MCCE NEWS

Vol. 14, No. 3

Mont ana Council f or Com put er s Montana for Comput puter ers and Tec hnology in Education echnology Spring 2002

Recyled Computer Parts Turned into Robots

By Vince Long Even though they were published before my time, Ive always been fascinated by Rube Goldbergs cartoons where he shows a complicated design solution to a simple a problem. The idea of using a variety of mismatched devices to work in harmony is something I have applied to my own problem solving tasks. Whether I was working on a motorcycle, an industrial piping system, or cooking a fancy meal, when stuck for a solution I think, What would Rube Goldberg have done? In my Technology Education classes, Rubes legacy lives on where I have had my students build complicated machines out of the classroom junk pile. Not only does this spur some great problem solving and critical thinking, its a great way to recycle junk that would otherwise end up in a landfill. One of the projects Ive undertaken is putting old 5-1/4" disk drives to a good use. These drives are plentiful and it doesnt take much to find as many as I need since they are pretty much a dead technology at this point. Inside these drives are two motors and, usually, an integrated circuit that are ideal to incorporate in a robotics project I undertook last summer. My goal was to construct several robots that I could use as teaching tools in a computer programming unit that focuses on programmable controllers and automation. I was also wanted to use these as prototypes for future student-built projects. Of primary interest is the motor used to position (Continued on Page 5)

Student-Written Software Aids Tech Learning

By Dan Dostal Robots fall into two different categories, those that cost a person thousands of dollars and those that are built from scratch. The robots that cost thousands of dollars generally include the necessary means of controlling them and the instructions to do so. However, when the robots are pieced together, no instruction booklet magically falls from the sky. If the person used a manual to construct the robot, then it might have something about the software/hardware needed to control it, but unless that person feels compelled to spend hundred of dollars on these components, that person will have to construct the controls. But if the person does not know a programming language, then someone else will have to create the software needed. The program that I wrote replaces this step in the construction process. The robots used in conjunction with my program use stepper motors and three wheels, two of which are connected to the motor and one provides balance. The stepper motors receives a pulse through a wire that creates a step. When the computer sends a binary number that (Continued on Page 4)

In This Issue
Recycled Computer Parts Student-Written Software President's Corner ISTE News Membership Form Page 1 Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 8

President's Corner
by Ca thy Stone Cathy

You know Technology is taking over your life when you need to fill out a form that must be typewritten, but you cant because there isnt one typewriter in your house. This old saw particularly amused me the day I needed to e-file my taxes (namely April 14, a full day early) and I spilled my Diet Coke into my keyboard. Rounding up a typewriter to finish my taxes was barely an option; instead I vacuumed out as much of the damaging liquid as I could manage. Fortunately the diet variety of soft drinks doesnt have sugar crystals to gum up the works, but the moisture did cause unexpected synapses and sudden multiple letters to be printed in spaces that formally held my name and social security numbers. Not too easy to slip that one by the Feds! By evening, though, I was dried out enough to file on time, although I am still minus a few keypad numbers and arrow keys. For many of us learning technology has been a self-initiated activity. Where do you go to develop your skills? Outside workshops, classes and conferences are obvious answers, if time and money allow, but the Internet offers us home schooling we can all afford. No doubt, each of us has found many useful web sites that keep our knowledge and perspective refreshed; I encourage you to write to the MCCE listserv and share them with the membership. An eclectic group of my own favorite web sites are annotated below. Jamie McKenzie is the author of numerous web sites, one being the From Now On the Educational Technology Journal which is available at http://fno.org. McKenzie champions the use of technology in schools, but he also challenges us to become better thinkers about the best ways to use technology; sometimes more isnt better. His articles and presentations have coined words like Powerpointlessness Toolishness and Dot-Compost. Definitely worth a read. Theres a good collection of cartoons here, too. High Plains Regional Labs Profiler http://profiler.hprtec.org/ This free site provides an interesting assessment tool for staff and students alike You take a survey to assess your technology abilities and can also find someone who can help you strengthen these skills within your school. Write your own assessment, or use someone elses, and then administer it online. The user gets to see their own profile as well as others who are members of the same group (i.e. their fellow teachers). It allows you to track progress and can be used as a pre/post activity or as a data collection tool for needs assessment. The surveys are easy to set up and if you (Continued on Page 7)

MCCE Officers & Board Members

President Cathy Stone Past-President Suzie Flentie President-Elect Carl Elliott Secretary Brenda Koch Treasurer Desiree' Baisden Board Members Jim Gregg Dave Burtch Carla McCale Staci Auck Buck Buchanan Allen Sevareid Kevin Croff Kathy Sindt Bob Gunderson Newsletter Editor Vince Long Submit articles to: Vince Long Billings Senior High 425 Grand Ave. Billings, MT 59101 longv@billings.k12.mt.us

