Littlebits STEAM STUDENT SET Invention Manual Download Page 68

Page: 68 / 76

SELECT THE EVERYDAY ACTIVITY YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.

Which one do you think will be the most fun for this challenge?

LOOK THROUGH YOUR BITS AND MATERIALS AND THINK ABOUT HOW EACH
ONE COULD HELP.

Could motion, light, or sound help you achieve your mission?

How about buttons or dimmers? If you’re not sure what a Bit

does or how it could

help, snap it into a circuit and start to play with it. If you’re still stumped, read

through the “Bit Index” section at the beginning of this booklet.

SKETCH OUT IDEAS, PICK YOUR FAVORITE, AND CREATE A PROTOTYPE OF
YOUR CONTRAPTION.

Don’t worry about getting everything right on the first

try. The important thing is to just get started and experiment.

CREATE A LIST OF EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES THAT
ONLY TAKE ONE STEP.

For example, dropping

a can in the recycling bin, flipping on a light

switch, or opening a book.

SeRvo

button

DC motor

Summary of Contents for STEAM STUDENT SET

Page 1: ...DOWNLOAD THE TEACHER S GUIDE and other classroom resources at littleBits cc student set STEAM STUDENT SET INVENTION GUIDE ...

Page 2: ......

Page 3: ... you could use littleBits to create an invention that solves that problem Hack Your Classroom Invent for Good Invent a Chain Reaction Contraption Hack Your Habits 04 06 27 07 09 14 17 24 28 71 72 32 58 32 39 46 53 59 70 59 62 65 68 STEAM STUDENT SET PG 32 PG 39 PG 46 PG 53 TEACHER S GUIDE and other classroom resources available at littleBits cc student set SHARE DISCOVER inventions on the littleBi...

Page 4: ...2 WE INVE WORLD WANT TO ...

Page 5: ...3 NT THE WE O LIVE IN ...

Page 6: ...your Bits in the BIT INDEX ON PG 06 2 POWER BLUE Power Bits plus a power supply run power through your circuit INPUT PINK Input Bits accept input from you or the environment and send signals that affect the Bits that follow OUTPUT GREEN Output Bits do something light up buzz move WIRE ORANGE Wire Bits connect to other systems and let you build circuits in new directions BUILD DIRECTION BASICS BUIL...

Page 7: ...OINT IN THE SAME DIRECTION ORDER IS IMPORTANT POWER BITS always come first and INPUT BITS only affect the OUTPUT BITS that come after them 4 WITH NO OUTPUT BIT AFTER IT THE INPUT BIT HAS NOWHERE TO SEND ITS SIGNAL THE INPUT BIT AFFECTS THE OUTPUT BITS THAT FOLLOW SOME BITS ARE ADJUSTABLE Switches buttons and dials on the board allow you to change how the Bit functions 5 FLIP THE SWITCH TO CHANGE M...

Page 8: ...fan o21 number o25 DC motor a5 magnet shoes a6 hook loop shoes a9 mounting board a10 motorMate a14 USB power adapter a19 servo hub a23 mechanical arm a24 servo mount a25 wheel 07 08 POWER INPUT WIRE OUTPUT ACCESS ORIES 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Occasionally BitsTM get updated so the features or appearance of your Bits may differ from those used in this guide ...

Page 9: ...and shine The power Bit converts the 9 volts of electricity in the battery to the 5 volts that littleBits circuits run on The power Bit also sends a signal through your circuit Controlling this signal with inputs is how you control your circuit REAL WORLD ANALOGIES PHONE CHARGER o2 LONG LED p1 POWER MODE on off On light SAMPLE CIRCUIT ...

Page 10: ...icro USB cable It can be connected to a computer or wall adapter for non stop power Like the power Bit the USB power Bit sends a 5 volt signal through your circuit which allows you to control your Bits Instructions for the projects in this Kit use the p1 power Bit but you can use the USB power for all of them as well PHONE CHARGER REAL WORLD ANALOGIES o3 RGB LED p3 USB POWER On light SAMPLE CIRCUI...

