[OLPC_Boston] Olin College Chapter Updates

[Caroline Meeks]

Hi Elsa,

Right now I have contacts in Boston, Cambridge, VT and NH, that seems like a
long ways for you guys to travel.  Would you like to try to hook up with a
school we are already working at or would would you like help getting this
started local schools and maybe we can start with an afterschool program and
then expand the pilot?

What schools does Olin already have relationships with?

Caroline

On Fri, Jan 1, 2010 at 10:07 AM, Elsa Culler
<elsa.culler at students.olin.edu>wrote:

> 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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> OLPC_Boston at lists.laptop.org
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>
>


-- 
Caroline Meeks
Solution Grove
Caroline at SolutionGrove.com

617-500-3488 - Office
505-213-3268 - Fax
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