Parallax BASIC Stamp Educator's Course
in association with Active-Robots
An important part of the Parallax educator’s courses, including the Stamps in Class™ program, is to train educators on the use of the BASIC Stamp® microcontroller. Parallax has instructed thousands of educators around the world.
Basic Stamp Educator's Course
University of Bath, England
(Thur 24th & Fri 25th June 2010)
This 2-Day residential BASIC Stamp Educator’s course held in association with Parallax, will introduce teachers to simple circuits, microcontroller programming, and robotics through hands-on instruction and labs.
Course registration includes a hardware pack which is retained by each participant at the end of the course.
Day #1 focuses on the design principles that go into most common digital devices with the BASIC Stamp Activity Kit and What’s a Microcontroller text. Examples include programming a microcontroller, controlling indicator lights, servo motors, speaker tones and optionally LED displays, as well as monitoring pushbutton contact, dial position, and light levels.
Topic
Concepts
Day #1
8:30AM
Introductions
Locating a work area, introductions setting up the BASIC Stamp hardware and software, introductions and course overview.
Getting Started
What’s a Microcontroller Chapter 1 - setting up your BASIC Stamp® HomeWork Board microcontroller prototyping platform, writing simple PBASIC programs with the BASIC Stamp Editor, downloading them to the BASIC Stamp and displaying diagnostic messages with the Debug Terminal.
Lights On/Off
What’s a Microcontroller Chapter 2 – How indicator lights work, connecting
indicator lights to the BASIC Stamp, and writing programs that make them blink
at different rates for various numbers of repetitions.
Basic Stamp Customer Projects
Slides and videos show the use of BASIC Stamp microcontrollers around the world in industry, hobby, and space applications.
Digital Inputs
What’s a Microcontroller Chapter 3 – How pushbutton circuits work, connecting and testing pushbutton circuits, writing programs that make conditional decisions based on pushbutton inputs and control LEDs
Controlling Motion
Chapter 4 of What’s a Microcontroller. How servos work, and how digital signals control their position. Write programs that make it possible to control servo position programmatically, with pushbuttons, and with your PC keyboard and the Debug Terminal.
Noon
Lunch Break
Measuring Rotation and Light
Reading potentiometer-type dials with the BASIC Stamp.
(Chapter 5 of What's a Microcontroller.)
Sensing light intensity with a photoresistor (Chapter 7 of What’s a Microcontroller.)
Parallax Educators Forum
Where to find solutions manuals and how to join.
Frequency and Sound
Make sounds and play songs using a piezo speaker.
Chapter 8 of What’s a Microcontroller.
Day #2 focuses on the Boe-Bot robot and the Robotics with the Boe-Bot text, which are used by instructors worldwide to enhance robotics, pre-engineering, technology, electronics, and mechatronics courses. The Boe-Bot robot also provides a unique window into understanding the nuts and bolts of autonomous transportation technology. Day #2 of this workshop provides a hands-on introduction to the Parallax Boe-Bot and its applications in the classroom. All attendees will build, program, test, (and take home and continue to experiment with) their own autonomous Boe-Bot robot.
Topic
Concepts
Day #2
8:30AM
Questions / Answers
Ask any questions about material on the first day.
Get Started with the Boe-Bot Robot
Socket the BASIC Stamp into the Board of Education, connect it to the PC and
test. Connect and center continuous rotation servos if time permits.
Assemble the Boe-Bot
Build your Boe-Bot. Chapter 3 of Robotics with the Boe-Bot.
Build the Low Battery Indicator
Construct and test a piezospeaker battery indicator.
Boe-Bot Navigation
Learn how to control the Boe-Bot to handle basic manoeuvres with forward,
backward, left and right. Chapter 4 of Robotics with the Boe-Bot.
Noon
Lunch Break
Tactile Navigation with Whiskers
Construct touch sensors for the Boe-Bot as shown in Chapter 5.
Navigating with Infrared Headlights
Detect the presence of objects using infrared. Program the Boe-Bot to avoid
objects. Chapter 7 of Robotics with the Boe-Bot.
Robot Control with Distance Detection
Detect distance to an object. Use control systems to implement Boe-Bot Follow the Leader. See how many Boe-Bots will follow in a row. From Chapter 8.
Through 5:00PM
Open Session
Microcontroller Topics
Try other sensors and microcontrollers. Options include:
A/D conversion with the ADC0831
Temperature sensing with the DS1620 temperature sensor
Distance Detection with the Ping))) Ultrasonic Distance Sensor
Tilt detection with the Memsic 2125 Accelerometer module
Direction finding with the Hitachi HM55B Compass Module
Communicate with PC or other microcontrollers using RF modules
Display messages with the Parallax serial LCD
Measure signals with the Parallax USB Oscilloscope
Control a 7-segment LED using parallel I/O techniques
Get started with the SX Microcontroller
Get started with the amazing Propeller Microcontroller
Through 5:00PM
Open Session
Robotics Topics
Try as many intermediate and advanced robotics applications as time permits, or
try an optional activity from the first day’s open session. Robotics options include:
Infrared remote control using a standard TV remote
Line following
Wireless robot control using 433 MHz RF transmitters and receivers
Navigation with the Ping))) Ultrasonic Rangefinder
Control your Boe-Bot with RF and the Memsic 2125 Accelerometer
Detect and climb hills with the Memsic 2125 Accelerometer
Remotely display robotic debugging information with the Parallax Serial
LCD
Find the closest object with the Ping))) Ultrasonic Distance Sensor
Bluetooth robot communication and control with the eb500 Embedded
Blue module
Additional Information
This course is only open to teachers at secondary schools, colleges, universities, or school affiliated program coordinators.
Pre-registration is required, once your application has been processed, a welcome letter, together with full course details and invoice will be issued.
If a delegate is unable to attend after enrolling for the course, the following cancellation charges will be levied:
Up to 10 days prior to the course start date – full refund
After that & prior to commencement of the course – a 75% refund
In addition, hardware and other course material will only be supplied to those delegates who attend the course.
Each delegate will be required to bring their own laptop computer.
Registration Enquiry Form
Please fill in the registration enquiry form or contact us on 0800 756 9913
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