3D Printed Braille Dice - https://www.dotsrpg.com
SparkFun Inventor’s Kit for Arduino Uno https://www.sparkfun.com/products/14418
it’s important that AT providers become more comfortable using these maker tools since they can open new viable avenues for creating customizable, affordable and durable AT solutions for
help those who are just starting out and do not have the specific knowledge to gather the individual tools that are needed to complete a project. Spark Fun’s inventor kits available at sparkfun. com are an excellent starting point because they not only provide the physical components, but also provide step-by-step visual directions as well as starter code for all projects. So how does microcontroller technology go from a hobby to AT? It depends upon the perspective you take. It is the same mindset for those of us who look at a dollar store pink hair curler and see a built-up paintbrush holder. As a hobbyist, you can use a button switch to turn on an LED light to learn about program- ming and circuitry. However, as an AT specialist, you can build a custom solution for someone with a disability to have an acces- sible light signal. We already know that AT specialists are great problem-solvers (that is the nature of our jobs), but now we are giving access to real tools that are often only found in expen- sive AT hardware devices. And while there will always be a place for those well-developed, quality-tested AT hardware devices, there is a place in our AT toolbox for more simple, cheaper, indi- vidualized and possibly even temporary solutions to assess and support individual needs. A great way for maker newbies to get familiar with micro- controller technology without having to know any code is with a Makey Makey kit. Makey Makey is an invention kit developed from research by two students at MIT Media Lab’s Lifelong Kindergarten. The $49 commercially-available kit includes a “switch interface” board and several sets of alligator clips (serrated metal clips attached with wire used to make temporary electrical connections). The board is pre-programmed to include keyboard commands (letters, numbers, space, enter) as well as basic mouse commands. The board connects to the computer via USB. Users simply plug one end of an alligator clip onto the board at the spot that corresponds to the keyboard/mouse command
individuals with disabilities. Microcontrollers
Microcontrollers, or “hobby enthusiast” technology, has been around since the early days of Radio Shack. The Shack was the local stop for finding materials to complete those projects from the mid-70s through the 90s. But as with the closing of Radio Shack, times have certainly changed. Technology has become cheaper and more readily available thanks to the likes of Amazon. It is also now in the forefront of STEAM education as it pushes towards 21st century learning. Microcontroller technology consists of a range of tools that work together to produce actions. The main component includes the microcomputer board; a small circuit board with a microprocessor, memory and input/output circuitry. There are several types of boards that range in price and capacity, but most common are the Arduino, Adafruit and Raspberry Pi line of boards. The board acts as the brain for a project, but it needs to get its instructions to know how to run. There are several soft- ware programs and languages you can use to write the script for your board’s actions, some of which might appear very sophis- ticated to those just getting started. Luckily, beginners can use built-in code templates found in programs such as Arduino IDE to create projects with limited code knowledge. Next is the range of “attachments” for the board in the form of buttons, sensors or motors. Buttons (also known as switches) act as an input, when pressed an action will occur. Microcontroller buttons may by push-action style or lever and can turn on a light, control a sound or initiate an action as programmed on the board. Sensors include infrared, proximity, time, temperature, light, motion and identification. Microcontroller technology is often sold in kits for users to experiment with the various sensors and buttons. Kits
39
February / March, 2019 | www.closingthegap.com/membership Closing The Gap © 2019 Closing The Gap, Inc. All rights reserved.
BACK TO CONTENTS
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator