will make third-party app stores work even better for users and let third-party app stores update apps more easily.
    • Streamlining sideloading while prioritizing security: Unlike on iOS, Android users have the option to sideload apps, meaning they can download directly from a developer’s website without going through an app store like Google Play. While we maintain it is critical to our safety efforts to inform users that sideloading on mobile could come with unique risks, as part of our settlement we will be further simplifying the sideloading process and updating the language that informs users about these potential risks of downloading apps directly from the web for the first time.
    • Expanding user choice billing to more people: App and game developers will be able to implement an alternative billing option alongside Google Play’s billing system for their U.S. users who can then choose which option to use when making in-app purchases. We have been piloting user choice billing in the U.S. for over a year and will now expand this option further.
    • Expanding open communication on pricing: We have always given developers more ways to interact with their customers than iOS and other operating systems. For example, Google Play allows developers to communicate freely with their customers outside the app about subscription offers or lower-cost options available on a rival app store or the developer’s website. This openness has spurred competition and benefited consumers and developers. As part of user choice billing, which we’re expanding with today’s settlement announcement, developers are also able to show different pricing options within the app when a user makes a digital purchase.
    • Contributing to a settlement fund: Google will pay $630 million into a settlement fund to be distributed for the benefit of consumers according to a Court-approved plan and $70 million into a fund that will be used by the states.

    Android and Google Play provide choices and opportunities for innovation that other platforms we compete against simply don’t – from allowing for multiple app stores and avenues of app distribution to piloting new ways for users to pay for in-app purchases. We’re pleased to reach an agreement that builds on that foundation and we look forward to making these improvements that will help evolve Android and Google Play for the benefit of millions of developers and billions of people around the world. These proposed changes will go into effect after the Court formally approves the settlement.

    Website: LINK

  • This Nicla Vision-powered ornament covertly spies on the presents below

    This Nicla Vision-powered ornament covertly spies on the presents below

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Whether it’s an elf that stealthily watches from across the room or an all-knowing Santa Claus that keeps a list of one’s actions, spying during the holidays is nothing new. But when it comes time to receive presents, the more eager among us might want to know what presents await us a few days in advance under the tree, which is what prompted element14 Presents host Milos Rasic to build a robotic ornament equipped with vision and a compact movement system.

    On the hardware side, Rasic went with an Arduino Nicla Vision board as it contains a camera and the ability to livestream the video feed over the network. A pair of continuous servo motors allow the mobile robot platform to move along the ground while another set of servos open the ornament’s trapdoor to expose the wheels and carefully lower it from the tree through a clever system of bands and thread.

    The livestreaming portion of the project was based off an existing MJPEG RTP example that exposes a web API endpoint for fetching the latest frame from the Nicla’s onboard camera and delivering it via Wi-Fi. To control the robot, including winching, driving, and toggling the lights, Rasic created a Node-RED interface that sent MQTT messages to the Nicla.

    To see more about how this creative device was designed, watch Rasic’s video below or read his full write-up here.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnwMHgpKqw4?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post This Nicla Vision-powered ornament covertly spies on the presents below appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Patti Engineering is Arduino Pro’s new System Integrators Partner

    Patti Engineering is Arduino Pro’s new System Integrators Partner

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    We are thrilled to announce an exciting collaboration that is set to revolutionize the landscape of Industry 4.0 digitalization and beyond. Arduino Pro is proud to welcome Patti Engineering into our esteemed family of System Integrators Partners. This partnership marks a significant milestone in our commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions to manufacturers worldwide.

    Patti Engineering’s expertise encompasses a wide range of high-potential applications, including:

    1. Industry 4.0 digital transformation

    Patti Engineering specializes in guiding manufacturers through the dynamic realm of Industry 4.0 digital transformation. Their expertise lies in leveraging digitalization technologies to propel production to unprecedented heights. 

    2. Robotics

    In the era of automation, Patti Engineering stands out as an expert in the design and integration of robotic cells. Their solutions are crafted to enhance productivity, efficiency, safety, consistency, and quality. 

    3. Control systems integration

    Partnering with world-leading manufacturers, Patti Engineering excels in streamlining and optimizing production through the integration of control systems. This expertise ensures a seamless flow of operations, allowing businesses to achieve new levels of efficiency and reliability. 

    4. Asset tracking

    Visibility and traceability of materials are paramount in modern manufacturing. Patti Engineering employs the latest asset tracking technologies to improve these crucial aspects.

    “We believe that Patti Engineering’s wealth of experience and proficiency in Industry 4.0, robotics, control systems integration, and asset tracking will bring unparalleled value to our community,” Paul Kaeley, Strategic Sales Advisor to Arduino commented. “Together, we look forward to pushing the boundaries of what is possible and driving innovation in the world of technology and manufacturing.”

    Stay tuned for the incredible solutions and advancements that will emerge from this powerful partnership!

    The System Integrators Partnership Program by Arduino Pro is an exclusive initiative designed for professionals seeking to implement Arduino technologies in their projects. This program opens up a world of opportunities based on the robust Arduino ecosystem, allowing partners to unlock their full potential in collaboration with us.

    The post Patti Engineering is Arduino Pro’s new System Integrators Partner appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Classifying audio on the GIGA R1 WiFi from purely synthetic data

    Classifying audio on the GIGA R1 WiFi from purely synthetic data

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    One of the main difficulties that people encounter when trying to build their edge ML models is gathering a large, yet simultaneously diverse, dataset. Audio models normally require setting up a microphone, capturing long sequences of sounds, and then manually removing bad data from the resulting files. Shakhizat Nurgaliyev’s project, however, eliminates the need for the arduous process by taking advantage of generative models to produce the dataset artificially.

    In order to go from three audio classes: speech, music, and background noise to a complete dataset, Nurgaliyev wrote a simple prompt for ChatGPT that gave directions for creating a total of 300 detailed audio descriptions. After this, he grabbed an NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin Developer Kit and loaded Meta’s generative AudioCraft model which allowed him to pass in the previously made audio prompts and receive sound snippets in return.

    The final steps involved creating an Edge Impulse audio classification project, uploading the generated samples, and designing an Impulse that leveraged the MFE audio block and a Keras classifier model. Once an Arduino library had been built, Nurgaliyev loaded it, along with a simple sketch, onto an Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi board that continually listened for new audio data, performed classification, and displayed the label on the GIGA R1’s Display Shield screen.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMixY8lOAN4?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    To read more about this project, you can visit its write-up here on Hackster.io.

    The post Classifying audio on the GIGA R1 WiFi from purely synthetic data appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • A glockenspiel that plays itself

    A glockenspiel that plays itself

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    A glockenspiel is a pretty ordinary instrument with a very silly name. Many Westerners will immediately notice the similarities between glockenspiels and xylophones, but there are slight differences in pitch and range. Both are played with mallets and so anyone can hammer out some notes. But playing well is much more difficult, which is why CamsLab built this auto-glockenspiel that plays itself.

