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Ann:$25 PCB to help novices/protect Arduino. Schools. Parents?

Former Member

I hope it is okay that I marked this as a question? It IS an announcement... but also a question in that feedback on the item described is my main reason for posting! If experts find problems if they are kind enough to review the page offered below,their thoughts will be very welcome.

 

This is NOT "crowd sourced" vaporware! The boards exist. They work. But I am inviting Mr Murphy to the party, AND involving kids... I am not so egotistical to believe that there is nothing that could be improved. Before I put a lot more time into this, I want to be sure there are no fundamental flaws at the heart of the work to date!

 

I now have six copies of a PCB which, along with it's components, cost about $25 each.

 

NoviceGuard, as I call it, is an attempt to make an Arduino Pro Mini "novice friendly", and also novice SAFE... i.e., the user can't damage the Arduino, if just one basic rule is kept.

 

I hope it will make the Arduino something that can be used in schools with children as young as 10.

 

I have a general page about it, but also a page for teachers/ parents, and one written to tell "experts" what I've tried to do. I hope experts will look at their page, and write to me if they can see things that I've overlooked... is there a way to damage the board that I've overlooked?

 

Experts' page: Call for review: for experts, a plea for input: NoviceGuard (PCB261) ModGeeInt.htm

 

Parents', teachers' page: Introduction for teachers, parents: NoviceGuard (PCB261) ModTeaInt.htm

 

(There are links to the general page from both.)

 

I am looking for suitable people to LOAN a prototype to, for comment. Details in both pages.

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    sheepdog.tk

    Like Paul I'm not sure what you trying to achieve with this project.

     

    If you want to build something that will 'protect' most pins from silly wiring mistakes, then I would have thought a shield with 100 or 220 ohm resistors in series might have been sufficient.

    I did a similar thing years ago with some Picaxe kits, since they had no protection.

     

    If you're trying to make a shield that makes it easy to connect to, then there are some 'brick' or 'Grove' based boards around already.

     

    I support bringing Arduino to kids, and am involved in a programme here in Christchurch, NZ where we do just that.

    We also provide the school with information to allow them to continue it as an after school program.

     

    I've done some classroom stuff with Arduino and the breadboard style is a problem as you need to have very clear instructions (and pupils who read image).

    For the latest series I used product from here (sorry element14 your kits are just too expensive)

    Electronic Brick

     

    If you wanted to stop the wrong voltage being sent back into the Arduino, then don't extend that pin or use a diode to make it an output only.

    I tend to use USB power for all the stuff we do as it limits the voltage, saves on power packs and provides some current limiting.

    It does limit you to LEDs, displays, switches, I2C, One Wire, etc, but apart from motors and large loads it covers most and its a great introduction.

     

     

     

    NoviceGuard is supposed to get rid of two of the biggest probems of starting kids on Arduinos!

    Your statement has me curious ... what do you see as the two biggest problems.?

     

    Mark

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  • 0

    sheepdog.tk

    Like Paul I'm not sure what you trying to achieve with this project.

     

    If you want to build something that will 'protect' most pins from silly wiring mistakes, then I would have thought a shield with 100 or 220 ohm resistors in series might have been sufficient.

    I did a similar thing years ago with some Picaxe kits, since they had no protection.

     

    If you're trying to make a shield that makes it easy to connect to, then there are some 'brick' or 'Grove' based boards around already.

     

    I support bringing Arduino to kids, and am involved in a programme here in Christchurch, NZ where we do just that.

    We also provide the school with information to allow them to continue it as an after school program.

     

    I've done some classroom stuff with Arduino and the breadboard style is a problem as you need to have very clear instructions (and pupils who read image).

    For the latest series I used product from here (sorry element14 your kits are just too expensive)

    Electronic Brick

     

    If you wanted to stop the wrong voltage being sent back into the Arduino, then don't extend that pin or use a diode to make it an output only.

    I tend to use USB power for all the stuff we do as it limits the voltage, saves on power packs and provides some current limiting.

    It does limit you to LEDs, displays, switches, I2C, One Wire, etc, but apart from motors and large loads it covers most and its a great introduction.

     

     

     

    NoviceGuard is supposed to get rid of two of the biggest probems of starting kids on Arduinos!

    Your statement has me curious ... what do you see as the two biggest problems.?

     

    Mark

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