Page 11: ...ton is like a door When you press it the door opens letting the signal pass through the Bit and on to the next Bits in the circuit The button is a momentary switch you must continue to press it for the signal to flow When you release the button the door closes stopping the signal from passing on to other Bits VIDEO GAME CONTROLLER ELEVATOR BUTTON GAME SHOW BUZZER p1 POWER i3 BUTTON o13 FAN REAL WO...

Page 12: ...ing with the slide dimmer that waves a flag back and forth How could you change the speed it waves When the slider is all the way to the left it s sending an off or 0 volt signal When the slider is all the way to the right it s sending a 5 volt signal The slider can be positioned to send any signal between 0 and 5 volts HOUSEHOLD DIMMER SWITCH STEREO VOLUME CONTROL CAR PEDAL p1 POWER i5 SLIDE DIMM...

Page 13: ... from the environment and translates it into a signal The higher the temperature it senses the more signal it sends out to the following Bits making lights brighter and motors turn faster THERMOSTAT MEDICAL THERMOMETER AUTOMATIC TEA KETTLE i12 TEMPERATURE SENSOR p1 POWER o21 NUMBER MODE VALUE MODE F or C This is the component that measures the temperature i12 TEMPERATURE SENSOR A temperature se ns...

Page 14: ...ses through it making lights brighter or motors turn faster In DARK mode the signal increases as it gets darker Use the purple screwdriver to turn the dial and adjust how much light it takes to change the signal Clockwise increases sensitivity counter clockwise decreases it NIGHT LIGHT SENSOR PHOTOGRAPHER S LIGHT METER FINGER PULSE METER p1 POWER o21 NUMBER MODE VALUE A pulse meter shines a bright...

Page 15: ...us Bit passes through to the next Bit When the switch closes the signal is blocked Use the purple screwdriver to adjust the dial You can change the speed of the rhythm by turning the small dial on the Bit with your purple screwdriver o2 LONG LED p1 POWER MEET THE BIT MINI CHALLENGE Can you invent a warning signal with the pulse How can you make the signal pulse faster or slower i16 PULSE SPEED dec...

Page 16: ...ake connections that can twist turn and spin The wire doesn t change the signal in any way it just carries it over from one Bit to another EXTENSION CORD POWER LINES STRING OF LIGHTS p1 POWER w1 WIRE o3 RGB LED MINI CHALLENGE Can you invent a circuit that uses the wire to shine the RGB LED on the light sensor REAL WORLD ANALOGIES SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS ...

Page 17: ...ore the fork it will control all three outputs at once such as light sound and motion The fork takes the incoming signal and sends it to all three output bitSnaps POWER STRIP FORK IN THE ROAD p1 POWER w7 FORK o3 RGB LED o21 NUMBER o6 BUZZER MINI CHALLENGE Can you invent a circuit where an input controls three outputs REAL WORLD ANALOGIES SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS ...

Page 18: ...a signal lower than 50 power 2 5 volts the inverter sends full power 5 volts to the next Bit in the circuit If the inverter receives a sig nal greater than 2 5 volts the inverter sends 0 volts to the next Bit in the circuit OPPOSITE DAY ALTERNATING POLICE LIGHTS p1 POWER i3 BUTTON w10 INVERTER o3 RGB LED MINI CHALLENGE Can you invent something with the inverter that alerts you if someone takes a b...

Page 19: ...u put the light in some interesting places This Bit uses a light emmiting diode LED to turn electricity into light The more signal you send the Bit the brighter the light shines FLASHLIGHT STREET LAMP ANGLERFISH p1 POWER i3 BUTTON o2 LONG LED MINI CHALLENGE Can you invent a new wearable accessory using the long LED REAL WORLD ANALOGIES SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS ...

Page 20: ... dials changes the brightness of each light The colors from these lights mix together to create every color in the rainbow TRAFFIC LIGHT DECORATIVE LIGHTS JUMBOTRON p1 POWER i5 SLIDE DIMMER MINI CHALLENGE Can you invent a flashlight that uses your favorite color th o u sands of RGB L E D s create the se displays o3 RGB LED R Adjust the amount of red light G Adjust the amount of green light B Adjus...

