[OLPC_Boston] Olin College Chapter Updates

[Elsa Culler]

 Hi all,
This is an update about the activities of the Olin OLPC chapter.

Short version:
We've been working on developing a robotic "turtle" that can be controlled
directly from TurtleArt. We currently have a working prototype that cost
around $175 plus an xo. The next goal is to make a cheaper version($20-30).
We will also be running a TurtleArt-based after school program next semester
at a Needham-area public school. We hope to use the xobot as part of the
curriculum.

Wiki pages:
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Olin_university_chapter/Projects/XOBot
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Olin_university_chapter/Projects/Curriculum

Long version:
Our current prototype has the following capabilities:

   - We tried to use the xo as hardware as much as possible, so the
   mechanical component is basically a sheet metal box with wheels that the xo
   sits on top of. (The idea behind this is that since the xo already has
   sensors and processing power, and any xobot users will be used to using the
   xo, using the xo as a base for the robot would make it cheaper and more
   usable. This is probably going to change in the next version, since we
   discovered that motors capable of moving the xo cost $60 - way more than
   sensors)
   - The motors are controlled by an arduino plus a motor sheild.(This is
   another place we're trying to cut cost, since breakout/dev boards are huge
   time savers right now but won't be necessary in a final version)
   - We used the "make-your-own-block" feature in TurtleArt to write code
   that transmits either a distance to travel or a radius and an angle to the
   arduino. Possibly this could be built into a branch version of TurtleArt.
   I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not, since I don't think we will be
   able to maintain it long-term.
   - To make the robot move, you just place the custom block at the
   beginning of the code and between every command you want to send to the
   robot. Currently this has a few limitations. Since our code can only access
   changes in position and heading, it does not know when the robot has gone in
   a complete circle. It also can only move in lines and circles.

The after school program is designed to teach a variety of math and
engineering concepts through turtleart labs. It will be run once a week for
 10 weeks starting in February. The following is a list of possible concepts
and accompanying labs that will be trimmed down depending on time and
technical feasability

   - introduction to turtleart and geometric intuition: draw your name,
   convert a drawing into a turtleart program
   - angles and lengths: make regular polygons
   - geometric interpretations of algebraic expressions: make a visual
   representation of an equation (e.g. 3+4=7 could be represented with three
   lines)
   - repetition: circle patterns from the FLOSS manual, tesselations
   - variables: color spectra
   - recursion: fractals(top hat, Sierpinski's triangle)
   - interfacing with people: control turtle from keyboard, make a turtleart
   game
   - robot
      - motors: hook up to the xobot
      - sensors: turtleart oscilloscope
      - manual control: move the xobot with a mouse click
      - sensor control: move the xobot to a particular distance from another
      xo

We'd love any feedback or suggestions on either the xobot or the after
school program. In particular, we'd love to run the after school program
with a partner pilot school. Does anyone know of a teacher or school that
might be interested in running a similar curriculum and sharing student
work?

Thanks!
-Elsa Culler, Olin OLPC Chapter
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