HSC2011

WTF?

A major electronic component distributor suddenly realized that there is a huge market in the hackers and DIY community and founded a subcompany called element-14 to deal with those guys.

To get themselfes known they talked to the right people and these people had the right ideas.. and now there is a hackerspace challenge.

Many hackerspaces worldwide were contacted and asked to participate.

Every hackerspace gets USD 900.- in budget to order parts from element-14, some solder stations and solder and there will be a final where the contributions will win prizes..

The hackerspaces got 6 weeks to design something that has a microcontroller and a portable powersource inside and can be used for education.

We will contribute to the project with our own device, progress, details links aso will be documentated in various places on the Internet.

This is a kind of competition but i am really not a big fan of competition so i see it as a chance to make the world a better place and contribute to education today.

TODO

absctract here!

Merge content below with those subpages:

• Hardware
• Software
• About the team
• Documentation
• Links

PROJECT "EDUBUZZER"

Abstract

FILL THIS!

Goals / Features

• electronic "PUT HAND UP" mode
  • question from teacher
  • i think i know the answer so i press a button
  • random generator picks who is to answer / can be overridden
  • could be used for statistics on participation, and which kids need more integration based on statistics

• VOTES/SURVEYS
  • enable to vote on a topic without raising your hand in front of the class which ultimately leads to a more honest voting behaviour
  • enables vote mechanisms that are hard to do with paper like multiple choices and ratings on preffered solutions as in "id like option A but if we dont get enough voted for that option B would be my second favourite.."

• GROUPWORK / GROUPGAMES
  • teams of pupils can be chosen by a random generator this would take the social stress off the teacher as in "i dont want to be in a group with this guy.." "..the computer has chosen ist fair"
  • games would be possible where groups compete and if a group performs better it has to let a member go into another group
  • also the opposite is possible where the best performing group gets new members..

• WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE MODE
  • if a pupil doesnt know the answer he could "ask the audience" and the kids could press what they think is the right answer..

• MULTIPLE CHOICE TESTS
  • this will probably not be in version 0.1 as it needs a lot of work that is unrealistic to be implemented with the very short deadline of 2 months
  • teacher should be able to have a live on-stage test where the kids can answer questions with multiple choice pushbutton modes
  • multiple choice tests are not very common in europe so we need to spend research on this subject

• GAMES
  • maybe something like the werewolf game
  • the remote choses who is the wolf and the others have to find out who it is by talking to each other on a round based system

Hardware

• EDUBUZZER:
  • ATMEGA168
  • Radiochip
    • Idea: For prototyping, it might be better to use a ZigBee (e.g. XBee) -> more robust comms, easier firmware, standard compontents. More expensive per device (>40€ per student, probably too much for an average school), but this is just prototyping.
    • Alternative: RFM12, 3-6€ per device, no adhoc-network, probably problems with two devices sending at the same time.

• • 9V battery, later a lipo pack
  • 4 buttons
  • 5 RGB leds
  • iButton reader

• BASESTATION:
  • Arduino
  • Shield
  • USBhub+usbstick for software

Software

• firmware for the basestation
• firmware for the edubuzzer
• dummy edubuzzer emulator for host software development
• host software portable! maybe QT ? maybe a local server (java?) + webfrontend?

Enclosure

• easy to manufacture
• laser + acryl or similar
• needs a prototype made from playdoh for production first :)

What are the benefits, what is completely new?

• realtime statistics for the teacher
• competition between teachers
• fair choice by random generator or some clever algorithm instead of the teacher always picking the same guys
• not being bullied for being a smartass for raising your hand all the time
• not being bullied for NOT raising your hand very often..

Things to think about in later versions

• accupack
• loader in a suitcase hat can be connected to a walloutlet
• optional plugable parts (keyboards,mice..)
• countdown when answering a question
• optical/accoustic/vibration feedback

********************


unstructured notes


der lehrer kann auch am laptop auf den knopf drücken der zum schüler gehört und dann leuchtet der entsprechender buzzer auf
so kann verifiziert werden wenn geräte rumgetauscht werden


was ist wenn ein schüler die flasche taste drückt.



- welche vorteile bringt das ding? 

argumente dafür
 - mehr gleichheit
 - anonym antworten
 - gruppendruck entgegenwirken


wenn man gruppenarbeiten macht kann das gruppenzugehörigkeiten verteilen
im klassischen unterricht ist es immer einer gegen alle
die teams werden nicht nach sympathie sondern per zufall zusammengestellt










*****




festlegen was muss das device koennen

dann katalog von moeglichen anwendungen machen(?)

auswertung danach

 eine art appstore für neue funktionen

jeder druck geht an die basisstation und die basisstation entscheidet was zu tun ist.. led einschalten und so


client auf olpc

basisstation auf olpc

stackable ladefunktion

farbcodes auf gehäuse für DAU lehrer

DON'T PANIC aufdruck

ding sagt basisstation das die batterie leer wird

aufbewahrungsbox mit netzstecker anschluss zum laden der dinger

kernelement ist wohl das der lehrer in echtzeit sagt : das war die richtige antwort
das kann das system erfassen und auswerten
echtzeit ist wichtig  




plastilin prototyp!




**** WHAT TO DO ********



1. hardware design
 1.1 microcontreller atmega 168  später attiny
 1.2 rf modul
 1.3 buttons
 1.4 rgb leds
 1.5 lipo + usb charger + stepup  / 9v festpannungsregler
 1.6 ibuttons
 1.7 ein/ausschalter


+ clifford aber nur wenns überschaubare sessionanzahl gibt
+ flo (aber nur wenn ich passiv mitmachen kann)

---


2. firmware
 + amir
 + flo
 + clifford
 + marius

---

  
3. case
 + flo
 + clifford
 + amir
 + mazzo


4. software auswertung
 am ende soll ein journal rauskommen
 session -> fragen mappen 
 multiple choice online system
 moodle integration ?!
 QT zwecks portieren und über serielle mit der basisstatoin reden




5. softwaredummy für  gerät
 + amir










6. basisstation die am laptop hängt
 - arduino shield

 + clifford
 + flo




to do:
 mitch kontakten
 milestones
 


fragen:
 - wie fertig muss das nach 2 monaten sein ? 
 - reicht es was zu fräsen dun da grosse klobige teile zu verbeuen oder muss das schon klein SMD sein ?