Hi everyone, i've got a question about the Scratchboard.
I'm a german student in the 13th grade and want to do a Workshop in electronics and IT at my school. I think about to use Scratch to teach the kids how to develope Software and make it communicate with external hardwaredevices.
So I planed to show them how to build the Hardware and then use it in interaction with scratch.
MY QUESTION:
Is it possible to ...
... get the schematic of the Scratchboard?
OR
... get the serial protocol??
<if><( answer <=> YES )>
<say[ THANK YOU ]
Offline
j_ruebe wrote:
Hi everyone, i've got a question about the Scratchboard.
I'm a german student in the 13th grade and want to do a Workshop in electronics and IT at my school. I think about to use Scratch to teach the kids how to develope Software and make it communicate with external hardwaredevices.
So I planed to show them how to build the Hardware and then use it in interaction with scratch.
MY QUESTION:
Is it possible to ...
... get the schematic of the Scratchboard?
OR
... get the serial protocol??
<if><( answer <=> YES )>
<say[ THANK YOU ]
well, if you want one you can just buy one or if you want to show them how you make it just buy one and disammble it and make it again
Offline
Sounds like he's in germany...
do they ship there?
eyra
Offline
Hi, J_Ruebe.
Yes, you can get the schematics for a Scratch Board and the spec for its serial protocol. This information would enable you to create your own sensor boards.
Note that the Scratch Board is currently input only--that is, you cannot control things with it, and there are currently no Scratch commands to control external devices. However, you can teach kids a lot about simple electronics by having them make controllers for Scratch, such as musical instrument controllers (controlling the note and drum commands) and game controllers. We even had an artist who created an interactive art installation triggered by stepping on a sensor.
If you want a shortcut, you might want to start with a pre-built Scratch Board. There are 4 resistive inputs which can be used to connect up to your own switches and sensors. Even a piece of fruit or a damp pice of paper can be used to control something since its resistance varies depending on where you probe.
I don't think the Scratch Board info is posted yet, but if you send an email to scratch-feedback (at media.mit.edu) and someone will send you a link.
FYI, we do ship Scratch Boards overseas--anywhere that DHL can deliver.
Have fun!
-- John
Last edited by johnm (2007-09-14 09:04:29)
Offline
johnm wrote:
Hi, J_Ruebe.
Yes, you can get the schematics for a Scratch Board and the spec for its serial protocol. This information would enable you to create your own sensor boards.
Note that the Scratch Board is currently input only--that is, you cannot control things with it, and there are currently no Scratch commands to control external devices. However, you can teach kids a lot about simple electronics by having them make controllers for Scratch, such as musical instrument controllers (controlling the note and drum commands) and game controllers. We even had an artist who created an interactive art installation triggered by stepping on a sensor.
If you want a shortcut, you might want to start with a pre-built Scratch Board. There are 4 resistive inputs which can be used to connect up to your own switches and sensors. Even a piece of fruit or a damp pice of paper can be used to control something since its resistance varies depending on where you probe.
I don't think the Scratch Board info is posted yet, but if you send an email to scratch-feedback (at media.mit.edu) and someone will send you a link.
FYI, we do ship Scratch Boards overseas--anywhere that DHL can deliver.
Have fun!
-- John
guess that means you use DHL to ship
Offline
Does the scratchboard come with a USB-serial cable, or is this an additional item that needs to be bought separately? There is no hint that I could find in the on-line scratchboard documentation. For those of us with Macs, there aren't any old USB/serial cables just lying around.
Offline
johnm wrote:
Hi, J_Ruebe.
Yes, you can get the schematics for a Scratch Board and the spec for its serial protocol. This information would enable you to create your own sensor boards.
Note that the Scratch Board is currently input only--that is, you cannot control things with it, and there are currently no Scratch commands to control external devices. However, you can teach kids a lot about simple electronics by having them make controllers for Scratch, such as musical instrument controllers (controlling the note and drum commands) and game controllers. We even had an artist who created an interactive art installation triggered by stepping on a sensor.
\Have fun!
-- John
is there anywhere i can see how the artist created the iteractive art peice, beause I am building somehting very simailar.... (a twister board that plays music when stepped on...) but i need help because the scratch board only offers 4 inputs, and i need 20... I also have multiple scratch boards... so...
Offline