Week 8 - Kookaberry and Edison Bot

Special guests Renee Noble and Rowena Stewart introduced us to programming. Renee Noble demonstrated how to use the software Kookaberry and programming it to create different things like a pitch bend or a metronome. I created a playdough xylophone. Firstly, we used the software on the mac to program the kookaberry to create different notes as if on a keyboard. It looked like a list and required different kinds of programming instructions/technology like the use of variables (which in this case was the different notes), math (where we set the frequency of each note) and directions that set when to play or not. When we finished the software programming, we then created the xylophone using alligator clips, connecting clips, a speaker, a kookaberry and playdough. With the playdough, we used it as a connecting object (we rolled 2 sticks of playdough like thin tree logs then placed them down parallel on the table. We then stuck the alligator clips into one side) as well as our ‘mallet’ (just a small stick) in that when we touch both separate playdoughs (the connecting and the mallet) it creates a sound! We can change the frequency of the sound by touching the connecting playdough in different areas.

Rowena Stewart showed us the Edison bot which is a robot programmed to analyse light vs dark, track a line as well as make sounds via a remote control so that it will react in different ways. It can also interpret a clap to move or turn on lights.

In the classroom setting, it would be very interesting for the students to watch and play with because it requires using equipment that they would like (playdough) whilst being introduced to new technical equipment (like alligator clips or the robot/kookaberry itself). Learning about programming was very new and confusing at first but nevertheless the concept was interesting and I think students would really enjoy the practical elements of building things and playing with robots.