    CamsLab chose the glockenspiel over other instruments because they wanted an excuse to experiment with solenoids. Compared to string, brass, and wind instruments, a percussion instrument like a glockenspiel is very easy to play by electromechanical means. Each bar is a copper pipe of a specific length calibrated to produce a desired note. Every one of those bars has its own solenoid, which strikes the copper on demand.

    An Arduino Mega 2560 board controls those solenoids through FETs (field-effect transistors). Those are necessary because the solenoids each require about 1A of current, which is more than the Arduino can supply through a pin. CamsLab also implemented flyback diodes to prevent damage, since solenoids are inductive loads. Those components and the copper bars mount onto a simple frame made of aluminum extrusion.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdH86Tfd4jA?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    CamsLab programmed each note in sequence within the sketch, which is cumbersome. A good alternative would be MIDI control. But even as it is, the auto-glockenspiel sounds great.

    The post A glockenspiel that plays itself appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Set forth with Raspberry Pi in The MagPi magazine issue #137

    Set forth with Raspberry Pi in The MagPi magazine issue #137

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Sally forth with our guide to getting started with with Raspberry Pi computers

    Start your Raspberry Pi adventure

    We may be a little heavy-handed on the Dungeons & Dragons metaphor this month. This guide to beginning your Raspberry Pi is packed with information, hints, and things to discover with your favourite computer. It’s the perfect guidebook for Raspberry Pi newcomers. 

    Raspberry Pi Beginner's Projects

    Raspberry Pi Beginner Projects

    We all had to start somewhere and this month Rob’s collected dozens of projects for you to try out. Discover coding, making, robotics, and more in this fantastic feature.

    This Amiga upcycles a classic computer with a Raspberry Pi

    This Amiga is not an Amiga

    Discover this Amiga build that breathes new life into a classic computer. Rob Fisher has used Raspberry Pi and the Amiga Forever emulator to load ROMs into this restored computer. 

    Take to the depths of the deep blue sea with BlueROV R4

    BlueROV R4

    ВlueROV2 is an underwater ROV that surveys the darkest depths – well, the really very gloomy depths anyway – with the help of a Raspberry Pi 4 wearing its bespoke Navigator Flight Controller as a HAT.

    These giant Game Boy artworks use Raspberry Pi to show off games

    Giant Fine-Art Game Boy

    The iconic handheld console can now be treated as fine art, especially when you deconstruct it and rebuild it six times larger, like Connor Gottfried has.

    Recycling a classic camera with Raspberry Pi and CinePI

    CinePI XL

    CinePI is an open-source cinema camera that lends itself to DIY design, including larger sensors. We take a look at this lovingly recreated camera build.

    Use Raspberry Pi Zero and a Blackberry-style keyboard to build a PDA

    Beepy: Make a DIY palmtop computer

    If you’ve ever missed the golden age of palmtop computers, PDAs (personal digital assistants), and phones with physical keyboards, Squarofumi’s Beepy might be the kit for you: just add a Raspberry Pi Zero W. In this, the first of a series of tutorials, we turn Raspberry Pi into a personal assistant using a Blackberry-style keyboard.

    Design a circuit with KiCad

    Design a circuit with KiCad

    This tutorial will provide guidance on how to design your own circuit using KiCad. It will show how you can design a circuit that can be used with Raspberry Pi Pico. 

    We test MyCobot 280 Pi - a professional robot arm

    MyCobot 280 Pi

    MyCobot 280 is a high-quality robot arm with a long reach. Powered by a built-in Raspberry Pi 4, it has six degrees of freedom (6DOF) thanks to half a dozen joints (equipped with bearings) controlled by large servos, all enclosed in protective plastic casings. We test out this professional robot arm based on Raspberry Pi technology.

  • Win one of five U-Maker Box Raspberry Pi cases

    Win one of five U-Maker Box Raspberry Pi cases

    Reading Time: < 1 minute

    Subscribe

  • Improvements to using Spanish in Search and GboardImprovements to using Spanish in Search and GboardStrategic Partner Development Manager, Google

    Improvements to using Spanish in Search and GboardImprovements to using Spanish in Search and GboardStrategic Partner Development Manager, Google

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    We’re continuing to work towards making AI useful for everyone, including by collaborating with others— and approaching it in a bold and responsible way.

    A great example of this is Lengua Española e Inteligencia Artificial — Spanish Language and Artificial Intelligence (LEIA), a project the Real Academia Española (RAE) set up four years ago to improve the use of the Spanish language in technological environments. The Academia invited tech companies to join, committing to improving the use of the Spanish language in technological environments, helping the 590 million Spanish speakers worldwide and increasing the presence of the Spanish language.

    Today, we’re announcing two major advances we’ve made as part of this project: First off, we’ve incorporated the lexical repertoire of the RAE’s Dictionary of the Spanish Language into Gboard, the keyboard app from Google. Second, we’ve integrated the Spanish Language Dictionary of the Royal Academy into Search.

    Improved Spanish in Gboard

    Thanks to the integration of the RAE lexicon as a source for Gboard’s AI language models, we’ve seen key improvements in Gboard, such as faster autocorrections, in words such as García, Rodríguez, Coruña, Nicaragua or Jaén, and those with an accent — like música, río, frío o vehículo. It has also allowed for better word recommendations, smoother changes between English and Spanish when typing, and reduced biases.

    Moreover, hundreds of thousands of new words („ibuprofeno“, „criptomonedas“, „SMS“, „tempura“) have been integrated into the Gboard dictionary for Android.

    Website: LINK

  • Diablo IV: Limited-Time Events Bring the Holiday Fear in Midwinter Blight

    Diablo IV: Limited-Time Events Bring the Holiday Fear in Midwinter Blight

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    A chill descends from the frozen depths of the mountains in Midwinter Blight, giving the Diablo IV team the chance to get into the holiday spirit… and try something new.

    From December 12 to January 2, cull savage Blightfiends and defend yourself from the Red-Cloaked Horror as your try to preserve any semblance of hope for the denizens of the Fractured Peaks. Midwinter Blight is our first limited-time event in Diablo IV, bringing something special to Sanctuary.

    Chance to Experiment

    Diablo IV Screenshot

    In Diablo IV, players can enter Sanctuary through either the Seasonal or the Eternal realm. The Eternal realm is where evergreen challenges and core gameplay endures in Sanctuary. Many sweeping changes to the game affect and influence this world state.

    Our Seasonal realm is where we introduce new Seasonal content, such as Midwinter Blight. The Seasonal realm gives us a chance to tinker and introduce new and exciting types of gameplay. Since the majority of seasonal specific gameplay doesn’t persist once the season is over—save for mechanics we may re-introduce in interesting ways—it gives us a broader reign to try new things without affecting the Eternal realm.

