11/05/2010 at Design Academy LJMU
What is Arduino?
Easy-to-use, cheap, computer chip that links physical world with the online. Ideal for rapid prototyping novel ideas exploring the cross over between physical and online worlds
See here for examples and further information.
http://www.arduino.cc/playground/Projects/ArduinoUsers
Why did we focus on using it?
· To bring people together to explore interesting and creative technology.
· To demonstrate the multi-disciplinarily of this type of project
· To encourage development in using this technology in teaching and learning activities
Who was there?
Facilitated by Adrian McEwen from http://www.mcqn.net/
iMedia, Computer Science, Art and Design, Business Development, Media Professional Studies.
What happened?
Adrian showed a variety of projects using the technology. These covered different disciplines, product design, art, and technology. http://www.mcqn.com/weblog/arduino_workshop_liverpool_john_moores_uni
The attendees then used a starter kit for Arduino to very quickly produce some simple interactions. This then progressed to small teams making small working systems. For example, a tune being played every time a particular mention of a phase in made on the social networking site, Twitter, or a small crawling robot built in a paper cup. During this process people mingled and discussed other application and projects. New contacts were established and discussions on running joint projects with different students from different subject areas.
Where do we go next?
· The kits used in the session are to be used in a workshop for L&SS event Liver and Mash
· 2 kits have gone to computer Science for staff development sessions there
· Other kits will be used in iMedia, MPS and Art and Design
· Next Creativity Forum meeting in October
Pictures
Feedback
| Yes- it was helpful in identifying how Arduino could fit into different disciplines and particularly useful in planning collaborative work e.g. computer science + fashion design Yes, I learnt a lot both in terms of arduino + physical computing and also about other collegues. It was good to spend the day exploring ideas with staff Yes – I was able to discuss my ideas with tutor and class. I learned how to use many different components Yes, meet new people, reacquainting myself with new technologies, meeting people was arguable more beneficial than tech v. good Yes – great intro Yes, this has been a highly informative, enjoyable session that has introduced Arduino use in an interesting and fun way. One of the best sessions I have attended
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Student feedback
What do you think are the benefits of students getting involved with this type of technology?
It is great to have a look at different ways of interacting with visual devices such as TV’s, Computers and even phones. Unfortunately I think some of the input technology can also be very difficult to understand and therefore the technology to control them even more so. However I always feel that the best way to understand something is to play with it, even take it apart to understand its mechanics. Arduino gives the student that opportunity, to build the circuit, to follow it in steps and to then allow the student to back track those steps if something does not work as intended. The benefit of the kit is that it allows students to think outside the box, “How can I make my Film/TV/Game more involved with the viewer” should always be in the front of an entertainment maker’s head, and input devices will need to serve this purpose for the foreseeable future until the motion & voice capture technology is developed to the stage where input devices no longer need to be seen.
While some students may be used to using ‘Breadboard’ and other similar devices from A Level or even GCSE it can be very quickly forgotten and I think Arduino is a perfect example of a kit that can reintroduce as well as introduce circuit diagrams and circuit building to the Intermediate as well as the Novice.
What do you think are the issues for students in understanding and using it?
The learning curve for Arduino is quite steep for someone who may not have had much experience with Design & Tech in A Level, making it very difficult to reap the benefits from it without putting in hours of practice and trying to understand the basics of circuitry and computer programme coding, which obviously is a main feature of the Arduino.
Also the instruction manual does not speak to the user as if they were a beginner. It explains things as if talking to someone who has some knowledge of circuitry or computer programming and this can segregate a lot of the students who may make use of this. While the majority of Interactive Media students may be versed in the aforementioned areas, students of Media Professional Studies or Film Studies, who quite rightly need to think about this technology in order to provide new, innovative programming for future generations need to be included in the knowledge span of Arduino.
The kit also is very intricate, which to someone who has used them before wouldn’t be a problem but to someone who has no clue and doesn’t understand the layout of a ‘Breadboard’ and the possibilities achieved with one, this could be problematic. If Arduino introduced a board that was larger in scale and easier to understand then scaling down in the future would be less of an issue as that person would be going in with some basic knowledge of the board and its layout. I think including the layout of the board (i.e. what it looks like without the plastic covering) may have some use to a Novice as they can learn how the holes work and why certain wires go in certain places.
When in the course do you think it might be useful to introduce students to it?
I think it is important to introduce Arduino in the first semester of the first year, giving the students who use it a full three years to develop with the technology, eventually producing a successful incorporation of Arduino’s capabilities within a project for their final year. The three years would allow the students to learn and think about how to push the boundaries of Arduino.
What’s the best way of introducing this technology to students e.g. should it be for all students or optional?
I think for some students, Arduino is a definite ‘No’. Students who like technology, and want to use it, learn about it in school and find affection towards it. Other students do not mix well with circuitry and hate the idea of playing around with it, it frightens them or it annoys them and something like Arduino requires lots of practice and lots of patience. I think giving the students a trail day in which they get to play around with Arduino, and get to think in groups of the technology’s implications within their own projects throughout the three years is very important. After the trail day they can then choose it as an option and carry it on for the year, producing a simple demonstration of the technology for their end of year project. I would then give them the option to then continue with Arduino for the remaining two years or allow them to leave it after the first year.
Arduino is definitely not something that should be forced on all students, it is very complex to think of how to apply it and some students would much prefer to make an ordinary film or TV programme rather than having to find a way to make it interactive, and more importantly make the interactivity original and innovative.
How much and what kind of support would you need to produce something with this technology?
I think that this sort of technology requires a lot of hands on support from the developers of Arduino, perhaps coming to the universities a few times over the course of the year to demonstrate new and interesting ways to use the technology. Also the tutors and lecturers would need to be aware of the difficultly that some students may face and be able to help with even the most annoying of problems, and be willing to put the hours in to help that student/s.
Speaking as a student there is nothing more frustrating than a technical problem that crops up that a lecturer or technician cannot help you with. Arduino, as interesting as it is, screams an array of technical know-how and also a collection of technical problems that will occur, as is found with all technology somewhere down the line. Students need to know that there is someone around that can help them with this problem and that they can be helped to fix it whether it is by someone at the university or it is from a 3rd party source.
Any other comments?
Overall the time I spent working with Arduino was very interesting and allowed me to experience new ways of using input devices with computers. I think a lot of students will get a great deal from using Arduino and it is up to them how far they take the technology.
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