Prototyping with an Experimental Code Clip

Today I had the pleasure of playing around with an experimental prototype of Chibitronics' up and coming Code Clip, which is programmable via an audio cable (yes, audio instead of USB) and a cloud-based IDE that was created in collaboration with Codebender! This means that the microcontroller can be programmed from a tablet or smartphone, which is super convenient!

While it's still in testing mode, I am thrilled to report that this clip has a lot of fun features.  One of my favorites so far, aside from how efficient it is to program, is how ridiculously easy it has become to use the same microcontroller to jump between circuits, some containing NeoPixels and others using regular LEDs and/or Circuit Stickers.  I can't wait to see what else Chibitronics comes up with!  I just know I would have wanted to become an engineer or computer scientist if I'd learned how to build and code with a tool like this when I was younger.  This is a game changer!

Notebook Hacking

Last night, I was so excited about the completion of my first blinged-out book that I started reading about the new circuit stickers that I bought online.

In the process, I discovered 21st Century Notebooking, a new Google+ Community! This community is connecting the book arts with the National Writer's project, which has only increased my desire to play around with this medium!

I've learned that Jie Qi, a doctoral student at the MIT Media Lab, has links to several cool tutorials at Chibitronics.  I am so inspired by her work that I am going to start experimenting with journaling in my blinged-out books, by integrating artwork and circuitry in between the pages.

Here is a link to a blog post featuring a lesson that integrates circuitry into poetry!
Illuminating Poetry with Paper Circuitry

NGSS Framework Practices Addressed

8.  Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Paper Battery Holder

I am finding that the little plastic battery holders are a bit challenging to work with in a bookbinding project, because they are so thick.

Puttering around on the Internet led me to this awesome discovery!  You can make a paper battery holder that connects to LEDs with copper tape! This type of a battery holder is much THINNER!

I found the tutorial and a template, created by Jie Qi,  at the following link: Paper Batter Holder Tutorial 

Here is the project that I made using a piece of paper-cloth, two flowers printed from a 3D printer, two LEDs, and all of the copper tape that I had.




I just ordered more supplies, and I can hardly wait for them to arrive!

 

NGSS Framework Practices Addressed

1.  Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)

2.  Developing and using models

3.  Planning and carrying out investigations

6.  Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)

8.  Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information