    And now introducing: limited-time events. Similar to the Seasonal realm, these Events typically only affect a specific region for a much shorter duration of time relative to Seasons. This gives us even more free room to tinker and try new things.

    The Magic of the Holidays in Midwinter Blight

    Diablo IV Screenshot

    Midwinter Blight introduces Gileon the bard, sadistic Blightfiends, macabre Frigid Husks, and the diabolical monstrous Goat fiend known as the Red-Cloaked Horror. These colorful and frightening aspects of Sanctuary only persist until the end of Midwinter Blight.

    A Midwinter Blight gameplay-specific wrinkle lies in the Aspect of Dawn. This offensive Aspect is exclusive to the limited-time event; it increases your attack and movement speed for 12 seconds, and when empowered by the Midwinter Ward, reduces its cooldown by 1 second for every demon slain.

    Diablo IV Screenshot

    Additionally, the special Gileon’s Brew Elixir provides an additional XP boost (10% more than typical Elixirs) and works across Sanctuary, not just in the Fractured Peaks. These unique elements provide an extra boon to players…perhaps even a little magic of the Holidays?

    Despite Gileon’s Brew and the Aspect of Dawn persisting past Midwinter Blight’s end, they have specific mechanics that rely on the location and gameplay elements in this limited-time event. 

    Demons Just Want to Have Fun

    While content like Abattoir of Zir is directed at the most intense of Diablo IV fans, limited-time events are available for players looking to explore Sanctuary for the first time and try something new. The overall gameplay loop is tighter, you can come away with some sweet cosmetics, and it’s not meant to be nearly as trying as a Level 100 Nightmare Dungeon.

    Diablo IV Screenshot

    Midwinter Blight arrives at a time in Season of Blood where players may be chasing after Uber Uniques or trying their hand at the Echo of Lilith. By scouring the land for Frigid Husks to dismantle and Blightfiends to slay, chasing after some holiday exclusives should be a great way to enjoy the season.

    The Holidays are meant to be enjoyed, and what better way to do it than restoring the Hibernal Square in Kyovashad. We’ll share a flagon of Gileon’s Brew in Midwinter Square soon. Happy slaying!

    Diablo® IV
    Xbox Live

    Diablo® IV

    Blizzard Entertainment

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 634

    ★★★★★

    Diablo® IV is the next-gen action RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish Dungeons, and legendary loot. Embark on the campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters through beautifully dark settings and a gripping story, or go rogue through an expansive End Game and shared world where players will meet in towns to trade, team up to battle World Bosses, or descend into PVP zones to test their skills against other players – no lobbies necessary – with cross-play and cross-progression on all available platforms. This is only the beginning for Diablo® IV, with new events, stories, seasons, rewards, and more looming on the horizon. Battle.net account required. Internet connection required. For more information, please visit Diablo.com. © 2023 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. Diablo, Diablo Immortal, World of Warcraft, and Blizzard Entertainment are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. in the U.S and/or other countries. All rights reserved.

    Website: LINK

  • ’Tis the season to get making!

    ’Tis the season to get making!

    Reading Time: 4 minutes
    Arduino Gift ideas

    The holidays can be a great time to pick up a new passion, or start a new project! And if you are at home with friends and family, a DIY challenge can be just what you need to spend a few hours together – learning and laughing all the way. We’ve definitely kept all of this in mind while fine tuning our 2023 gift guides, full of ideas and inspiration for the special people on your list! We’re sure you’ll find something for everyone… and a treat for yourself too.

    Giving the gift of creativity

    A kit with step-by-step instructions and all the components you need can provide the perfect pastime, even with kids: you can go through the Starter Kit one project at the time to learn the basics of electronics and coding, or try your hand at IoT – it’s easy with the Arduino Oplà IoT Kit! This 8-projects-in-1-box gift allows even beginners to explore smart connectivity: anyone can have their smart lights system, personal weather station, or home security alarm ready by New Year’s Eve, and do the whole thing without coding, using the templates available on Arduino Cloud. And once the basics are mastered, the experience can be customized to infinite creative ideas: for example to monitor a room’s temperature and humidity levels, connect the heating to Alexa, or control Spotify – three ideas to make your time at home even more pleasant, during the holidays and beyond.

    Arduino Gift ideas

    Learning something new in the new year

    Speaking of the new year, we have some great options for anyone making 2024 their year to learn something new. For example, the Make Your Uno Kit can take anyone from the basics of soldering to their first synth (also available as part of the Make Your UNO Soldering Bundle). Sound daunting? Not to worry: the learning experience is supported by a dedicated content platform with video tutorials, a 3D interactive viewer to help with the finest details of soldering, and instructions on how to program the board once it is finished.
    If you have someone on your list who would enjoy a huge confidence boost to go with their newly acquired electronics and programming skills, the official recognition of the Arduino Junior Certification Bundle will make for the perfect present.

    Finally, for anyone interested in learning MicroPython, the Nano ESP32 is the perfect choice to start their journey! But it can also be the key to amazing home automation projects like the one created by one of our Project Hub users, help you recreate Penny’s computer (remember Inspector Gadget?), or make one of the most interesting, hypnotizing timepieces ever. And yes, it can even run Doom.

    Automating your living and work spaces

    If being home gets you thinking about how you could make your humble abode more comfortable, fun, or futuristic, experiment with automation using the MKR WiFi 1010 (the easiest point of entry to basic IoT). Bigger plans? Check out the new Arduino Pro Opta micro PLC, offering industrial-grade performance within the friendly Arduino programming experience.

    Looking for something more open-ended?

    Our gift guides highlight a wide range of versatile and feature-packed modules that can be at the heart of any project you – or your loved ones – may have in mind. Caution: you may end up spending your holidays creating a humanoid robot! Choose the iconic UNO R3, a cornerstone in the maker revolution, or the UNO R4: WiFi or Minima are both great options for any creative project and for any skill level. Artists like Tigris Li and Monica Rikic have used the UNO R4 for their recent works, and fashiotech designer Anouk Wipprecht even made a beautiful dress light up with it. But an UNO R4 can also be used for a DIY filament extruder, or to make a small robot with PID control.

    Last but not least, check out the Nano 33 BLE, introducing a better processor, a micro-USB connector, and a 9 axis IMU to the Nano family: that’s enough, for example, to create a micro robot arm to control a macro robot arm (it actually makes a lot of sense: read more about it here!).

    Arduino Gift ideas

    Have a friend passionate about technology? Look no further!

    Our gift guides include cutting-edge gadgets that will surely light up their faces, and make this holiday season unforgettable. Consider the Portenta Hat Carrier for the robotics enthusiast, or the powerhouse combo that is the GIGA Display Bundle for anyone into gaming, sound design, or really any tech-driven pursuit. Examples of what you can do with these are a whole system to control the lights and fans in your home via a single, custom dashboard, or even a Chat GPT client to boost productivity!

    No matter who is on your list and what their skill level or interests may be, head to our 2023 gift guides and find the perfect present for them! We hope you’ll enjoy learning, creating, and making together.