Join ISTE, the national voice for the Montana Council for Computers and Technology in Education. http://www.iste.org Page 2

MCCE NEWS

Organization News
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION (ISTE) AND NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL COMPUTING ASSOCIATION (NECA) JOINTLY NAME NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Don Knezek, PhD, has been named CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the National Educational Computing Association (NECA) effective April 1. The two organizations plan to complete a merger this spring. I'm honored to have been chosen to lead two exciting organizations that have decided to leverage and enhance their individual strengths, notes Knezek. We'll collaborate on new initiatives that promise to advance improved schooling through technology. Our potential is awesome as we provide a world class forum for individuals and organizations. Knezek has a distinguished career in educational technology, and he has been involved with ISTE for many years. Since 1999, he has served as director of the organization's National Center for Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology (NCPT3). In that role, he created, established, directed, and sustained the center and its programs, designed to improve the technology preparation of new teachers. Since 1989, he has served on ISTE's Accreditation and Professional Standards Committee; he has also held positions on ISTE's Board and Executive Board and on the organizations Conference Committee. Knezek earned his PhD in educational administration from the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a fellow in the Cooperative Superintendency Program. He did graduate study in computer science at the University of North Texas and holds an MA in mathematics from the University of Hawaii. He graduated cum laude with a BA in mathematics from Dartmouth College. He holds certificates in public school administration at the superintendent, mid-management, and supervisor levels and as a teacher of mathematics, physics, and computer science. According to Cathleen Norris, president of NECA's Board of Directors, Knezek is an ideal choice to lead NECA and ISTE. As someone who's been in the trenches, Don relates with educators and understands from the teacher perspective whats at stake in promoting educational technology, Norris says. And he has the experience, expertise and personality to be an outstanding leader, a staunch advocate, and a perfect representative of the teaching profession. Knezek will be based in the organizations' new joint office in Washington, D.C. According to Cheryl Williams, president of ISTE's Board of Directors, Knezek's appointment and an increased presence in the nation's capital will play a vital role in advancing educational technology. We'll provide an essential voice in a national forum for those who support and practice the use of technology to help students reach high standards of learning. NECA works to advance educational philosophies, practices, policies, and research that focus on the appropriate use of current and emerging technologies to empower all individuals to reach their full potential. The organization's primary vehicle is the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC), the worlds largest educational technology conference for those interested in improving teaching and learning with technology in K-12 and teacher education. Yearly attendance includes more than 12,000 teachers, administrators, technology coordinators, and teacher educators from more than 50 countries. The NECC conference brings together more than 450 of the most influential educational hardware and software companies and offers more than 400 dynamic local and national speakers, practical demonstrations, discussions, workshops, Internet poster sessions, research papers, and a national Student Showcase. Educational (Continued on Page 7)

MCCE NEWS
MCCE NEWS is published four times per year by the Montana Council for Computers and Technology in Education. The contents are Copyright 2002, by MCCE and the authors of the individual articles. Next Submission Deadline: May 20, 2002 This and past issues of MCCE News are available on the World Wide Web at: http://senior.billings.k12.mt.us/mcce/ To join our online discussion group, send e-mail to Desiree' Baisden baisdend@billings.k12.mt.us

Spring 2002

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Feature
Robot Software
(Continued from Page 1) relates to a wire, the robot moves the specified step. When the steps move in sequence (see below for more on sequences), the robot moves a small amount. If the computer repeats the process over and over, the robot moves a noticeable amount. By sending different sequences of binary numbers, the robot can move in all directions on the plane. This can be used as an accurate measuring tool as one sequence moves the wheels a specific number of degrees, in this case 1.8. As the circumference of the wheel can be measured fairly easily, the distance traveled can be deciphered. Also, the robots can be used as recreational devices. The robots were originally designed to play soccer. The materials used make this come from old computer parts and an old computer, but also consists of wood for the surface and a lamp for late night viewing across the Internet. This project required very little money. Almost every part was salvaged from old computers that fill the back room of the classroom learn programming or have a program at their disposal. I wrote the program with this intention. First it teaches the students about the basics of stepper motor robots and the necessary information about controlling them. They learn such things as the binary number system and the use of the parallel port. Then the tutorial guides them through moving the robot using their newly found knowledge. They also have the option of moving the robot with only the controls (keyboard and joystick) and no idea of how it works. This can be useful, however, as this allows the student to understand the motion of the robots. Ultimately, however, the students will use the graphical user interface to give the robot instructions for its movement rather than a keyboard or joystick to control it. The students first choose whether they want to use four-step sequences or eight-step sequences. This sets the number of binary numbers used in each sequence. Single coil, which signals each step individually, and double coil, which signals steps in pairs, use a four-step sequence. Interleaving, which combines single coil and double coil, uses an eightstep sequence. The students can use different movement sequences, but they must use either four-step or eight-step sequences. In the next step, the students assign a delay for the sequence. The entire process of moving robots can be a physics nightmare because the computer throws electrons around much faster than the robot can move (Continued on Page 5)
Data Entry Screen on the Robotics Tutorial