Page 21: ...al it receives into a vibration which creates a buzzing sound The higher the signal it receives the more intense the vibration and the louder the sound is DOORBELL CAR ALARM WASHING MACHINE p1 POWER i3 BUTTON o6 BUZZER MINI CHALLENGE Can you invent a way to communicate with your friends using the buzzer REAL WORLD ANALOGIES SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS ding dong done ...

Page 22: ...he position of the hub try using a dimmer to set the angle you want In SWING mode the servo will move back and forth on its own like a pair of windshield wipers the input signal controls the speed of the swing The servo s range of motion is about 110 degrees TRUCK CRANE ROBOT p1 POWER i5 SLIDE DIMMER MINI CHALLENGE Can you invent something that uses the servo to clean up your desk WINDSHIELD WIPER...

Page 23: ...me spinning visuals Inside the fan is a tiny motor When it receives a signal it spins The more signal it receives the faster it spins LEAF BLOWE R PERSONAL FAN AIRPLANE PROPELLER p1 POWER i3 BUTTON o13 FAN Feet for attaching to mounting boards and shoes MINI CHALLENGE Can you invent something that uses the fan to move an object across the table REAL WORLD ANALOGIES SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS ...

Page 24: ...ugh the reset bitSnap In READ mode the Bit displays information about the signal it s receiving in either volts ranging from 0 0 5 0 or values ranging from 0 99 The signal leaving the Bit will always match the number being displayed even in COUNT mode For example if you count up to 38 the signal leaving the Bit will be 38 of full power SCOREBOARD VOLUME INDICATOR ON TV SPEEDOMETER p1 POWER i5 SLID...

Page 25: ...ockwise When the switch is in VAR variable mode the amount of signal the motor receives from previous Bits allows you to control the speed and direction clockwise or counterclockwise of its motion In this mode using an input like a slide dimmer makes steering easy CAR ENGINE DRILL FERRIS WHEEL p1 POWER i5 SLIDE DIMMER o25 DC MOTOR MODE CW clockwise VAR variable mode and CCW counterclockwise Can be...

Page 26: ...Try your refrigerator or your locker Hook loop shoes come with an adhesive backed hook loop strip The strip can be cut to any size you desire and affixed to clothing fabric or any flexible surface bitFeetTM go in the shoes a9 MOUNTING BOARD MEET THE ACCESSORY HOW IT WORKS The mounting board is like the backbone of some of your inventions It allows you to keep your circuit intact and move it around...

Page 27: ...ge micro USB MEET THE ACCESSORY HOW IT WORKS a14 USB POWER ADAPTER CABLE This power adapter and USB cable combo is the perfect way to provide long term power to your littleBits creations This power adapter converts your 120 volt wall power into the 5 volt power that littleBits circuits run on Simply connect the cable from the power adapter to your littleBits USB power Bit this only connects to the...

Page 28: ...he flat edge of the DC motor shaft with the flat edge of either of the flat edged holes on the mechanical arm The two large holes on the end are perfect for holding pens and markers in place USE A PHILLIPS HEAD SCREWDRIVER MEET THE ACCESSORY HOW IT WORKS a19 SERVO HUB The servo hub lets you eas ily attach materials to your servo motor and add more complex movements to your littleBits inventions Th...

Page 29: ...sing the included 6 screws LINE UP THE FLAT EDGE OF THE DC MOTOR SHAFT WITH THE FLAT EDGE OF THE CENTER HOLE IN THE WHEEL Connect to servo hub with included 6 screws 025DCmotor CW DCmotor Closeup Feet for mounting boards and shoes MEET THE ACCESSORY a24 SERVO MOUNT The servo mount lets you attach your servo to a mounting board or a pair of littleBits shoes It s a great way to keep the servo steady...