    Explore the guides

    The post ’Tis the season to get making! appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • AI isn’t just robots: How to talk to young children about AI

    AI isn’t just robots: How to talk to young children about AI

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    Young children have a unique perspective on the world they live in. They often seem oblivious to what’s going on around them, but then they will ask a question that makes you realise they did get some insight from a news story or a conversation they overheard. This happened to me with a class of ten-year-olds when one boy asked, with complete sincerity and curiosity, “And is that when the zombie apocalypse happened?” He had unknowingly conflated the Great Plague with television depictions of zombies taking over the world.

    How to talk to young people about AI

    Absorbing media and assimilating it into your existing knowledge is a challenge, and this is a concern when the media is full of big, scary headlines about artificial intelligence (AI) taking over the world, stealing jobs, and being sentient. As teachers and parents, you don’t need to know all the details about AI to answer young people’s questions, but you can avoid accidentally introducing alternate conceptions. This article offers some top tips to help you point those inquisitive minds in the right direction.

    AI is not a person

    Technology companies like to anthropomorphise their products and give them friendly names. Why? Because it makes their products seem more endearing and less scary, and makes you more likely to include them in your lives. However, when you think of AI as a human with a name who needs you to say ‘please’ or is ‘there to help you’, you start to make presumptions about how it works, what it ‘knows’, and its morality. This changes what we ask, how much we trust an AI device’s responses, and how we behave when using the device. The device, though, does not ‘see’ or ‘know’ anything; instead, it uses lots of data to make predictions. Think of word association: if I say “bread”, I predict that a lot of people in the UK will think “butter”. Here, I’ve used the data I’ve collected from years of living in this country to predict a reasonable answer. This is all AI devices are doing. 

    [AI] does not ‘see’ or ‘know’ anything; instead, it uses lots of data to make predictions.

    When talking to young children about AI, try to avoid using pronouns such as ‘she’ or ‘he’. Where possible, avoid giving devices human names, and instead call them “computer”, to reinforce the idea that humans and computers are very different. Let’s imagine that a child in your class says, “Alexa told me a joke at the weekend — she’s funny!” You could respond, “I love using computers to find new jokes! What was it?” This is just a micro-conversation, but with it, you are helping to surreptitiously challenge the child’s perception of Alexa and the role of AI in it.

    Where possible, avoid giving devices human names, and instead call them ‘computer’, to reinforce the idea that humans and computers are very different.

    Another good approach is to remember to keep your emotions separate from computers, so as not to give them human-like characteristics: don’t say that the computer ‘hates’ you, or is ‘deliberately ignoring’ you, and remember that it’s only ‘helpful’ because it was told to be. Language is important, and we need to continually practise avoiding anthropomorphism.

    AI isn’t just robots (actually, it rarely is)

    The media plays a huge role in what we imagine when we talk about AI. For the media, the challenge is how to make lines of code and data inside a computer look exciting and recognisable to their audiences. The answer? Robots! When learners hear about AI taking over the world, it’s easy for them to imagine robots like those you’d find in a Marvel movie. Yet the majority of AI exists within systems they’re already aware of and are using — you might just need to help draw their attention to it.

    Even better than just calling out uses of AI: try to have conversations about when things go wrong and AI systems suggest silly options.

    For example, when using a word processor, you can highlight to learners that the software sometimes predicts what word you want to type next, and that this is an example of the computer using AI. When learners are using streaming services for music or TV and the service predicts something that they might want to watch or listen to next, point out that this is using AI technology. When they see their parents planning a route using a satnav, explain that the satnav system uses data and AI to plan the best route.

    Even better than just calling out uses of AI: try to have conversations about when things go wrong and AI systems suggest silly options. This is a great way to build young people’s critical thinking around the use of computers. AI systems don’t always know best, because they’re just making predictions, and predictions can always be wrong.

    AI complements humans

    There’s a delicate balance between acknowledging the limitations of AI and portraying it as a problematic tool that we shouldn’t use. AI offers us great opportunities to improve the way we work, to get us started on a creative project, or to complete mundane tasks. However, it is just a tool, and tools complement the range of skills that humans already have. For example, if you gave an AI chatbot app the prompt, ‘Write a setting description using these four phrases: dark, scary, forest, fairy tale’, the first output from the app probably wouldn’t make much sense. As a human, though, you’d probably have to do far less work to edit the output than if you had had to write the setting description from scratch. Now, say you had the perfect example of a setting description, but you wanted 29 more examples, a different version for each learner in your class. This is where AI can help: completing a repetitive task and saving time for humans. 

    To help children understand how AI and humans complement each other, ask them the question, ‘What can’t a computer do?’ Answers that I have received before include, ‘Give me a hug’, ‘Make me laugh’, and ‘Paint a picture’, and these are all true. Can Alexa tell you a joke that makes you laugh? Yes — but a human created that joke. The computer is just the way in which it is being shared. Even with AI ‘creating’ new artwork, it is really only using data from something that someone else created. Humans are required. 

    Overall, we must remember that young children are part of a world that uses AI, and that it is likely to be ever more present in the future. We need to ensure that they know how to use AI responsibly, by minimising their alternate conceptions. With our youngest learners, this means taking care with the language you choose and the examples you use, and explaining AI’s role as a tool.

    To help children understand how AI and humans complement each other, ask them the question, ‘What can’t a computer do?’

    These simple approaches are the first steps to empowering children to go on to harness this technology. They also pave the way for you to simply introduce the core concepts of AI in later computing lessons without first having to untangle a web of alternate conceptions.

    This article also appears in issue 22 of Hello World, which is all about teaching and AI. Download your free PDF copy now.

    If you’re an educator, you can use our free Experience AI Lessons to teach your learners the basics of how AI works, whatever your subject area.

    Website: LINK

  • Macro DLP mirror array scales up a fascinating mechanical structure

    Macro DLP mirror array scales up a fascinating mechanical structure

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Digital light processing (DLP) devices, which we often see in digital projectors, work by reflecting light off of a two-dimensional array of many thousands — or even millions — of moving mirrors. For that to be practical, each mirror must be microscopic and that makes it very difficult to see and understand the way a DLP device functions. To make that more intuitive, Jon Bumstead scaled up a mirror array to build a “macro” DLP mirror device.

    Bumstead’s DLP mirror device only has 25 mirrors arranged in a 5×5 grid, so the resolution is too low to be of any use for displays. But the large size makes this the perfect educational demonstration, because users can easily see how the device operates. Each mirror can pivot to one of two states. The first state angles the mirror so light reflects out to where a lens would be. The second state angles the mirror inwards, so light reflects to where an absorbent pad would be. The first state is an “on” pixel and the second state is an “off” pixel. A real DLP device can switch between states fast enough to create shades of gray and the light would go through filters to introduce color.

