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Key Focus 1 – Getting started with InO-Bot
InO-Bot is full of inputs and outputs but it is best to start as
simply as possible. Begin with outputs and get children to
explore what can be done with the 8 RGB LED lights on top.
Run the TTS Scratch Launcher. Select InO-Bot Basic. Once
connected remove the example programs already on screen by
dragging them off the scripting area. For full details on
connecting to InO-Bot, see the InO-Bot user guide.
Use the ‘Set LED’ and ‘wait’ blocks to light one LED different
colours. Investigate what happens if the ‘wait’ time is changed
or removed.
The LEDs are numbered 1 to 8 starting at the back right (InO-
Bot facing away from you). Children could explore changing
the LED number and work out which LED is which.
Introducing the concept of repetition will allow this activity to
be developed. Children can explore lighting the LEDs in
different orders to create alternative patterns. The example
(right) could be seen as an emergency vehicle light pattern.
Having explored different patterns, the next step could be to
mimic something real world. Traffic lights are a great option.
Ask children to write a program that lights LEDs 1, 2 and 3 as if
they were traffic lights.
It helps to have an image of the sequence traffic lights cycle
through. This will allow children to plan their program before
they start work in Scratch.
An example program for traffic lights is shown above.
Note: there will be a number of ways to achieve the same
result.
Extension Activity
To extend this activity, ask children to create a second set of
lights in a counter sequence. These could be lights on cross-
roads or where a road narrows to one lane with lights at either
end. This can be achieved using the two sides of InO-Bot, i.e.
LEDs 1, 2 and 3 against 8, 7 and 6.