Page 30: ...nd questions that help you explore your ideas and develop your invention DO I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE INVENTION CYCLE EXACTLY IN ORDER Nope If you want you can remix while you play or share while you create Each phase of the invention cycle represents a different way of thinking and making They work well in order but a good design process is always a bit messy ...

Page 31: ...r these bits of littleBits wisdom These tips will help build your invention skills and level up your inventions EXTRA IMPORTANT INFO This icon will let you know when there is a small but very important step we don t want you to miss If you ignore these your invention won t work ICON INDEX CREATE PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER You can build it from the instructions or make something from your imagination D...

Page 32: ...hink the light bulb was invented on the first try Most inventions take many tries to get right TRY SOME WEIRD AND UNEXPECTED STUFF You might be surprised at what you discover when you add random materials flip your prototype upside down or try using it for a totally different purpose DOCUMENT EACH STEP As your prototype changes take photos draw sketches and jot down notes The journey from idea to ...

Page 33: ...irst prototype of a Bit was made with cardboard copper tape and a few electronic components like LEDs Here s some of our favorite stuff to work with HELPFUL TOOLS MATERIALS scissors Phillips head screwdriver craft sticks construction toys string rubber bands cardboard tubes ruler cardboard plastic bottle paper sketchbook milk carton markers pipe cleaners duct tape paper or plastic cups cereal box ...

Page 34: ...to this lean mean mobile machine Use it to deliver school supplies to your friends help your teacher pass out papers or wake up your sleeping classmate 30 MINUTES MINIMUM a1 battery cable a9 mounting board rubber band tape not included p1 power o25 DC motor 2 i5 slide dimmer w1 wire a25 wheel 2 TIME LEVEL BITSTM MATERIALS CHALLENGE 01 ...

Page 35: ...33 o25 DC MOTOR BUILD YOUR CIRCUIT 1 w1 WIRE p1 POWER o25 DC MOTOR i5 SLIDE DIMMER ...

Page 36: ...RESS THE WHEELS ONTO THE DC MOTORS 2 PRESS YOUR CIRCUIT ONTO THE MOUNTING BOARD 3 LINE UP THE FLAT EDGE OF THE DC MOTOR SHAFT WITH THE FLAT EDGE OF THE CENTER HOLE IN THE WHEEL 025DCmotor CW DCmotor Closeup ...

Page 37: ...35 ATTACH THE BATTERY TO THE MOUNTING BOARD NEXT TO THE SLIDE DIMMER PRESS THE MOTORS ONTO THE MOUNTING BOARD 4 5 USE A RUBBER BAND OR MASKING TAPE TO ATTACH THE BATTERY ...

Page 38: ... CW CLOCKWISE 6 TEST YOUR CIRCUIT With the slide dimmer set all the way up the car should move forward Troubleshooting pg 71 7 DIRECTION CW TEST YOUR CIRCUIT POWER ON DIRECTION CCW 025DCmotor VAR 025DCmotor CW 021 number read volts 025DCmotor CCW Let s give these wheels a spin ...

Page 39: ...al from the first motor and also uses it to determine its speed Control the direction your car drives by flipping the mode switches Because the motors face opposite directions they need to be set in opposite spin modes to drive in one direction Setting the motors to the same direction mode will create a car that spins around in circles The slide dimmer is like the gas pedal for your car As you sli...

Page 40: ...Add a siren using lights or the buzzer or a speedometer using the number BitTM Give your vehicle a body or form Give it some character Use LEGO to build a bigger car or even a train How much stuff can your vehicle haul HOST A CAR SHOW Present the best features of the car you made Let others test drive it ASK YOUR FRIENDS WHAT THEY WOULD USE YOUR VEHICLE FOR sending messages passing snacks borrowin...

Page 41: ... a storm Add your own artistic flair by changing up some of the Bits and materials to create unique masterpieces 30 MINUTES MINIMUM a1 battery cable markers drawing surface rubber band masking tape not included a9 mounting board p1 power o25 DC motor 2 i16 pulse a25 wheel 2 a4 screwdriver TIME LEVEL BITSTM MATERIALS CHALLENGE 02 ...

Page 42: ...40 i16 PULSE p1 POWER o25 DC MOTOR o25 DC MOTOR BUILD YOUR CIRCUIT 1 ...

Page 43: ...UIT ONTO THE MOUNTING BOARD ATTACH BATTERY TO THE MOUNTING BOARD 3 4 USE A RUBBER BAND OR MASKING TAPE TO KEEP THE BATTERY IN PLACE LINE UP THE FLAT EDGE OF THE DC MOTOR SHAFT WITH THE FLAT EDGE OF THE CENTER HOLE IN THE WHEEL 025DCmotor CW DCmotor Closeup ...

Page 44: ...42 CCW motors ATTACH MOTORS TO THE MOUNTING BOARD ADJUST MOTOR MODES SET THE PULSE SPEED TO THE SLOWEST SETTING 5 6 7 SPEED FULLY COUNTER CLOCKWISE DIRECTION CCW 021 number read volts 025DCmotor CCW ...

Page 45: ...he other one alternates between spinning and stopping Troubleshooting pg 71 8 9 MAKE SURE THE TIP OF THE MARKER JUST TOUCHES THE DRAWING SURFACE USE A RUBBER BAND OR MASKING TAPE TO ATTACH THE MARKER POWER ON Now let s make some art Make a series of drawings and pick a few of your favorites TEST YOUR CIRCUIT ...

Page 46: ...ng the direction of the spin will change how the Doodle Wizard moves Your Doodle Wizard s movement is caused by friction between the wheels and the drawing surface The motion of your Doodle Wizard will change if it is placed on different types of drawing surfaces e g rough paper glossy paper or a whiteboard You could also experiment with adding different materials to the face of the wheels and see...

Page 47: ...ngs Use different drawing tools like chalk crayons pens or pencils Attach multiple drawing tools to use at once Try the Doodle Wizard on different drawing surfaces What happens when you use a servo to draw What happens when you add or swap an input SET UP A GALLERY SHOW Present your art alongside your Doodle Wizard SEE IF YOUR AUDIENCE CAN GUESS WHICH BITS YOU USED JUST BY LOOKING AT YOUR DRAWINGS...

Page 48: ...ur launcher to make it even more accurate powerful or speedy Challenge your friends to see who can knock over the most cups 1 HOUR MINIMUM a1 battery cable screws 3 a9 mounting board Phillips head screwdriver scissors rubber band paper cups masking tape not included p1 power o11 servo servo hub i3 button a23 mechanical arm a24 servo mount TIME LEVEL BITSTM MATERIALS CHALLENGE 03 ...

Page 49: ...47 i3 BUTTON p1 POWER o11 SERVO BUILD YOUR CIRCUIT 1 Attach the servo hub See pg 26 ...

Page 50: ... ONTO THE MOUNTING BOARD AND ADJUST SERVO MODE 4 PRESS YOUR CIRCUIT ONTO THE MOUNTING BOARD TURN POWER ON 3 5 USE PHILLIPS HEAD SCREWDRIVER JUST ONE SCREW NEEDED i12 temp sensor Fahrenheit mode i13 light sensor light mode o11 servo swing mode i12 temp sensor celsius mode i13 light sensor dark mode o11 servo turn mode MODE TURN POWER ON ...

Page 51: ... THE MECHANICAL ARM TO THE SERVO HUB AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE MOUNTING BOARD AS SHOWN MAKE A BUCKET FOR THE LAUNCHER TAPE THE BUCKET TO THE FREE END OF THE MECHANICAL ARM 6 7 8 USE PHILLIPS HEAD SCREWDRIVER USE MASKING TAPE ...

Page 52: ... SHEET OF NOTEBOOK PAPER TO LAUNCH 9 TEST YOUR CIRCUIT Pressing the button should rotate the mechanical arm Troubleshooting pg 71 10 Now it s game time Create a target and invent a game with your friends TEST YOUR CIRCUIT ...

