The route to Programmable Components

Brian P Smith

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Electronics in the past• Simple circuits with little complexity and functionality – low value• Complex circuits and functionality difficult to achieve• Didn’t match student expectations – could buy better for under £10.00• Focussed on ‘out of date’ technologies, design and making processes• Often done very badly, not much success for learners

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Sir – it doesn’t work!• Frustrating for staff – lack of training, support, resources• Limited scope in other D&T facets• For schools seen as being very expensive, difficult to justify• Seen as hard and not very fun!• Limited use of PICs has made a small start, but education has got left behind• Now it’s time to catch up

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The new requirements for 2014• The key requirement are:• apply their understanding of computing to program, monitor and control their

products . KS2• apply computing and use electronics to embed intelligence in products that

respond to inputs such as sensors, and control outputs such as actuators, using programmable components such as microcontrollers. KS3

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What does it mean in practice?• It translates into:• ‘The need to teach more advanced electronics that embed intelligence into the

products they design and make’• This doesn’t mean more difficult, as embedded electronics has moved on in terms

of the development tools and support available• We need to have high aspirations in this field of D&T to meet the challenges of the

21st Century Designing & Making leading into world class manufacturing and engineering.

A suggested route

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Access all areas• Learners are still expected to design and make their own products containing PCBs

using these devices / modules• The products can be created in all facets of D&T:

– Product Design– Graphic Products– Textiles – eTextiles– Food – packaging & tracking– Electronic Products– Systems & Control

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Embedded electronics• Embedded electronics is the term used to describe those processor based systems

added to everyday products to improve their functionality• Embedded systems are dedicated to specific tasks, design engineers can optimize it

to reduce the size and cost of the product and increase the reliability and performance.

• Embedded systems are mass-produced, benefiting from economies of scale.

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Where to start• Simple PIC based systems:

– PICAXE– Genie– Programmed using flowcharts or BASIC, most are free– Require PCBs

• How to build them in to products – Projects that work• What knowledge and skills will I need?

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Moving up a gear• Next generation PIC systems:

– PIC Clicker and Click boards– Matrix ECIO boards– Programmed using flowcharts, BASIC and C, most are free [Computing link]– Requires PCBs

• How to build them in to products – Projects that work• What knowledge and skills will I need?

£18.00

£16.00

Both have free versions of their IDE’s and use USB for programming

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How to aiming higher• Adding more capacity and intelligence with Small Board Computers (SBC’s):

– Raspberry Pi– Arduino – Uno, LilyPad, TinyDuino etc– BeagleBone– Programmed in Python, C, most are free [Computing link]– Wide range of modules, shields– PCBs required for your additional electronics– Massive resource base on the web for help and support

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SBCs the way forward• These SBCs are not difficult to use or to design into products across all facets of

D&T.• Due to the nature of these systems and their add-ons complex system can easily

and quickly be created offering bespoke solutions to specific design briefs or scenarios.

• The combination of built SBCs with own designed electronics is a very powerful one, but one that is easily understood and developed by teachers and learners alike.

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What’s out there• The range of SBC modules is vast, here are some examples:

– GPS– Accelerometers– LCD / LED displays– Motor drivers (DC, stepper, servo)– WiFi– Bluetooth– RGB LEDs– RGB LED matrixs– Audio playback (wav files)

• Some of these are available in micro sizes, waterproof etc.

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Coding your product• Coding or programming is an area we share with Computing• Learners have to:• use two or more programming languages, at least one of which is textual, ..

design and develop modular programs that use procedures or functions

• The development of a coded solution is an example of iterative design:• The cyclic process of prototyping, testing, analyzing, and refining a product or

process• Writing code isn’t difficult, all code is made up from standard sections.• These standard sections are known and are freely available online• It’s like using Lego – the blocks of code just need to click together in the right

order.

ICSAT

• We are here for you• Look on our website: www.icsat.co.uk• If you don’t see what you want talk to us, we can

tailor course and meetings to suit your needs.• We can help with KS1, 2 & 3 for September 2014. We

have produced Departmental audits and individual student trackers.

• Tell your colleagues about us.