Cheap Arduino Robot with everything you need

I see a growing number of companies marketing Arduino based robots for well over $100 a piece. Most of these bots have limited capability and still utilize the Arduino IDE for programming. I needed a simple programming platform for my IT students, so I designed and built my own robot to save money. If you are willing to purchase components from Ali Express this is the robot for you. I have attached complete build instructions and Curriculum and .stl files will be on there way soon.

$15 Dollar Arduino Robot

YouTube Curriculum playlist

123DCircuits and Digispark for Easy Cheap Projects

I have been working with ATTINY chips for some time. When I saw the low cost Digispark that has one on board, I had have 1.

 I have developed this project that utilizes the ease of programming with 123D Circuits and the cost of digispark. It is very similar to the standalone ATTINY circuits posted several years ago but has been simplified, to make it easier to program and easier to manufacture. Check out the instructions bellow.

PCB manufacturing tutorial

123D Tutorial 1
123D Tutorial 2
123D Tutorial 3
123D Tutorial 4

123D Arduino project
123D ATTINY without Digispark

Software install - new version
software install - old version

Chinese Digisparks
Real Digispark

Autodesk Inventor and the 3D Printed Car

I have had students using Autodesk Inventor and Slic3r to design cars for awhile now. Students can design cars both with moving wheels and stationary. the cars are very easy to design, a 12 year old student has no problem going through the tutorial and producing the stationary wheel car in about an hour. As far as learning goes this project exposes students to a wide range of 3D modeling and printing techniques. Prior to designing the cars in Inventor teachers could go through the design process with the students and have them design their car around a given brief, or just let them have some fun with it. In order to differentiate the instruction of this project as much as possible I have made a written/picture tutorial and a video tutorial.

Fab Learn Australia conference document

Written Tutorial Part 1 -Modeling the moving car

Written Tutorial Part 2 - Inventor assembly of moving car

Written Tutorial Part 3 - Slic3r set up

Written stationary car tutorial (Inventor 2012)

Moving Car Video Tutorials

             Video Tutorial Part 1 

             Video Tutorial Part 2

             Video Tutorial Part 3

             Video Tutorial Part 4

Stationary Car Video Tutorials

     

           Video Tutorial Part 1

           Video Tutorial Part 2

Wrought Iron Design Project

I just put together this wrought iron design project for my metal 10 program. The package is compliant to the Australian Design and Technology curriculum, but it would work for anyone teaching metal work. In order to produce projects with this booklet you will need some sort of bending tool. Currently I am using a Metalcraft setup, but I have done similar projects with Diacro machines. The project introduces wrought iron work as well as the basic design process. I am planning on giving this booklet to my students this week while I am away on our schools year 7 camp. It will keep the students busy with metal design while I have a non-tech substitute covering my class.

google docs link

3 Drawer Shelf

Last year my wife was looking for some wood  work projects that involved some skill but were light on materials. This shelf is the result. This project allows students to learn a variety of joinery, cutting and finishing techniques and the end product is something a student can be proud of. My brother, who is also a tech ed teacher (starting to notice a pattern) drew up this set of plans to go with it.