Page 53: ...the way to the right When the button makes the signal go from 0 to 5 volts quickly the arm swings quickly This speed helps your ball fly farther The farther you place your cup from the servo hub the faster it will swing You can experiment with extending the mechanical arm with other materials but you ll have to pay attention to weight As the cup gets farther from the hub it also takes more force t...

Page 54: ...istance traveled What happens when you change the bucket size or shape How does it affect the throw Switch the button with a pulse Bit for automatic firing Add a number Bit to count the number of shots taken Creating a moving target with one of the motors and the other mechanical arm Try miniature golf baseball or bowling WHAT NEW GAME DID YOU INVENT Make it official Give it a name Write the offic...

Page 55: ...pulse o6 buzzer BITSTM MATERIALS a1 battery cable p1 power i13 light sensor i16 pulse o6 buzzer a6 hook loop shoes a1 battery cable p1 power i13 light sensor i16 pulse o6 buzzer a6 hook loop shoes a1 battery cable p1 power i13 light sensor i16 pulse o6 buzzer a6 hook loop shoes a1 battery cable p1 power i13 light sensor i16 pulse o6 buzzer a6 hook loop shoes a1 battery cable p1 power i13 light sen...

Page 56: ...54 i16 PULSE i13 LIGHT SENSOR p1 POWER o6 BUZZER BUILD YOUR CIRCUIT 1 ...

Page 57: ...k loop shoes SET THE MODE AND SENSITIVITY OF THE LIGHT SENSOR 2 SET THE PULSE SPEED TO THE SLOWEST SETTING PRESS HOOK LOOP SHOES ONTO YOUR CIRCUIT 3 4 MODE LIGHT SENSITIVITY FULLY CLOCKWISE i12 temp sensor Fahrenheit mode i13 light sensor light mode o11 servo swing mode SPEED FULLY COUNTER CLOCKWISE ...

Page 58: ...letely covered up You may need to adjust the sensitivity of your light sensor to get it just right Troubleshooting pg 71 PLACE THE ALARM INSIDE YOUR BACKPACK 6 5 Can anyone open your backpack without setting off the alarm POWER ON PRO TIP TRY USING THE HOOK LOOP STRIP TO KEEP YOUR CIRCUIT IN PLACE TEST YOUR CIRCUIT ...

Page 59: ...but is quiet when the pulse flips off This changing between on and off produces the alarm noise to scare off the snooper The speed adjustment knob will let you adjust how fast and frantic your alarm sounds If your pulse Bit is set too fast your buzzer may not have time to vibrate and may not make any noise Some bags might not be totally dark inside If your alarm sounds even in the bag try turning ...

Page 60: ...ange how fast the alarm sounds What setting do you think makes the best alarm Try it in your desk drawer locker or under your backpack Put it on the windowsill as a wake up alarm Use it to prank someone when they turn out the lights Snap on a DC motor and sign with a scary monster on it Amplify the sound try using a paper cup or cone Add lights PROMOTE YOUR INVENTION Create a 30 second commercial ...

Page 61: ...ake it even more fun to be there Pinpoint something that could be easier especially exciting or that you wish existed Use your expertise to design an invention that makes school extra awesome Perhaps your new invention will become an essential part of the classroom in the future CHALLENGE 05 Robot Voting Machine Assistant 1 HOUR MINIMUM TIME LEVEL ...

Page 62: ...tumped read through the Bit Index section at the beginning of this booklet SKETCH OUT IDEAS PICK YOUR FAVORITE AND CREATE A PROTOTYPE When you create a physical model of your idea it is easier to understand how it works Don t worry about getting everything right on the first try though The important thing is to just get started and experiment 1 3 4 2 CREATE A LIST OF WAYS YOU COULD MAKE YOUR CLASS...

Page 63: ... to experiment with fixes and improvements You might need to make things sturdier work on the mechanics of moving parts or try using different Bits to achieve your mission MAKE WACKY AND WEIRD EXPERIMENTS PART OF YOUR INVENTION PROCESS Sometimes really great ideas come from unexpected places Close your eyes and pick a Bit at random How could this Bit add something cool to your invention Is it bett...