Three of the robots in their corral

including wires, motors, DB-25 connectors and many other components. However, the people using the robots in Mr. Longs Tech Ed class can skip this step, as the robots have already been put together. This leaves the controls and instructions. Mr. Long wants to use the robots as an introduction to robotics in his Tech Ed class. However, most of those students know little, if any, programming, so either they need to

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MCCE NEWS

Feature
Robot Software
(Continued from Page 4) its wheels. The robot needs a delay between signals to allow the robot time to trigger the step and then wait for the next signal. The program counts to a specified number before it sends a signal. This process parallels hide and seek when the seeker counts to a number so the hiders have time to hide. After setting the delay, the students input the steps in the three sequences: forward, right, and left. Once the students know binary, the numbers jump into place. After inputting the twelve or twenty-four numbers, the students can save their settings so that they never need to input the numbers again. Then the students type in the movement steps. Using their three categories of forward, right, and left plus reverse, which takes forward and runs through those numbers backwards, the students can input direction and number of cycles to run through that direction. The number of steps depends on whether the student chose a 4-step or 8-step process. More steps may be inputted if the student chooses the 4-step process because of the increased room in the GUI. Once all of these steps have been completed, the students run the program. The robot follows the students directions. I encourage the students to play around with the steps in each sequence to further understand the process and to make more interesting movement patterns than the four standard directions. Once they fully understand these other movement patterns, the students have mastered my program. Dan is a senior at Billings Senior High Two of the robots. The one on the right was designed as a soccer player.

Bottom view shows the two stepper motors bolted together.

Recycled Computer Parts

(Continued from Page 1) the read/write head of the drive. In the most of the drives this was a 4phase, unipolar motor with 5 wires coming from its case, 1 ground wire and 1 for each of the 4 coils inside. There are other types of stepper motors out there, but I have this type the easiest to implement. Unlike a standard DC motor that spins when voltage is applied, a stepper motor only moves a few degrees of rotation with each pulse of current. The trick is to apply the voltage to each of the 4 coils in the proper order to achieve the desired rotation. The advantage is that a stepper motor can be moved a very precise distance. In my project I use two stepper motors on the robot, each directly connected to a wheel. The pulse sequence comes from the printer port of an old 386 computer, another cast-off piece of technology. The printer port is controlled by a program written in QBasic, a programming language that came with DOS. Power for the robot comes from a 5 and 12 volt power supplied from an old IBM external disk drive. The 12 volts are fed to each stepper motor through UNL2003 integrated circuits, desoldered from the disk drives control board. These chips contain 7 Darlington power transistors each (Continued on Page 6)

Spring 2002

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Feature
Recycled Computer Parts
(Continued from Page 1) and act as a switch. The signal from the parallel port, which is 5 volts, tells the transistor to switch the 12 volts on and off. The cable connecting the robot to the computer was salvage from the IBM external drive assembly. These wires need to be fairly light gauge and it takes up to a dozen, depending on the feedback that the robot might provide from external sensors (switches.) Another source for this type of cable is old monitor cables. I mounted a small, spring-loaded switch to one end of the robot to provide feedback, such as when the robot moves against an obstacle. The switch was salvaged from a dead copy machine, a device that is a treasure trove for the robot builder. To keep the robots contained I built a corral out of some leftover lumber I had from a recent bathroom remodeling project. The corral design, as shown in the accompanying photograph (Page 4), provides a crossover piece on which the cables, power supply, and on/off switches can be mounted. The only items that I purchased for the project were the DB-25 connectors for the cable ends, some aluminum angle for mounting the motors, and an assortment of screws and nuts. The cost of the project, which included building three robots, was about $20.00. Once constructed, the actual fun began, at least for me, in writing the initial computer software. Each motor has 4 coils and the computers printer port has 8 output lines. Which lines are on or off is controlled by sending a decimal number to the printer. When the decimal number arrives at the port it is represented in its binary equivalent. For example, if I want to turn pin #1 on, I use a Basic command like this: OUT 888,1 CLS OUT 888, 0 FOR I = 1 TO 8: READ D(I): NEXT I Start: FOR Coil = 1 TO 8 OUT 888, D(Coil) FOR I = 1 TO 35: NEXT I NEXT Coil GOTO Start: DATA 136,204,68,102,34,51,17,153 Clear the Screen Turn off the printer port Read the sequence into an array

The insides of a 5-1/4" disk drive This works because 1 is 1 in both decimal and binary. If I want to turn pin 4 on, I send an 8. Why an 8? In binary, an 8 looks like this: 00001000 (Pin 1 is on the right.)

Pin 7 is activated by a 64, 01000000, and so on. Pins 1 through 4 control one motor and pins 5 through 8 control the second motor. To turn on two motors at the same time, necessary to move forward, we add the decimal numbers together. For example, to turn pins 1 and 5 on at the same time I send a 17 (00010001.) A program that moves the robot forward is shown in the box on the bottom of Page 6. The delay loop is necessary to allow the motor to react to the pulse. The value of 35 works on my 386 but different machines will require a different value. In one of my programs I let the user vary that number, providing a crude, but effective speed control. For more information about using stepper motors (Continued on Page 7)

Sends the decimal number to the port Does a delay

The decimal sequence

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MCCE NEWS

Feature
Recycled Computer Parts
(Continued from Page 6) in robotics applications, visit Ian Harries web site: http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~ih/doc/stepper/ The site has detailed data for all types for projects related to interfacing a computer to real world through its parallel (printer) port. If you would like to take a look at my robots online, I have one of them connected to the Internet and users can moved it while watching a video image. The site is: http://senior.billings.k12.mt.us/webcam/robot1/index.htm To see the robots, in person, come to my sectional on this topic next fall at the MEA/MFT Conference.

ISTE'S NEW CEO

(Continued from Page 3) decision makers and classroom teachers alike get handson experience with cutting-edge products for the K-16 community through conference exhibits and extended workshops. ISTE is a nonprofit professional organization with a worldwide membership of leaders and potential leaders in educational technology. The organization promotes appropriate uses of information technology to support and improve learning, teaching, and administration in K-12 education and teacher education. Home of the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) Project and the National Center for Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology (NCPT3), ISTE also represents and informs members of educational issues of national scope through ISTE-DC. ISTE leads through presenting innovative educational technology books and programs; conducting professional development workshops, forums, and symposia; and researching, evaluating, and disseminating findings regarding educational technology on an international level.

GPS Users Photograph the World

This is a very interesting web site facilitated by volunteers from around the world. The goal of the project is for individuals to visit each of the latitude and longitude integer degree intersections in the world, and to take pictures at each location. The pictures and stories are then be posted on this wweb site. The stories make some great reading and there are postings from all over the world with 1,600 confluences all ready recorded. http://www.confluence.org/

PopUpKiller Followup
The PopUpKiller program mentioned in the last issue of this newsletter is no longer supported and you may have trouble finding it. As a replacement you can try Panicwares Pop-Up Stopper. It has a free version that does a pretty good job of blocking those pop up ads. www.panicware.com

President's Corner
(Continued from Page 2) need guidance you get to talk to actual people who are prompt and very helpful. Bellingham School District http:// www.bham.wednet.edu/ Kent School District http://www.kent.wednet.edu/ When Im looking for educational resources that just dont seem to come up on Google et.al, I often turn to these Washington school districts web sites. Not only are they great examples of what a school web site can be (albeit for much larger districts than any in Montana), they offer a lot of good links to other resources. Most recently I wanted web sites for math problems and

activities and found a page of great links on the Kent School District page for math at all levels. Urban Legends: http://urbanlegends.about.com FWDs: We all get them! Have you had to determine whether the latest forwarded email about a virus scare is truth or fiction? What if a colleague is telling people to beware pins infected with the AIDs virus are being left in the coin return slot of telephones? The killer app of the Internet, namely our e-mail, has made the spread of misinformation faster and worser than ever. This web site will reveal the falsehood-and truth-of many a story making the rounds at the lunch table. If something sounds too bad to be true, check it out at this web site. Maybe this is the place to check out the rumor that Coke is good for cleaning your cars battery terminals!

Spring 2002

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Montana Council for Computers and Technology in Education Membership Form

Last Name _________________________________ First Name __________________ Mailing Address _________________________________________________________ City ________________________________________ State __________ Zip _______ Home Phone ________________________ E-mail ___________________________ New Member ________ Renewal _______ Area of Interest: College ________ High School ________ K-8 ________ Please be an active member by indicating your area(s) of interest: _____ willing to be an officer _____ willing to submit articles for the newsletter _____ willing to be on the Board of Directors _____ willing to work on MCCE committees _____ willing to be on a committee for a convention Dues: _____ $12.00 per year _____$30.00 for 3 years

Mail the completed membership form and dues to:

Desiree' Baisden Skyview High School 1775 High Sierra Billings , MT 59101

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Spring 2002

MCCE NEWS Vince Long, Editor Billings Senior High 425 Grand Avenue Billings, MT 59101

To:

MCCE NEWS