Are PICOboards the only choice?
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Katherine Moseley
Member
December 02, 2009
Can anyone please clarify whether it is only the PICOboard that is compatible with Scratch.
Any advice/guidance/help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you : - )
Is there a wiring schematic anywhere of which parts of the USB plug are used by Scratch? I have many old Technic Legos, motors, and sensors from a very old Lego system that connected to the computer (from about 1988 I think). I'd like to be able to adapt them to work with the Scratch software.
Is it as simple as figuring out which wire is the hot wire and which is the ground to run a motor? or sensor? Do I need a resistor in the line to keep to much power from being drawn for the motors?
I'm very new to Scratch, but everything I've read indicates that tinkering and expanding is welcomed. Is that true for people making their own interfaces?
I ordered a WeDo interface, but $50 seems like a lot for what I should be able to build myself so that the plugs from my old Legos will also work.
Is this maybe what you're looking for?
http://info.scratch.mit.edu/Sensor_Board
Thank you, Karen. It partially is. I'm also looking for information on powering motors which the Sensor Board does not do.
Any idea on why a motor port is not included on the board?
Darrell
Nope, but I'll ask my colleague Amon Millner...
Depending you may look at the 'virtual' pico board - Rayure. It requires Mac OS X 10.5
http://www.chaoticminds.org/rayure/
Is there any pointer or documentation to what or how to do the "Scratch-based music / prototype of a slide guitar/Scratch project," that sounds very interesting and like something that you'd be hard pressed to pry the students off of. (in a good way...)
The parent who did this project with my class has now posted it on-line. Check out:
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/02/scratch_board_guitar.html
I don't have anything official. Here's what it involved:
Guitar
1. Understand that one input option for picoboards is measuring resistance in a circuit.
2. Make a guitar prototype (the parent version was fancy--miniature rock-style body from plywood attached to a fretboard). Cover the fretboard with a conductive material--he used a thin black spongy material with some metal component new to me. Make the slide from a film can wrapped in tin foil.
3. Attach wires to the board, can and Sratchboard in a way that moving the can up and down the board will change the length of the circuit and impact the resistance measured.
4. Write a Scratch script that plays sounds at different pitches depending on the resistance variable.
Drumpad
Same idea, with tinfoil on the drumsticks and the foamy-stuff on the pad. When the sticks touch the pad, a circuit closed and the Scratch script played the drum sound.
If you are looking for something to link programming and external inputs, it is hard to beat connecting Scratch with either one of these choices. You can do so much more than with the software side of the inputs, and kids will know the program to use in other contexts without the outside sensors. I have to add, though, that I haven't used sensor gadgets from other companies to compare.
I don't know pricing for WeDos, but choosing where to spend the money, you could consider:
WeDo motors are lots of fun, programming movement like animatronics, toys, etc. Downside is you also need to buy Lego pieces, gears and such.
Picoboards have lots of different input options--sound, light, resistance, switch. They are great for making game controllers, science experimenting, unusual inputs for graphic design projects. You can use all sorts of found materials in building, no extra purchase needed. They are pricey, and don't have the motor option for the movement projects kids enjoy.
Thanks for getting back to me. Yes it is an external sensor board I'm looking for. Basically we have a budget to spend that isn't huge -nothing new there. We are lacking in control technology and I've been looking at the Lego kits to use in conjunction with Scratch. Although Scratchboards went over to Pico' they are only available to buy from the US and they are $50 each - which is pushing things for us as we are a tiny school. If we need parts or support it is then limiting for us being in the UK.
I'm also looking at Go Control software from DataHarvest - I need to be able to use and external sensor for this too. So everything needs to be compatible with the external sensor boards.
I'm just trying to make sure we get good value for our money and that I don't leave a can of worms for whomever takes this job over while I'm on maternity leave next year. Hope the above makes sense!
Are you thinking of external sensing devices? As I understand it, the Scratch folks created the interface board you mention, then turned it over to a company to manufacture under the Picoboard name. Now they also have worked out compatability between the current version of Scratch and the Lego WeDo system. Karen B. describes that here: http://scratched.media.mit.edu/resources/wedoscratch-miniguide.
What sorts of project do you have in mind? A group of my students had a ball with Picoboards and a parent volunteer, who came in to help them make Scratch-based music. He had a prototype of a slide guitar/Scratch project they played with over and over.
Karen R.