Page 64: ...rainstorm create prototypes play with them let kids around the country play with them and we remix over and over again until we get things right When it s all done we get to share it with the world In this challenge you re going to think like a product designer and invent something that helps someone else Who knows maybe you ll start the next company like littleBits CHALLENGE 06 Door Alarm with Li...

Page 65: ...n you could start with a broom SKETCH OUT IDEAS PICK YOUR FAVORITE AND CREATE A PROTOTYPE Don t worry about getting everything right on the first try The important thing is to just get started and experiment Building a physical model of your idea makes it easier to share with others and collect feedback on your design 1 3 4 2 CREATE A LIST OF IDEAS FOR A PRODUCT Start by thinking about where there...

Page 66: ... with fixes and improvements Could adding a new BitTM add important features Would craft materials make it stronger or give it a new look HAVE SOMEONE ELSE TEST YOUR INVENTION AFTER YOU VE MADE A FEW IMPROVEMENTS If possible try to find the type of person you re designing it for Ask about their favorite parts and what suggestions they have for making it better Use their feedback to create an even ...

Page 67: ...d scares a hamster that starts running on its wheel that winds up a string that turns the page In this challenge you re going to design your own multi step machine Before you start inventing there are two important rules 1 Once you start your machine it needs to be able to run without any help from you Each step must be triggered automatically by the step before it 2 Your machine should have at le...

Page 68: ...snap it into a circuit and start to play with it If you re still stumped read through the Bit Index section at the beginning of this booklet SKETCH OUT IDEAS PICK YOUR FAVORITE AND CREATE A PROTOTYPE OF YOUR CONTRAPTION Don t worry about getting everything right on the first try The important thing is to just get started and experiment 1 3 4 2 CREATE A LIST OF EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES THAT ONLY TAKE ON...

Page 69: ... fixes and improvements How can you make your machine more reliable Maybe you need to strengthen some materials change the angle of a ramp or try using different BitsTM for one of your steps Set your invention aside and look through your remaining Bits and materials Could you complete a step with them Try a few options to see how they compare to what you already have TEST YOUR PROTOTYPE Getting al...

Page 70: ...t more often How many times a day do you have to go back to your locker because you forgot something Maybe you could invent something that counts these trips and reminds you to grab what you need Now s your chance to use your inventing powers to get to the bottom of these types of questions and invent a gadget to make your everyday experience better CHALLENGE 08 Reminder Machine R ew a r d i ng Re...

Page 71: ...ything right on the first try The important thing is to just get started and experiment Building a physical model of your idea will help you figure out the best way to track habits 1 2 3 4 CREATE A LIST OF THINGS YOU OR YOUR CLASSMATES DO THAT YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT Maybe it s a habit you d like to improve on how can I make fewer trips to my locker something you re curious about how many high...

Page 72: ... that you know a little more about your circuit and the habit you re exploring you can tinker with the invention to make it work better HOW CAN YOU ADD NEW FEATURES TO CHANGE PEOPLE S HABITS For example could an invention that tracks use of the recycling bin also reward people for recycling Would that make them more likely to recycle Try it out and see if it changes your data TEST YOUR PROTOTYPE T...

Page 73: ...e sure the Bits before it are sending a strong enough signal For example if you have a slide dimmer before the temperature sensor slide the dimmer all the way up 2 The power Bit can get warm with a lot of use If your temperature sensor is near the warm power Bit it may read a higher temperature than the rest of your surroundings If this happens try placing a wire between the power and temperature ...

Page 74: ...y not cause harmful interference and 2 this device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions ...

Page 75: ......

Page 76: ...TURE SENSOR p3 USB POWER o3 RGB LED o6 BUZZER o13 FAN o25 DC MOTOR o11 SERVO HUB ACCESSORIES 9V battery cable USB power adapter cable hook loop strips x2 mechanical arms x3 motorMates x4 mounting boards x2 screws x4 screwdrivers x2 servo hub servo mount shoes magnet x12 shoes hook loop x12 wheels x2 STEAM STUDENT SET 700 0137 ...

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