    Each mirror in the macro DLP device is a square half an inch to a side. Mini push-pull solenoids actuate the mirrors between states and an Arduino Mega 2560 board controls those solenoids through transistors on a custom PCB shield. The frame and mechanical components were 3D-printed to keep costs down.

    This device isn’t practical for a display, but it is functional and works great as a tangible illustration of DLP technology. In a hazy room, users can see the reflected rays of light in order to grasp the underlying concept.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtsJR2oc2Jk?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post Macro DLP mirror array scales up a fascinating mechanical structure appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Now Available on Steam – Kodon

    Now Available on Steam – Kodon

    Reading Time: < 1 minute

    © 2024 Valve Corporation. All rights reserved. All trademarks are property of their respective owners in the US and other countries.

    VAT included in all prices where applicable.   Privacy Policy   |   Legal   |   Steam Subscriber Agreement   |   Refunds   |   Cookies

    View mobile website

    Website: LINK

  • UNO R4 Stars: Meet Michael Cheich

    UNO R4 Stars: Meet Michael Cheich

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    The launch of the Arduino UNO R4 marks a huge leap forward for our community. For us, it’s also the chance to celebrate the people who bring our ecosystem to life with their bright ideas, radiant enthusiasm, and shining insight.

    That is how the UNO R4 Stars blog post series began: to highlight makers who have not only created amazing projects with Arduino, but who are giving back to the community by sharing as they go and helping others make anything they wish.

    We invite you to discover each profile, hoping you might find a North Star to navigate around an expanding galaxy or venture into completely new universes.

    Learning can be overwhelming for anyone – and we mean anyone. Michael Cheich studied neuroscience and spent 20 years in the US military flying helicopters, yet candidly admits he was intimidated when he first began exploring his passion for programming and electronics. 

    Discovering the Arduino ecosystem turned around his perspective, allowing him to solve every challenge he encountered. Building projects that leverage technology now gives him a sense of accomplishment — a feeling he hopes to share with the almost 200K subscribers to Programming Electronics Academy. 

    On Cheich’s YouTube channel, you will find weekly videos that promise to give viewers not only the information but also, and more importantly, the confidence they need to keep learning. Just pick among hundreds of tutorials from basic to advanced – including a 90-minute masterclass on programming – as well as product reviews and project ideas.

    For example, Cheich recently has had a ton of fun building a ChatGPT terminal and decided to start writing an Arduino library for interfacing the large language model (LLM) with Wi-Fi-enabled microcontrollers. “I’ve always been fascinated by AI, and I just can’t express how amazing it is that an average guy like me has access to such powerful tools. It’s a great time to be alive and be a maker.”

    And his creativity does not stop at your typical coding or IoT endeavors. Cheich is also the mind behind The Arduino Paradox (use this affiliate link to support him!), a graphic novel written by Mark Lambert and illustrated by Brandon Scribner. We may not be the most objective, but we thought it was a great read! 

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQO_4ndairU?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    We asked Cheich, “What’s your favorite part of the UNO R4?”

    • The wireless capabilities of the UNO R4 WiFi, which make interfacing with LLMs really accessible.
    • The bigger, more powerful processor: “I am excited to explore some edge AI applications.”  
    • The debug port in the UNO R4 Minima, making it easier than ever to catch and correct any mistakes.

    In his full review of the Arduino UNO R4 Minima, Cheich also pointed out how he appreciates both what has been improved in the new revision and what has been kept the same: while packed with new exciting features, in his eyes the R4 is still perfect for beginners. And clearly “Arduino has thought hard about the hardware compatibility between the R4 and its predecessor, the R3.” So, no matter where you are on your learning journey, head to his Programming Electronics Academy for a booster of knowledge and confidence!

    The post UNO R4 Stars: Meet Michael Cheich appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Pretty tide clock

    Pretty tide clock

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    For us landlubbers, tides aren’t always something we have to think about, although Levi was familiar with the tide clocks where he grew up. Not being able to find one for his new Californian home, Levi decided to make his own: “It displays current tide height in feet, predicted hours until next tide and predicted height of the next tide using analogue meters and LED lights.”

    Tidal changes

    Making a clock wasn’t quite as easy as he first thought, though.

    The gauges and LEDs are controlled by the GPIO pins on Raspberry Pi

    “Growing up in Rhode Island, round, four-segmented tide clocks were a common sight in homes near the Atlantic,” Levi tells us. “But after moving to California, I noticed that these simple analogue clocks were nowhere to be found here. As it turns out, there’s a good reason for that. Similar to many coastal areas around the Pacific and some of the northern Mediterranean coast, the US west coast has a more complex tidal pattern, which means that without constant adjustment, a basic tide clock would get out of sync with the ‘mixed semi-diurnal’ tides here in just a few days.”

    This meant Levi needed a way to keep the clock up to date with the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) tide data, which led him to turn to Raspberry Pi. “The device stays accurate as long as it has a Wi-Fi connection,” Levi says. “The red light on the right side of the front panel indicates a rising tide and the green light on the left illuminates when the tide is falling. All of the meters and lights are driven by the GPIO pins on a Raspberry Pi 3B+ running a Python script that gathers tide predictions from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s API. The script converts the raw tidal data into PWM values to drive the meters and the binary state voltage for the LEDs.”

    Sea worthy

    As well as the electronic aspect of the project, Levi was keen to make it look more rustic to camouflage the internal tech, using analogue gauges and a wooden fascia. “Obviously there are more efficient ways to communicate tide predictions than with analogue meters,” Levi admits. “A digital display driven by a Raspberry Pi could easily show graphs and numbers based on the tide API. But I wanted something more rustic but just as accurate. They say measure twice and cut once. I must have tinkered mentally with the physical build design a thousand times over the past two years.

    The LEDs let you know if it’s a good time to head out, with green as the usual ‘go’ signal

    “So when it finally came time to assemble it, I had a very clear vision of how it should look, down to the brass plaque declaring that the information displayed was for ‘Santa Barbara Harbor’.”

    According to Levi the finished project works ‘really well’, which hopefully means he’s been able to go for his weekly walks without worrying about the tide since completing it.

  • Safer Seas Mode Brings Single-Crew Servers to Sea of Thieves

    Safer Seas Mode Brings Single-Crew Servers to Sea of Thieves

    Reading Time: 6 minutes

    Summary

    • Safer Seas will open up in the latest Sea of Thieves content update, available December 7 and free for all players with Xbox Game Pass and across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10/11, and Steam.
    • For the first time, players can choose to sail the Sea of Thieves alone or in a crew of chosen friends, without the possibility of PvP encounters.
    • This update arrives as the third of three major content updates that make up the ongoing Sea of Thieves Season Ten.

    After two months of back-to-back content updates, Sea of Thieves completes the trio promised back at the start of Season Ten by introducing a brand new game mode for players to explore: Safer Seas! Allowing exploration and adventure on a single-crew server, either alone or with a crew of chosen friends, this update opens the door to an entirely new way of playing the game.

    A Peaceful Voyage

    Sea of Thieves Safer Seas Screenshot

    In Safer Seas, players can elect to sail solo or with a crew of up to three friends, with no other player-controlled crews present in the world. For fresh-faced pirates just starting their journey, this means a chance to learn the ropes without having to keep an eye out for hostile rivals, and an opportunity to understand the world and its key mechanics before diving into the traditional mayhem of the main Sea of Thieves game mode, now known as High Seas.

    There’s no shortage of content in Safer Seas for players old or new to tackle. As in High Seas, a wide range of Voyages can be undertaken for the various Trading Companies, while World Events are frequently encountered, from fending off a Megalodon attack to striking down fearsome Ashen Lords. The ability to unlock the corresponding Commendations for these activities will also be present in Safer Seas.

    For story-hungry pirates, Safer Seas still gives access to all the game’s narrative-driven Tall Tales, including the crossover experiences that make up 2023’s Sea of Thieves: The Legend of Monkey Island and 2021’s Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Sea of Thieves: A Pirate’s Life. In the absence of enemy crews, you’ll now be able to immerse yourself in all this lore at your leisure, without the risk of being interrupted by anyone who thinks you might have valuable loot tucked away.

    Reduced Risk, Reduced Reward

    Sea of Thieves Safer Seas Screenshot

    While Safer Seas presents players with a wealth of content to explore at their own pace, there are of course some aspects of the game incompatible with a strictly single-crew experience. As a result, Safer Seas has a slightly reduced range of activities in comparison to High Seas.

    For instance, content built around player vs. player interactions has no place in Safer Seas by design, such as Faction battles using the Hourglass of Fate or the competitive Skull of Siren Song Voyage. Similarly, The Reaper’s Bones Trading Company will not be accessible there due to its focus on player combat.

    There are also some limits placed on progression within Safer Seas to account for the reduced risk in the absence of other players. Gold and reputation rewards will be accrued at 30% of that awarded in High Seas, and Trading Company reputation levels are capped at 40. This means that players will not be able to obtain the coveted title of Pirate Legend without venturing onto High Seas and, correspondingly, Safer Seas isn’t the place to engage with the Pirate Legend-focused Trading Company, Athena’s Fortune.

    These limitations have been put in place to maintain a balance between Safer and High Seas, and to encourage players to try out both modes to see which suits their play style and needs. Even with these in place, however, Safer Seas presents a world alive with opportunities, whether it’s diving into Sea of Thieves lore through the Tall Tales, spending an undisturbed evening working on your fishing skills, or getting to grips with the game’s combat mechanics by taking on veritable hordes of skeletons. After all, Safer Seas isn’t entirely without risk – with or without roving pirate crews, the Sea of Thieves is a perilous place!

    Fashion for All

    Sea of Thieves Safer Seas Screenshot

    One thing remaining consistent across Safer and High Seas is pirate style. The Outpost shops and Pirate Emporium are accessible in either mode, and Ancient Coin earnings won’t be subject to the 30% cap on gold and reputation. Seasonal Renown can also be earned at the same rate across both High Seas and Safer Seas, so your progress towards the active Season’s cosmetic and currency rewards (and the rewards themselves) will be consistent no matter how you choose to play.

    If you’ve picked up the Season Ten Plunder Pass, you’ll still be able to work towards unlocking the Stormfish Chaser ship set and clothing alongside all the usual gold, Doubloons and Ancient Coins available through the 100 levels of Renown on offer during this Season.

    Over in the Pirate Emporium, a range of time-limited seasonal goodies make a comeback this month, including the Festival of Giving weapons and pet outfits. The Bonechiller Costume is also back for the holidays, and this time it’s bringing with it an entire ship collection and bundle of weapons to fill out that frightfully festive look. Combined with the Ransacking Emote, you shouldn’t have any problem getting into the holiday spirit…

    A Jam-Packed Season

    Sea of Thieves Safer Seas Screenshot

    Of course, Safer Seas is far from the only content to explore in Season Ten. December’s monthly update is the third to arrive this Season, following the introduction of Guilds in October and the Skull of Siren Song Voyage in November.

    With Guilds, players can team up with fellow sailors beyond the usual limit of a four-person crew. By forming or joining a Guild, pirates can contribute to its shared Guild Reputation and unlock exclusive rewards for all Guild Members as they progress. And, for those of a less collaborative persuasion, the Skull of Siren Song Voyage sees the notorious Captain Briggsy summon pirates from across the waves into a competitive race to claim an ancient and powerful artefact.

    All these new updates have been accompanied by a host of improvements and fixes to various areas of Sea of Thieves, to ensure that you’re able to have the experience you want out on the waves. With Safer Seas, that personalized experience is more accessible than ever, and we can’t wait to see you out there!

    Find Out More

    For more information on this Sea of Thieves update, including full release notes, visit the Sea of Thieves website. The update is currently available for free to all Sea of Thieves players who have bought the game on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10/11 PC or via Steam, or players who have access to it with Xbox Game Pass. Simply download and install the latest Sea of Thieves update to get access.

    New to Sea of Thieves? Find out about the latest free content updates on our What’s New page, get familiar with Who’s Who or pick up some gameplay tips from our Pirate Academy, which provides invaluable information on topics ranging from sailing to swordplay as you prepare for your maiden voyage. Learn more about Sea of Thieves here, or join the ongoing adventure at www.seaofthieves.com where you can embark on an epic journey with one of gaming’s most welcoming communities!

    Website: LINK

  • Three September debuts on Project Hub, three top picks!

    Three September debuts on Project Hub, three top picks!

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    The Project Hub is where Arduino users share their achievements to inspire, help others, and maybe show off a little. With thousands of projects already uploaded, in categories that run the gamut from “flying things” to “smart lighting,” we are proud to celebrate this community-boosting initiative by selecting three highlights every month for a special mention and gift card to spend on our Store. 

    If you are new to the portal and think you’d never be picked, think again! All three top users from September stood out with the very first project they uploaded.

    3. Keep your energy levels in check

    This advanced project allows you to successfully build an Arduino-based power meter system with internal PLC, able to accurately collect and calculate data to monitor energy consumption, improve efficiency, and add value to home automation solutions. Follow the instructions to display voltage, power factor, current, power and frequency instantly, with a handful of commonly available components and a compact Arduino Nano. 

    2. Start your own band, with animatronics

    Syncing up different props – from different manufacturers and retailers – to create a cohesive overall installation is no easy feat! This project was specifically intended for Halloween, to get skeletal animatronics to play the same music together thanks to the UNO R3 and some ingenious wiring… but we think it would work great also with more festive characters, for a truly unforgettable holiday display. 

