Embedded Files
Lesson Overview
Lesson Overview
Students are able to understand the function of touch sensors by building their own touch sensors.
Students are able to program touch sensors to control micro: bit and external components, such as LEDs, servo motors and so on.
Students are able to produce a project of a cow wagging its tail when its horns are touched.
6.4.2 Describe the function of all hardware used in programming.6.4.5 Connect hardware for products that emit light, sound, and movement.
Did you know that there are various animals that have unique horns?
Did you know that there are various animals that have unique horns?
Hmm... cows that are commonly found on the roadside in Malaysia also have horns!
Hmm... cows that are commonly found on the roadside in Malaysia also have horns!
Let’s build a cow project with micro:bit!
Let’s build a cow project with micro:bit!
Video 6: Cows Wagging Tails
Video 6: Cows Wagging Tails
Watch and follow this video to get to know how to build a cow project that wags its tail when its horns are touched.
Watch and follow this video to get to know how to build a cow project that wags its tail when its horns are touched.
Materials needed to follow this video:
micro: bit + USB wire + power supply + 5 alligator clips
Computer
Visit makecode.microbit.org
Aluminum foil + cardboard + blu-tack
Transcript
Hello world! Welcome back to microbit series. I am Alina
and today we will make a cow!
In the previous video, we had learned the way to setup and control
servo motor using push button.
Today we will explore how to build our
own touch sensor
to control microbit and the external component. Prepare
all the project materials first: cardboard, aluminium
foil, blue tack, servo motor,
5 crocodile clips, microbit board and power supply.
We build the cow's body by drawing or print out
a cow drawing and cut accordingly.
We make 2 copies of the cow drawing.
Cut out the cow. Separate its tail carefully.
On the first cardboard, wrap the horns
with aluminium foil. For the second cardboard,
stick the aluminium foil on the head and horn.
Clip the crocodile clip onto the horns of
the first cardboard.
One end of the clip is connected to pin P0
and another to GND.
Stick 2 pieces of cardboard together using a blue tack.
Ensure there is a space between the 2 cardboards.
Aluminium foil acts as a conductor to allow the flow of
electrical current when we touch it to
complete the circuit. Insert the blade onto the servo motor
and screw it tightly.
Stick the servo motor to the tail region.
Stick the blade onto the cow's tail that we have cut just now.
Connect the wires to the servo motor.
Orange wire to white wire, red wire to red wire
and brown wire to the black wire.
Clip the white wire to pin 1,
black wire to GND
and red wire to 3V
on the microbit board.
Stick the microbit board at the back of the cow.
On the MakeCode software, click and pull out
"On pin pressed".
Leave the pin P0 as it is. Click and pull out the blocks
"Set servo P0 angle to 90 degree",
"pause"
for 500 milliseconds.
Click, pull out block "set servo P0 angle
to 0 degree".
We change pin P0 to P1
as our servo motor is
at pin 1.
Add the block "pause"
500 milliseconds.
Repeat all these blocks
to ensure that our servo motor return to
its original position.
Connect microbit to computer using a USB cable.
Press download on the software and save the programming file
into the microbit.
Remove the USB cable from the microbit. Connect the
power supply or battery to the microbit.
Switch on the power supply and observe what will happen when the
cow's horns are held. Tidy up your project. Arrange the wires and
the microbit board so that they are not seen from the front.
Project cow is done! As for the challenge, add LEDs
to the cow's eyes and switch on the LEDs after the
tail moves when the horns
are held.
Happy trying!
and today we will make a cow!
In the previous video, we had learned the way to setup and control
servo motor using push button.
Today we will explore how to build our
own touch sensor
to control microbit and the external component. Prepare
all the project materials first: cardboard, aluminium
foil, blue tack, servo motor,
5 crocodile clips, microbit board and power supply.
We build the cow's body by drawing or print out
a cow drawing and cut accordingly.
We make 2 copies of the cow drawing.
Cut out the cow. Separate its tail carefully.
On the first cardboard, wrap the horns
with aluminium foil. For the second cardboard,
stick the aluminium foil on the head and horn.
Clip the crocodile clip onto the horns of
the first cardboard.
One end of the clip is connected to pin P0
and another to GND.
Stick 2 pieces of cardboard together using a blue tack.
Ensure there is a space between the 2 cardboards.
Aluminium foil acts as a conductor to allow the flow of
electrical current when we touch it to
complete the circuit. Insert the blade onto the servo motor
and screw it tightly.
Stick the servo motor to the tail region.
Stick the blade onto the cow's tail that we have cut just now.
Connect the wires to the servo motor.
Orange wire to white wire, red wire to red wire
and brown wire to the black wire.
Clip the white wire to pin 1,
black wire to GND
and red wire to 3V
on the microbit board.
Stick the microbit board at the back of the cow.
On the MakeCode software, click and pull out
"On pin pressed".
Leave the pin P0 as it is. Click and pull out the blocks
"Set servo P0 angle to 90 degree",
"pause"
for 500 milliseconds.
Click, pull out block "set servo P0 angle
to 0 degree".
We change pin P0 to P1
as our servo motor is
at pin 1.
Add the block "pause"
500 milliseconds.
Repeat all these blocks
to ensure that our servo motor return to
its original position.
Connect microbit to computer using a USB cable.
Press download on the software and save the programming file
into the microbit.
Remove the USB cable from the microbit. Connect the
power supply or battery to the microbit.
Switch on the power supply and observe what will happen when the
cow's horns are held. Tidy up your project. Arrange the wires and
the microbit board so that they are not seen from the front.
Project cow is done! As for the challenge, add LEDs
to the cow's eyes and switch on the LEDs after the
tail moves when the horns
are held.
Happy trying!
After watching this video, it’s your turn to try the assignments and challenges! They are:
After watching this video, it’s your turn to try the assignments and challenges! They are:
Move the cow’s tail when the cow’s horn is held
Add an LED to the cow’s eye and turn on the LED when the cow’s tail moves after the horn is held
Move the cow’s tail when the cow’s horn is held
Add an LED to the cow’s eye and turn on the LED when the cow’s tail moves after the horn is held
👉CLICK HERE👈 to try it on makecode.
Practice in the Video
Practice in the Video
Ways to build code.
End product.
Read the lesson notes below to deepen your understanding.
Read the lesson notes below to deepen your understanding.
Touch Sensor
Touch Sensor
The touch sensor detects if it is touched.
Example of a touch sensor connection (default for micro:bit V1 and V2 boards).
Hands can act as conductors. They can allow the electric current to flow from pin P0 to GND (complete circuit). The change in resistance when our fingers touch pin P0 and GND make micro:bit a resistive touch sensor.
Click HERE to know more about capacitive and resistive touch sensors and their application on micro:bit.
Resistive touch sensors require you to complete the circuit by touching both pin and GND while capacitive touch sensors work like your phone screen - just by touching one surface point.
Think and Answer
Think and Answer
What are the appropriate materials to connect to pin P0, P1 or P2 so that they could be used as a touch sensor?
How to program a Touch Sensor?
How to program a Touch Sensor?
Method I: Selection Control Structure and Logic operator
Method II: Event-based programming
Although the methods are different, the function of the two methods above is the same. In the world of programming, we will find different programming methods that are providing the same outcome to the same problem. The world of programming does not rely on one definitive solution. The efficacy of your code depends on its length and effectiveness.
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