Oddbean new post about login | logout In 9th grade you learn about boolean logic in geometry and use transistors and logic gates to design a binary adder on a bread board. At the end of the year you plan traces for a PCB, have it printed professionally and solider it. Next year you learn how binary adders are part of the foundation of calculator math, and using a arduino or esp32 based system focus on programming the major functions and controls. Near the end of the year you add a graphics library and start graphing. 2/
The screen and hardware previously connected to the microprocessor (low power and memory) for the graphing calculator can be swapped out for a much faster mico-processor with libraries to support programming in python or JAVA, you can also collect data by adding sensors and do statistics. 3/
Depending on the quality of the student work, this final modular device could either be just put together with some plugging soldering and loading of libraries, or it could work with some parts being student made... add ons would be crazy. Maybe team up with FIRST so it could also be the controller for a competition grade robot. 4/
I want thick PCB, with big fat copper through holes that can take the abuse from those new to soldering. I want the power source designed with many fail safes, for reverse the poles and putting too much voltage. Parts should be as forgiving as possible. There should be many modules that could either be a student made thing, or replaced with a robust manufactured IC. BUT the LED from their first "learn to solder" experience should still be the "power on light" in the final calculator. 5/5
@134318c2 There are some similarities between what you're describing and https://www.nand2tetris.org/