    1. Stop manually logging in and out of Windows

    A fan of Arduino since graduating with a dissertation on smart homes in 2022, kela910512 has successfully used an Arduino Micro to devise a secure tool to log in and out of Windows 10 using an RFID card. Instead of manually typing passwords, the solution leverages an Android application to send the user’s password to the Arduino via Bluetooth, with a range of additional security mechanisms. To find out more and perhaps try this yourself, head to Project Hub! 

    For your chance to be selected for a $100, $300 or even $500 gift card to spend on the Arduino Store, submit your best project on Project Hub! We will be awarding three new entries every month, as detailed in the complete terms and conditions. Good luck! 

    The post Three September debuts on Project Hub, three top picks! appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Impressions from Coolest Projects South Africa 2023

    Impressions from Coolest Projects South Africa 2023

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    The day after the successful meetup with our Global Clubs Partner organisations based in Africa, our team and some of our partners enjoyed participating in the Coolest Projects South Africa 2023 event to meet young tech creators and help out as project judges. Here are some of our impressions.

    Our team and partners at Coolest Projects South Africa 2023.

    A day of Coolest Projects

    This is the fourth year of a partner-run, regional version of Coolest Projects — our world-leading showcase for young tech creators — taking place in South Africa, led by David Campey. David is Director of Coder LevelUp, one of our Global Clubs Partners growing and supporting a network of CoderDojos and Code Clubs in the country, and involved in the CoderDojo movement for a whole decade.

    A waterbottle with a Coolest Projects South Africa sticker.

    There was a buzz of anticipation and excitement at the Cape Town Science Centre as young coders from age 5 to 18 and various backgrounds gathered on this sunny Saturday morning to showcase their coding creations and inventions at Coolest Projects South Africa. From fun games and animations on Scratch, to cool websites created with HTML and CSS, to fantastic Python-based hardware solutions to real-world challenges — every young creator brought along a project they’d created to proudly showcase and celebrate.

    Luhle’s language-inspired coding project

    While chatting with the creators and discovering what had motivated their projects, we met up with 11-year-old Luhle, who was delighted to take us through the ‘Moon conversation’ animation she had coded in Scratch.

    A young tech creator with her Scratch project at Coolest Projects South Africa 2023.
    11-year-old Luhle proudly showcases her ‘Moon conversation’ Scratch animation at the Coolest Projects South Africa 2023 event.

    The animation involved a Spanish conversation between two people who journeyed to the moon and back. Luhle had created her animation because of her love for languages and in response to a challenge posed to her class by her teacher: to learn 5 languages. While her mother tongue is isiXhosa, she is confident in English, is learning Afrikaans, has started teaching herself Spanish, and would love to learn Korean.

    Kayden’s innovative hardware creation

    We also met with 16-year-old Kayden, who showcased a project he’d made to address a real-world challenge. He told us he had always struggled to concentrate in class — a challenge that many young people face — and he wanted to build an alternative solution to the established medications. Using vibration sensors and two microcontrollers, he created a digital device to prompt users when they are no longer paying attention in class. With his friend Carl, he successfully tested the device on a meaningful sample of Grade 1–3 learners (ages 7–9).

    A young tech creator with his hardware project at Coolest Projects South Africa 2023.
    16-year-old Kayden listens intently as one of the Coolest Projects judges, Akwabi Paul from Kenya, commends his invention and advises him on next steps. Listening in are two other judges, Solomon from The Gambia and Sylvester from Malawi.

    Kayden is now developing this low-cost innovative solution to include a heart rate monitor to help to detect when a user loses focus, and he wants this to be a solution that’s widely accessible and affordable for all South African children. One of the judges, our partner Akwabi Paul from Tech Kidz Africa in Kenya, was greatly impressed and motivated by Kayden’s work, and took time to advise Kayden on the next steps to turn his invention into a commercial product.

    The coding club at CBC St Johns Parklands

    During the event we also met members of Mrs Hill’s coding club and learnt about Mrs Hill’s experience of nurturing a love and interest for coding and robotics at CBC St Johns Parklands in Cape Town.

    Since 2020, Mrs Hills has been providing coding lessons to all school classes — learners aged 6 to 12 years — as well as an after-school coding and robotics club. She approaches her lessons by introducing and demonstrating coding skills and then presenting her learners with a problem to solve collaboratively. In her words, ‘Learners find more interest in learning practically.’

    That’s why Coolest Projects is the perfect fit for her and her young people. 4 of her club members took part in Coolest Projects South Africa 2022. This year, she was proud to enter 11 participants, 3 of whom were chosen as judges’ favourites.

    Here’s to the young creators and more Coolest Projects events

    After the showcasing and judging, the Coolest Projects South Africa event culminated in a hearty celebration of all that the young tech creators had presented. David Campey’s passion for nurturing coding literacy, digital making skills, and innovative thinking among learners from different walks of life made the whole day a truly enjoyable, inclusive event for the young creators.

    Coolest Projects logo.

    It was inspiring, no doubt, for our other African partners who participated as judges and are now keen to host Coolest Projects events back in their home countries.  

    Get involved in Coolest Projects

    If you and your young people based anywhere on the globe feel inspired to showcase digital tech creations, you can get involved in our Coolest Projects 2024 online showcase! It’s free and open to any young tech creator up to age 18.

    Sign up to the Coolest Projects newsletter to be the first to hear all updates, for example when showcase registration opens on 14 February.

    Website: LINK

  • Culturally relevant Computing: Experiences of primary learners

    Culturally relevant Computing: Experiences of primary learners

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Today’s blog is written by Dr Alex Hadwen-Bennett, who we worked with to find out primary school learners’ experiences of engaging with culturally relevant Computing lessons. Alex is a Lecturer in Computing Education at King’s College London, where he undertakes research focusing on inclusive computing education and the pedagogy of making.

    Despite many efforts to make a career in Computing more accessible, many groups of people are still underrepresented in the field. For instance, a 2022 report revealed that only 22% of people currently working in the IT industry in the UK are women. Additionally, among learners who study Computing at schools in England, Black Caribbean students are currently one of the most underrepresented groups. One approach that has been suggested to address this underrepresentation at school is culturally relevant pedagogy.

    In a computing classroom, a girl laughs at what she sees on the screen.

    For this reason, a particular focus of the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s academic research programme is to support Computing teachers in the use of culturally relevant pedagogy. This pedagogy involves developing learning experiences that deliberately aim to enable all learners to engage with and succeed in Computing, including by bringing their culture and interests into the classroom.

    The Foundation’s work in this area started with the development of guidelines for culturally relevant and responsive teaching together with a group of teachers and external researchers. The Foundation’s researchers then explored how a group of Computing teachers employed the guidelines in their own teaching. In a follow-on study funded by Cognizant, the team worked with 13 primary school teachers in England to adapt Computing lessons to make them culturally relevant for their learners. In this process, the teachers adapted a unit on photo editing for Year 4 (ages 8–9), and a unit about vector graphics for Year 5 (ages 9–10). As part of the project, I worked with the Foundation team to analyse and report on data gathered from focus groups of primary learners who had engaged with the adapted units.

