Robots and Physical Computing

From Motion to Meaning: Detect your nose in Scratch 3 When I first wrote about Scratch and Webcams back in 2019, the excitement was centred on the "New Frontier" of Scratch 3.0. We were exploring how to bring back the classic video sensing features—making cats jump or bubbles burst when we waved our hands. At the time, that was the peak of "Magic" in the classroom: the physical world interacting with the digital one. Fast forward to today, and the landscape for STEM educators and makers has shifted. We are no longer satisfied with the computer merely knowing that something moved; we want the computer to know what is moving  We have moved from simple motion detection to Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision. If you want to re-energize your STEM lab or maker space, it’s time to move beyond the basic Video Sensing blocks and dive into the Face Sensing extension, So here is an example project playing with htese ideas. The Project: The Nose-Tracking Security ...

Web AR Without the Faff: A Maker and Educator's Guide to AR.js Studio Augmented Reality used to mean expensive apps, locked-down platforms, and a steep learning curve that put most teachers and makers off before they'd even started. That's changed. With A-Frame , AR.js , and the no-code AR.js Studio , you can build a working web-based AR experience in about the same time it takes to make a cup of tea — and share it with nothing more than a URL. No app to install. No app store. Just a link. What Is Web AR, and Why Should You Care? AR.js Studio is an open-source platform for building augmented reality experiences that deploy straight to the web — meaning your audience won't need to download anything extra, and you don't need any coding knowledge to build them. Ar-js-org That matters enormously in education and maker spaces. The barrier isn't usually enthusiasm — it's the first five minutes of setup. Web AR sidesteps that entirely. The sweet spot for begi...

From "Hello" to "Bonjour": Bringing AI to Life  I recently revisited one of my favourite projects based around using  Machine Learning for Kids  and  Scratch 3 , and the result was surprisingly elegant. For STEM educators and makers, this is more than just a coding trick; it’s a gateway to AI literacy and global communication.    It started with a simple question: Could I make a computer not just hear me, but understand my intent across languages?  I’m always looking for that "Aha!" moment—the point where the complexity of high-level tech melts away into a simple, working project - and is cool. The end goal has changed since the original project  from getting it to just saying a prescribed phrase to translating typed-in phrases when it hears "French" - it is even cooler than before. The Journey: Making the Connection I sat down with the goal of creating a "Polyglot Sprite." The setup through the Machine Learning for Kids Scratch templ...

The original Micro:bit V1 (left) remains a powerful tool for teaching data logging and IoT fundamentals, even alongside the feature-rich V2 (right) produced using ChatGPT Introduction   Before you drop those original Micro:bit V1 boards into the recycling bin, ask yourself this: what if the board without all the bells and whistles is actually the better teaching tool? As we move further into 2026, many educators find their storage bins filled with V1 boards — the ones without the notched gold edge connectors. With the V2 boasting a built-in microphone, speaker, touch-sensitive logo, and a faster processor, it's tempting to assume the V1 is obsolete. But is it really? The answer, perhaps surprisingly, depends entirely on what you are trying to teach — and the V1 makes a far stronger case for itself than most people expect. The Technical Trade-off   To be fair to both boards, the V2 is the clear winner for AI, audio, and machine learning projects — and if your budget allows, ...

This project journey follows the evolution of a simple social-distancing idea into a fully realized "Hug Avoider" wearable. Written from my perspective, it’s designed to take you from basic block coding into the professional-grade world of MicroPython. As a maker and educator, I’m always on the hunt for "low floor, high ceiling" projects—those that are easy enough for a beginner to start in an afternoon but deep enough to keep an experienced coder engaged. I embarked on a multi-stage project using the 4tronix EggBit . What started as a simple social-distancing experiment turned into a  transition from blocks to text-based code. Whether you're a teacher, a parent of a young coder, or a fellow maker, here is the full evolution of the "Hug Avoider." The Hardware: Meet the EggBit The foundation of this project is the 4tronix EggBit . It’s a "cute," egg-shaped expansion board for the BBC micro:bit, designed specifically to be wearable. [INSERT IMA...