What Micro-Controller Would You Use to Teach With?

Rukie asks: "I'm looking into starting some sort of robotics class for my high school, which severely lacks any sort of technological classes. I am now wondering what micro-controllers are best for an educational environment. I definitely want something more advanced than the Legos, but something that won't fly over people's heads. Are there cheap, scaleable micro-controllers for learning in a classroom or at home? I'm curious how my fellow readers have hacked up toys to make their own robotics at minimal cost."

Motorola 68HC11

[Ryan Stortz]

I'm currently taking a Microprocessors class at Ferris State University [ferris.edu]. We're using the Motorola 68HC11. It's a CISC processor with simple nmenonics. We both have quite a few physical boards, but we also use a Windows-based emulator called Wookie with MiniIDE [ecu.edu.au] as the IDE/assembler.

I'm enjoying the class so far.

Re:Well...

[WarlockD]

I don't know, I think he is going more for a "fun" angle. Lets face it, without even the basics of electronics, going to digital circuits is tricky at best.

That being said, I would recommend a Basic Stamp from http://www.parallax.com/ [parallax.com]. While their chips are not the fastest, cheapest, or fully featured they offer EXCLELENT learning tools, books as well as a wealth of free code. There are plenty of robot kits you can get and easy to plug in designs. You can quite possibly even get a bulk discount for a school.

To be honest, I would rather have a class where the first half of the semester is designing AND building your radio. (Preferably FM) I learned microcontrollers first before I learned anything about analog components and a radio is the best way to teach that.

PicAxe by far

[Anonymous Coward]

Amazing. He asks for a high-school level system and most of you guys are reccomending systems that require makefiles, compilers, linking, programmers, $50 Stamp chips and a truckload of groundwork before you even get to flash a LED.

The guy who reccomended PicAxes is right on the money. I know they arent that well known in America yet, but even experienced Micro Gurus would do well to check them out. $5 chips that a 12yo can program in basic with flowcharts with 3 wires connected to a serial port.

Inbuilt routines for Infrared, Radio Control Servo inputs and outputs, hardware PWM's, A/D converters, Motor Control, you name they've got it.

I can program Pics, AVR's, and nearly every 8 bit micro starting from 6502, 6809 and z80 days onwards, and I still reach for a PicAxe when I want to get something happening quickly and easily. I know about the mother duck principle, but believe me Microcode Gurus, have a look at these things. They have been called the "555 timer of the new millenium" and its very true.

To flash an LED -
DO
          TOGGLE 1
          PAUSE 100
LOOP

thats it !

no header files, no definitions, no compiling, linking, hex files. type that in, plug it in, push program, and you are away

Check them out, they rock.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picaxe [wikipedia.org]

Re:Well...

[TapeCutter]

"Most of these kids you'll teach probably wont have a mastery of algebra, let alone have the mental concept of complex systems like robotics."

I disagree (not with the algebra bit), they are teenagers and will see leggo as a kids toy (what teenager want's to be mentally defeated by a "toy", better to just ridicule it from day one). A well designed project that results in a simple robot that reacts to light and/or sound will encourage some of them to find out more by themselves. That's what HS is supposed to be about, giving you a basic education and a taste of things that might interest you later.

As an example when one of my kids was in HS he came home from his first computer class with one sheet of paper and said to me "they reckon this is a years worth of work". I read the project he had been given, it was basically the requirements for a simple database with each stage of the project adding more complexity. I gave it back and said that if he could do that in a year and pass he could claim to know something about programming and databases. He did a great job and at the same time he setup and ran his own BB on an old PC (circa-1995). My youngest kids HS maths teacher used a spreadsheet to teach basic algebra (when a lot of teachers were still avoiding the new fangled "computer room"). Both were fucking brilliant ideas for teaching the subject at hand and the kids were actually interested in what they were doing.

As for TFA, I won't say anything about electronic because I know just enough to get laughed at on slashdot, however as some other posters have suggested, use a popular language, maybe "template" the source and let them fill in the blanks to flatten the learning curve a bit.

Not sure what the budjet is, but perhaps each kid could build a simple "robotic cricket" and let them all loose in the gym at the end of the course.