    At the beginning of this study, teachers adapted two units of work that cover digital literacy skills

    Conducting the focus groups

    For the focus groups, the Foundation team asked teachers from three schools to each choose four learners to take part. All children in the three focus groups had taken part in all the lessons involving the culturally adapted resources. The children were both boys and girls, and came from diverse cultural backgrounds where possible.

    The questions for the focus groups were prepared in advance and covered:

    • Perceptions of Computing as a subject
    • Reflections of their experiences of the engaging with culturally adapted resources
    • Perceptions of who does Computing

    Outcomes from the focus groups

    “I feel happy that I see myself represented in some way.”

    “It was nice to do something that actually represented you in many different ways, like your culture and your background.”

    – Statements of learners who participated in the focus groups

    When the learners were asked about what they did in their Computing lessons, most of them made references to working with and manipulating graphics; fewer made references to programming and algorithms. This emphasis on graphics is likely related to this being the most recent topic the learners engaged with. The learners were also asked about their reflections on the culturally adapted graphics unit that they had recently completed. Many of them felt that the unit gave them the freedom to incorporate things that related to their interests or culture. The learners’ responses also suggested that they felt represented in the work they completed during the unit. Most of them indicated that their interests were acknowledged, whereas fewer mentioned that they felt their cultural backgrounds were highlighted.

    “Anyone can be good at computing if they have the passion to do it.”

    – Statement by a learner who participated in a focus group

    When considering who does computing, the learners made multiple references to people who keep trying or do not give up. Whereas only a couple of learners said that computer scientists need to be clever or intelligent to do computing. A couple of learners suggested that they believed that anyone can do computing. It is encouraging that the learners seemed to associate being good at computing with effort rather than with ability. However, it is unclear whether this is associated with the learners engaging with the culturally adapted resources.

    Reflections and next steps

    While this was a small-scale study, the focus groups findings do suggest that engaging with culturally adapted resources can make primary learners feel more represented in their Computing lessons. In particular, engaging with an adapted unit led learners to feel that their interests were recognised as well as, to a lesser extent, their cultural backgrounds. This suggests that primary-aged learners may identify their practical interests as the most important part of their background, and want to share this in class.

    Two children code on laptops while an adult supports them.

    Finally, the responses of the learners suggest that they feel that perseverance is a more important quality than intelligence for success in computing and that anyone can do it. While it is not possible to say whether this is directly related to their engagement with a culturally adapted unit, it would be an interesting area for further research.

    More information and resources

    You can find out more about culturally relevant pedagogy and the Foundation’s research on it, for example by:

    The Foundation would like to extend thanks to Cognizant for funding this research, and to the primary computing teachers and learners who participated in the project. 

    Website: LINK

  • Badger and Fox Deterrent

    Badger and Fox Deterrent

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    He had a number of Raspberry Pis at home and built a solar-powered watering system using Raspberry Pi A+ back in 2015. He says the low-powered footprint paired with the significant compute capabilities of Raspberry Pi 4 prompted him to explore its machine learning potential at home.

    Inaudible alarm bells

    Having moved house in 2022, James and his family quickly discovered an issue with their new home: local foxes and badgers “loved ripping the garden up, digging deep holes and leaving ‘gifts’ everywhere for us”. Most disturbingly, they brought in insects carrying who knew what in terms of germs and potentially harmful diseases. Once local wildlife experts confirmed these fleas and ticks were definitely from their garden visitors, James was “set on a path to create a deterrent that could help with our problem”.

    He initially tried scent-marking repellent and natural mixes of citronella and chilli, blocking entry points along the fences in the garden, but “This just resulted in our fluffy friends ignoring my initial attempts and digging more holes”. He tried one solution that offered a glimmer of hope: solar-powered ultrasonic repellents. The Milwards duly placed a few around their garden. However, the repellents required manual setting depending on whether it was badgers or foxes they wanted to warn off, as well as deactivating so as not to trigger when the family was in the garden. This led to occasions when no ultrasonic repellent was in use, and a further incursion of wildlife. Combined with inconsistent charging of the solar-powered units, James realised he needed something smarter: Raspberry Pi would be the perfect choice to help add some intelligence to these very basic devices.

    Tense, nervous, headache

    James had already experimented with TensorFlow and figured the combination of this open-source machine learning platform’s object recognition capabilities and Raspberry Pi could work well for his Fox and Badger Deterrent, modifying the ultrasonic repellent for remote use. By adding wireless connectivity and an ESP8266 microprocessor, he would even be able to have the repellent operate at a targeted frequency range to “accurately deter targets”.

    The project’s real headache came when trying to get video frame rates good enough for object detection at a resolution of 640×640 pixels. James used existing YouTube tutorials designed for 320×320 models, but soon found that more detailed images would be needed, and set about reducing the complexity of the model without losing too much accuracy. Unfortunately, this method brought the frame rate up to just under 1 FPS, which was fine for a single video stream, but James had built the code to work on multiple cameras at once. He then discovered that the Coral USB Accelerator Edge TPU works superbly with Raspberry Pi 4, which has the necessary USB 3.0 ports. “I was able to use this device to get the frame rate for object detection up to 5 FPS for one video feed and about 2 FPS for two feeds running concurrently.”

    Warning: Working with animals

    Please be mindful when creating devices that interact with animals. Read the RSPCA’s guide on deterrents and animal population control.

  • This DIY humanoid robot talks back to you

    This DIY humanoid robot talks back to you

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Most people with an interest in robotics probably dream of building android-style humanoid robots. But when they dip their toes into the field, they quickly learn the reality that such robots are incredibly complex and expensive. However, everyone needs to start somewhere. If you want to begin that journey, you can follow these instructions to assemble your own talking humanoid robot.

    This robot, dubbed “CHAD,” is a humanoid torso with moving arms, face tracking, and some voice assistant capabilities. It can understand certain voice commands, provide spoken responses, and even hold chat bot-style conversations. The arms weren’t designed to lift anything, but they are capable of movement similar to human arms up to the wrists and that gives CHAD the ability to gesture. It can also move its head to follow a face that it sees.

    CHAD achieves that on a remarkably small budget of just ?5000 (about $60 USD) with a handful of components: two Arduino UNO R3 boards, several hobby servo motors, simple L298N motor drivers, and a PC power supply. One Arduino board controls most of the servo movement, while the second focuses on the face tracking movement.

    The Arduino boards don’t handle the processing, which is instead outsourced to a PC running Python scripts. Those do the heavy lifting of face recognition, voice recognition, and voice synthesis. The PC then passes movement commands to the Arduino boards through serial.

    CHAD’s body and most of its mechanical components are 3D-printable, with two lengths of wood acting as the primary structure. That helps to keep the cost down, giving everyone the chance to create a humanoid robot.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE7XnjM0FNQ?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post This DIY humanoid robot talks back to you appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK