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Learn how to use Sphero in its different modes
1. drawing shapes to program it
2. using block code
Lots of examples for how to integrate sphero into your teaching and also different activities to build coding skills.

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Sphero Central: Edu Lessons & Resources for Coding Robots & STEM Kits

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Welcome to Sphero Central, your one-stop destination for Sphero Edu & app access, lessons, educator resources & more. Get started with your robots & kits here!

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Computer Science is Changing Everything. The power of code.

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Computer Science is Changing Everything. The power of code.

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Fantastic resources and project ideas for digital technologies, particularly coding but also some unplugged activities.
Run by Syd Uni and one of the writers of the Digi Tech Australian Curriculum, James Curran

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Classroom Resources | Free resources created by Australian Computing Academy that you can use in your classroom! | Australian Computing Academy

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Make a cool rocket ship with the BBC micro:bit using the Blockly visual programming environment.

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An inspiring primary school teacher who has many digi tech lesson ideas on her blog.

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A simple system for creating digital solutions with sensors and mini robots

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DFRobot's BOSON Kit: Powerful Building Blocks For LEGO STEM

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A versatile programmable microcontroller with many built in sensors and and LED grid. They have a page dedicated to Primary school lesson plans.
http://mb4ps.co.uk/resources

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Make it: code it
Quick projects in MakeCode, Python & Scratch to help you get the most out of the micro:bit's features - and have fun!

do your :bit
Save the planet with technology - classroom activities based around the Global Goals and a global micro:bit challenge

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Make it: code it Quick projects in MakeCode, Python & Scratch to help you get the most out of the micro:bit's features - and have fun! do your :bit Save the planet with technology - classroom activities based around the Global Goals and a global micro:bit challenge

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A versatile electronics chip that allows you to create your own controllers and  digital sensors to control scratch games and make musical instruments amongst other things. Good also for teaching conductivity

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Makey Makey: An Invention Kit for Everyone. Ever played Mario on Play-Doh or Piano on Bananas? Alligator clip to start inventing the future.

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Block based programming language with more functionality than edblocks

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How do I download a program to Edison?

Edison V3 computer
To download a program to Edison V3 from a computer, connect Edison's USB cable to your computer's USB-A port. Click on the 'Program' button in the top-right corner of the app. A new window will pop-up, select 'Edison V3 - paired' and click 'connect'. The program will then download into Edison V3.

Edison V3 iPad
To download a program to Edison V3 from an iPad, click on the 'Program' button in the top-right corner of the app. A new window will pop-up. Place Edison V3 over the outline, press the round button one time and then click 'Download program'. The round dot will flash your program code to Edison V3.

Edison V1/V2
To download a program to Edison V1/V2, first connect Edison to your computer or tablet via the EdComm cable. Make sure that the volume on your device is at maximum and all sound enhancements are disabled. Press the round button on Edison V1/V2 one time. Then click on the 'program Edison' button in the top-right corner of the app. A new window will pop-up. Follow the instructions on the window and click 'program Edison' on the new window. The program will then download into Edison. Remember to listen for the success sound before unplugging the EdComm cable to ensure the program fully downloads.

What are the greyed-out holes in some of the blocks?

Some EdScratch blocks contain an oval or a diamond-shaped hole which is greyed-out in the base block. These holes are spots for special input parameters which can be added to the block using appropriate diamond or oval-shaped input blocks.
Helpful warning messages related to these blocks will appear in the bug box at the bottom of the EdScratch programming environment. These messages provide details specific to the blocks in your program.
You can learn more about these types of input parameters in our tutorial videos which walk through each type of input parameter in line with the EdScratch lesson plans.

What kind of language is EdScratch?

EdScratch is a vertical drag-and-drop block-based system that has been developed using the Scratch Blocks code base developed by the MIT Media Lab from the Blockly code base developed by Google.
EdScratch is developed by Microbric Pty Ltd using open source software created and maintained by the Scratch Foundation. The Scratch Foundation does not sponsor, endorse, or authorize this content. See scratch.mit.edu for more information.

What age user is EdScratch for?

EdScratch combines the ease of drag-and-drop programming with powerful functionality and flexibility, making it an ideal language for learning the foundations of computer science. EdScratch and the free-to-download EdScratch lessons are ideal for students in Year 5 (10-11 years old) and above.

What do the different categories of blocks in EdScratch do?

All of the blocks in EdScratch are arranged into one of the nine different block categories in the block pallet.

Drive

The dark blue blocks in the Drive category are all related to the Edison robot's motor outputs.

LEDs

The dark purple blocks in the LEDs category are all related to the Edison robot's LED outputs. Both the visible light (red LEDs) and infrared LEDs outputs (for IR messaging) can be controlled using blocks in this category.

Sound

The light purple blocks in the Sound category are all related to the Edison robot's audio outputs. Single beeps, musical notes and blocks which control only music note blocks are all in this category.

Data

Initially containing only two buttons, the Data category is how you make and manage variables in EdScratch. Once a variable has been created by using the 'Make a variable' button and giving the variable a name, the Data category is populated with dark orange blocks related to data manipulation using any created variables.

Events

The yellow blocks in the Event category are all sensor-related event blocks that can be used as interrupts beginning subroutines in EdScratch programs.

Control

The light orange blocks in the Control category are all programming control structures which can be used to affect the flow of an EdScratch program. Loops, waits and if-statement control blocks can all be found in the Control category.

Sensing

The light blue blocks in the Sensing category are all related to the Edison robot's various sensors. These blocks allow you to turn different sensors on or off, clear stored sensing data and use sensing data as value inputs (oval shaped blocks) or Boolean inputs (diamond-shaped blocks) inside blocks in an EdScratch program.

Operators

The green blocks in the Operators category are all blocks that can be used as either value inputs (oval shaped blocks) or Boolean inputs (diamond-shaped blocks) inside blocks in an EdScratch program. The Operators category blocks include expressions and computation operators designed to be used with sensing and other data inside programs.

Comment

The pink block in the Comment category allows you to add in text comments as notes in a program. Comment blocks are ignored by the compiler and have no affect on the EdScratch program. Comments are designed to be used as useful 'sticky-notes' helping the programmer and others understand the program.

Which browsers are compatible with EdScratch?

Edison V3 computer
Chrome, Edge and Opera

Edison V3 iPad
Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge and Opera

Edison V1/2
Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge and Opera

Is there an EdScratch iOS/Android app?

You can use EdScratch through the online app at https://www.edscratchapp.com/ with devices running either iOS or Android. Dedicated iOS and Android apps for EdScratch are being considered but are not currently in development. Please be sure to sign up to our newsletter to be informed about future app releases.

Is there an offline version of EdScratch?

At this time, there is no offline or downloadable version of EdScratch in development. As such, you do require an internet connection to use EdScratch.
EdScratch requires the code you program in the environment to be compiled in order to be downloaded into the Edison robot. To ensure the compiler works correctly across all platforms and keep costs such that we can deliver EdScratch at no charge, delivering through an online solution is the best option for EdScratch. This online solution also enables us to ensure that we are able to provide updates and improvements into the live system for all users on an ongoing basis.

Can I switch the display language in EdScratch to something other than English?

At this time, EdScratch is only able to display English inside the application. We will be looking into a translation solution for EdScratch in the future, but do not have a release date for this feature at this time.
Please be sure to sign up to our newsletter to hear about this update when it becomes available.

Why isn't my program downloading?

Edison V3 computer
Edison V3 and EdScratch use a special feature found in the Chrome and Edge browsers called WebUSB that allow Edison V3 to be programmed via USB. This means that browsers such as Firefox and Safari will not allow Edison V3 to be programmed via USB. We recommend the Chrome browser for use with EdScratch, which can be downloaded for free here: https://www.google.com/chrome/

Edison V3 iPad
When programming Edison V3 using an iPad it is important to check the following:
- The Edison V3 is aligned to the outline displayed on the screen
- Move away from any bright sources of light, especially sunlight
- Ensure you have up to date firmware in your Edison V3 (update via computers only)
- Ensure the battery in the iPad is well charged as features such as power saver mode can reduce screen brightness
Different models of iPads have different screen resolutions, brightnesses and responsiveness. If you are unable program Edison V3, then experiment with the following:
- Adjust the download speed. Usually slower is more reliable, but it is worth experimenting
- Adjust the screen brightness to between 80% and 90%, but again it is worth experimenting and testing above and below that range

Edison V1/2
Depending on the type of computing device you have, there are a few different things that can cause problems downloading programs with Edison V1/V2 and EdScratch. Make sure your programming device is set up to work with EdScratch. Follow the step-by-step guide on setting up your device for EdScratch beginning on page 5 of the Getting started guide.

You can also find additional troubleshooting help in our online troubleshooting guide.
Also, please note that when many users in a single location, like in a classroom, are downloading programs at the same time, you may experience slower internet speeds. This can cause the program to take longer to generate the 'program Edison' pop-up box and for the program to download to Edison V1/V2. With a very slow connection, you may need to try again. Press the stop (square) button on Edison, then press the record (round) button one time. Restart the download by clicking on the 'Program' button in the top-right corner of the app.

How do I use EdScratch with Version 1 Edison robots?

Version 1 Edison robots which have the latest firmware update are compatible with the EdScratch programming app with a few limitations. Version 1 robots are only capable of using time to measure distance, and therefore users must select 'seconds' as the distance units option in any block that requires this input parameter. Selecting other distance units input parameters, such as 'cm', 'inch', or 'degrees' will not work with the Version 1 robots and can result in some bizarre behaviour from the robot. Likewise, it is recommended that you avoid using the sensing and event blocks related to 'drive strain' with Version 1 robots as these blocks can cause the robots to behave erratically.

How do I fix warning messages in the bug box?

The EdScratch programming environment includes a 'bug box' at the bottom of the app which automatically checks for errors in the program. Warning messages are displayed in this bug box to help you find and fix problems in your code. There are both red and yellow warning messages which can appear depending on the issue detected.
If there are any red warning messages, you will not be able to download your program until you resolve the issue as explained in the warning message description. When a yellow message is displayed, the program can be downloaded to the Edison robot, but may or may not work as expected. If a program is downloading but not working as expected, check the bug box for any yellow messages which can help you resolve logical errors in a program.
You can learn more about the error messages in EdScratch in our tutorial videos and in the EdScratch warning messages guide.

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EdScratch - Scratch-based programming language for the Edison robot

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EdScratch is a vertical block-based programming language for the Edison robot that is easy to use and ideal for delivering meaningful computer science education.

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Fully visual programming language to control the edison robots

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Download the EdBlocks block guide

How do I download a program to Edison?

To download a program to Edison, first connect Edison to your computer or tablet via the EdComm cable. Make sure that the volume on your device is at maximum and all sound enhancements are disabled. Press the round button on Edison one time. Then click on the 'program Edison' button in the top-right corner of the app. A new window will pop-up. Follow the instructions on the window and click 'program Edison' on the new window. The program will then download into Edison. Remember to listen for the success sound before unplugging the EdComm cable to ensure the program fully downloads.

How do I run an EdBlocks program on Edison?

Once you have successfully downloaded a program to Edison, disconnect the EdComm cable from Edison. To run the program on Edison, press the play (triangle) button on Edison one time. This will immediately start your program.
If the first block in your program is a 'wait until' block, Edison will pause at that block until the wait until condition is met.
If you are using a start event, when the play (triangle) button on Edison is pushed, Edison will run the main program. If the condition of the start event occurs, Edison will run the start event sub-program to completion, then return to the main program and continue the main program. This will happen whenever the conditions of the start event are met. If no blocks are attached to the main program, Edison will wait until the condition of the start event is met, then run the start event sub-program.

How do I know what a block does?

Each block in EdBlocks has a tooltip with helper text. Hover your pointer over a block to see what it does. You can also see the full list of blocks here.

What are the numbers under some of the blocks?

Blocks with a number under them allow for user input to control the block's duration. The blocks that have a little clock-face symbol allow users to input a time. You can change the time by clicking on the number and typing in your desired time, anything from 0.01 to 320. Time is in seconds.
Blocks with a number underneath but no clock-face symbol allow users to input the number of repetitions the block will perform. You can change the number by clicking on it and typing in your desired number of repetitions, anything from 0 to 320. Repetitions must be in whole numbers.

How do I save my EdBlocks programs?

To save your programs in EdBlocks, you need to have an account and be logged in. You can create an account by clicking on the menu button in the upper left-hand corner of the app. Select the 'Register' option and follow the steps to register your free account.
Once you are logged in as a registered user, you can save your program by clicking on the menu button in the upper left-hand corner of the app and selecting 'Save As' from the menu.

How do I use the start events?

The 'start events' blocks allow a user to make a sub-program begin from a specific event while the main program is running. Perhaps the most advanced set of blocks in EdBlocks, these blocks emulate the coding idea of 'interrupts.' Start events allow users to vertically layer programs, with secondary programs interrupting the main program when the start event is triggered.
To use a start event, simply add it to the working space in the EdBlocks app and drag and drop program blocks after it, as you would the normal start block. The main start block cannot be removed, because that is the beginning of the main program. When you download your program to Edison, both the main program and the sub-program beginning with the new start event will download. When the play (triangle) button on Edison is pushed, Edison will run the main program. If the condition of the start event occurs, Edison will run the start event sub-program to completion, then return to the main program and continue the main program. This will happen whenever the conditions of the start event are met. If no blocks are attached to the main program, Edison will wait until the condition of the start event is met, then run the start event sub-program.

How do I use the coloured envelopes?

Edison robots can send and receive infrared messages to one another. In EdBlocks, the coloured envelopes are the blocks used for this messaging function. To use the messages, you will need at least two Edison robots. You will need to write a separate program for each robot. One robot will need to send one of the coloured messages out as a part of its program. The second robot will need to have a program that contains either a 'wait until' or 'start event' message block of the same colour. When the first robot's program progress to the 'send message' block, it will send out an infrared message. This will trigger the second robot to begin or continue its program from the message block in the second robot's program.
See activity 23 in the EdBlock lesson plans for an example activity using messages.

How do I use remote controls with EdBlocks?

To use a remote control with an Edison robot in Edblocks, select one of the remote control start event blocks. Use that block to create a sub-program and download it to Edison. Before you run the program, you will also need to scan the corresponding 'TV/DVD remote control barcodes - programmable commands'. You can find the full list of the barcodes and further details about using these barcodes on the barcodes page.
Once you have scanned the correct barcode and downloaded the program, you can run it like a standard start event sub program.

What age user is EdBlocks for?

The fun, colourful, intuitive design of EdBlocks makes it a great tool for introducing coding to anyone no matter their age. EdBlocks was created specifically for younger users and is ideal for students aged 7-12 years old. Free, downloadable lessons targeted to students in grade levels 3-6 are also available.

What do the different blocks in EdBlocks do?

EdBlocks contains more than 150 different blocks. In the app, each block has tooltip helper text. Hover over a block to access the tooltip. You can also see the full list of blocks here. All of the blocks are grouped by type and then organised into one of five different categories: drive, outputs, wait until, control or start events.

Drive

The drive blocks allow a user to control how Edison moves. The basic four blocks in this section allow users to select the direction and determine the duration of Edison's 'drive' abilities by changing the time input. Other drive blocks utilise Edison's built-in sensors to control the drive behaviours. Users can also use drive blocks to control Edison's speed and pause the drive motors.

Outputs

The output category contains the different non-drive outputs Edison can create. There are three main groups in this category: lights, sound, and outbound messages. Lights include turning Edison's lights on or off, individually or together. Sounds include a simple beep, a range of musical notes and the ability to control the pace at which the notes are played. Outbound messages allow an Edison to send one of six infrared messages out to other Edison robots.

Wait Until

All of the 'wait until' blocks tell Edison to wait for something to happen before continuing on with the program. These blocks allow users to create longer and more complex programs. Many of the 'wait until' blocks utilise Edison's sensors while others allow for external inputs to change the program, such as having one of the robot's buttons pushed or hearing a loud clap. Another group of 'wait until' blocks instructs the Edison to wait until it receives one of the six infrared messages before continuing with its program.

Control

This category contains blocks which allow additional controls, such as loops, to be added to a program. These blocks offer additional ways to create more complex programs. Loops, which make up the majority of the control blocks, enable Edison to repeat elements of a program infinitely, a set number of times or until something happens, such as a button is pressed.

Start Events

The 'start events' blocks allow a user to make a sub-program begin from a specific event while the main program is running. Perhaps the most advanced set of blocks in EdBlocks, these blocks emulate the coding idea of 'interrupts.' Start events let users tap into even more of Edison's abilities, including being controlled by remote controls. Start events also allow users to vertically layer programs, with secondary programs interrupting the main program when the start event is triggered.

Is there an EdBlocks iOS/Android app?

You can use EdBlocks through the online app at https://www.edblocksapp.com/ with devices running either iOS or Android. Dedicated iOS and Android apps for EdBlocks are being considered but are not currently in development. Please be sure to sign up to our newsletter to be informed about future app releases.

Is there an offline version of EdBlocks?

At this time, there is no offline or downloadable version of EdBlocks in development. As such, you do require an internet connection to use EdBlocks.
EdBlocks requires the code you program in the environment to be compiled to be downloaded into the Edison robot. To ensure the compiler works correctly across all platforms and keep costs such that we can deliver EdBlocks at no charge, delivering through an online solution is the best option for EdBlocks. This online solution also enables us to ensure that we are able to provide updates and improvements into the live system for all users on an ongoing basis.

Why isn't Edison playing music?

If you have a V1 Edison, you will need to update your Edison's firmware to be able to make your Edison compatible with the music components in EdBlocks. Please follow the steps on our firmware update page to make sure your Edison is updated.

Why isn't my program downloading?

Be sure that the EdComm cable is plugged in fully and the volume on your device is all the way up. If the EdComm cable is not plugged in fully, you will hear a sound like an old dial-up modem when you press the 'program Edison' button on the pop-up window. Sound enhancements can also sometimes cause the Edison program to not download correctly, resulting in the fail sound. For more help on sound enhancements, please visit our troubleshooting guide. When many users in a single location, like in a classroom, are downloading programs at the same time, you may experience slower internet speeds. This can cause the program to take longer to generate the 'program Edison' pop-up box and for the program to download to Edison. With a very slow connection, you may need to try again. Press the stop (square) button on Edison, then press the record (round) button one time. Restart the download by clicking on the 'program Edison' button in the top-right corner of the app.

The EdBlocks Lesson Activities Collection by Emma Dewar and Kat Kennewell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://www.meetedison.com.

You are free to:

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EdBlocks - icon-based robot programming language for the Edison robot

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Download the EdBlocks block guide How do I download a program to Edison? To download a program to Edison, first connect Edison to your computer or tablet via the EdComm cable. Make sure that the volume on your device is at maximum and all sound enhancements are disabled.

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These can be used from ages 4-16 years
progressing from remote control to
visual block programming
block programming
text programming

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True robotics education brought to life

The Edison robot is a powerful, engaging tool for teaching kids computational thinking and computer programming in a hands-on way.

With more built-in sensors than any robot in its class as well as lights, sounds and autonomous behaviour capabilities, Edison makes true robotics education accessible to students of all ages.

Not just a remote-controlled robot, Edison can:

Respond to light and sound

Follow lines and avoid obstacles

Communicate with other Edison robots

Connect to other Edison robots and LEGO bricks

And so much more!

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What is the Edison robot? A powerful, affordable, programmable robot

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The Edison robot is a powerful, engaging tool for teaching kids computational thinking and computer programming in a hands-on way. With more built-in sensors than any robot in its class as well as lights, sounds and autonomous behaviour capabilities, Edison makes true robotics education accessible to students of all ages.

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Block programming language with lots of tutorials and project ideas
Students can create interactive games and animations

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Scratch is a free programming language and online community where you can create your own interactive stories, games, and animations.

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Learning hook

Sequence game - whole class activity

1. Give students a floor mat or large surface divided as a grid. The grid can be of any dimension, for example 3 x 3; 4 x 4; 5 x 5, 10 x 10. (A mat with a grid marked out, or some masking tape on the floor to show the grid. Make sure it is highly visible and that the squares are large enough for students to stand or sit in.)

Additional scaffolding:

To further create engagement, you could print out checker/chess boards, have students choose a token (either individually or in pairs), and follow a set of directions.

Limited, low, or no vision:

For those with limited, low, or no vision, ice-cube trays or similar with tactile grid lines could be used instead of a checker/chess boards. Complexity can be increased by joining two ice-cube trays to make a larger grid.

2. Invite a student to volunteer to act in role as a robot. The robot's task is to locate and retrieve an object placed somewhere on the grid. The robot must start from the bottom left hand corner.

3. Explain that the robot needs to be given a set of instructions in order to retrieve the object. The robot understands words like Forward or Reverse and symbols like arrows and F for Forward, R for Reverse, etc.

4. Invite the students to write a set of instructions for the robot to follow. For example:

FFRR or ↑↑→→
(Forward 2 squares then move right 2 squares)

Additional scaffolding:

You may also wish to model an example set of instructions on the whiteboard to make sure students understand what is expected of them.

5. Share student responses and direct the robot to move according to the sequence. Student acting in role as the robot must follow the directions given.

6. Repeat the activity once or twice, using different volunteer robots and placing the object to be retrieved in a different location each time.
You many choose to increase or decrease the size of the grid.

For background notes about coding, programming and computational thinking download this PDF

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Buzzing with Bee-Bots | Digital Technologies Hub

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Sequence game - whole class activity Give students a floor mat or large surface divided as a grid. The grid can be of any dimension, for example 3 x 3; 4 x 4; 5 x 5, 10 x 10. (A mat with a grid marked out, or some masking tape on the floor to show the grid.

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Visual Block programming language using icons such as arrows

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With ScratchJr, young children (ages 5-7) can program their own interactive stories and games.

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Excellent activities to teach digital technology concepts without a computer.
Includes an activity on how digital images are created.

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Images are everywhere on computers. Some are obvious, like photos on web pages and icons on buttons, but others are more subtle: a font is really a collection of images of characters, and a fax machines is really a computer that is good at scanning and printing.

This activity explores how images are displayed, based on the pixel as a building block. In particular, the great quantity of data in an image means that we need to use compression to be able to store and transmit it efficiently. The compression method used in this activity is based on the one used in fax machines, for black and white images.

Although the main activity is based on coloring a few dozen black pixels with a pencil, in live shows we like to demonstrate it on a larger scale. One way to do this is to use a can of black spray paint and a square stencil to make a giant picture pixel-by-pixel. Another is to process a photograph of (say) a teacher to the kidfax code, and have a whole class decode the mystery photo.

Activity description (PDF)

Translations and other versions

Related Resources

An older version of this activity can be downloaded in PDF format here. The content is similar to the current version, but there's some extra technical information.

More lessons and activities:

Computer Science & Engineering for K-12 (cse4k12.org) has the following activities related to binary numbers and image representation below:

Bitmaps Activity where bitmaps are a way of encoding black and white images using binary numbers. A '0' is used to represents a white square in the image and a '1' is used to represent a black square. These worksheets provide a set of 8×8 grids where the student can draw their own black and white images and then write the corresponding binary (and hexadecimal) values.

Crossbin Puzzles Activity that are similar to crossword puzzles

[Registration and software download required] Wolfram Demonstrations Project has the following demonstration activities. Note: You will need to install the Wolfram CDF Player in order to use these activities. You can either download each demonstration or use your browser to run it. Binary Run-Length Encoding which splits data into runs of zeros and ones. A list of binary distinctions can then be encoded as a list of run-lengths

Picture Logic has a puzzle similar to Run-length coding, but it only represents the number of black squares. You need to use some reasoning to work out where the white gaps are!

The Mathmaniacs website has a similar activity (lesson 3)

TEACH Engineering has the following K-12 resources in image representation:

How Do You Store All This Data? allows students to start seeing the data structure they will use to store their images. Students will be introduced to two dimensional arrays and vector classes. Students will be guided to see that a vector class will be the most efficient way of storing the data for their images.

What Makes Up A Colour? helps students learn why image colour becomes important as we distort the outer boundaries of an image and have to interpolate pixels to fill in gaps created from our algorithm. Students learn what a digital image is, what pixels are, and learn to convert between RGB and hexadecimal values.

RGB to Hex Conversion Activity where students practice converting between RGB and hexadecimal (hex) formats. They learn about mixing primary colours in order to get the full spectrum of colours, and they learn how to average pixel values.

If you want to find out more:

Videos:

Taha Ben Brahim, Ph.D. candidate in Auburn University's Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering has programmed this activity using the Textrix robot and RobotC. View the Videos:

The PrintBall is a graffiti Robot. It works like a giant Ink-Jet printer using a PaintBall Gun as print-head. The PaintBall gun is mounted on a custom made pan & tilt unit, which is connected to a software programmed with PrintWare 6.0. The pan & tilt is controlled by an Atmel chip [programmed in Basic] allowing the PrintWare 6.0 software to move the two stepper motors and to trigger the PaintBall Gun. The software allows the users to load, analyse and shot images. The resolution of the image can be adjusted according to the number of steps between each points. For videos of PrintBall in action visit the above site.

The students at the Fall 2010 Auburn Robo Camp have demonstrated combining this image representation activity with robotics; this video shows a robot decoding a binary image file (using the Textrix robot and RobotC).

Curriculum Links

Great Principles of Computer Science [info]

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Images are everywhere on computers. Some are obvious, like photos on web pages and icons on buttons, but others are more subtle: a font is really a collection of images of characters, and a fax machines is really a computer that is good at scanning and printing.