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DIMM 'the OOD' Cardboard Robot

CBiS Education generously sent me two of their new range of robotics development kits - BinaryBots  (https://www.binarybots.co.uk/makers.aspx), these are a range of cardboard based kits (so far a robot and a UFO) with electronic components for example LEDs; sensors and buzzers,  depending on the kits. What makes the kits interesting though is they are designed to be controlled by either by a BBC Micro:bit or a CodeBug.In an earlier post,  I played with the UFO one (http://robotsandphysicalcomputing.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/ufo-detects-light.html), now I have had a chance to play the DIMM the robot.

With the wires hanging out of the mouth and its humanoid shape it reminds we a bit of the OOD from Doctor Who (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ood) but a lot more unthreatening.




How to build it video from @cbiseducation is shown below.




So I built a Light detection system with the light sensor that came with the kit and added a microbit. The idea was
- to play one sound when the light level is low as well display an 'L' on the Microbit;
- to play another sound when the light level is higher and display an 'H' on the Microbit.

The code used is shown below. It is built around the forever loop, the light sensor is connected to Pin 1 and the speaker on Pin 0 (ground and Vcc connected as appropriate see the robot below). when the sensor value is greater than 175 then the low light level is detected otherwise the higher light is detected.


The video below shows this enjoyable kit in action - the sound level is a bit low in the video.





All opinions in this blog are the Author's and should not in any way be seen as reflecting the views of any organisation the Author has any association with.

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