Activiites | makesense

Detailed Activities

There is a Scratch studio called FunKey Sensor where activities are linked to some of these projects.

Heartbeat with Scratch

begin with board unconnected to computer
connect the heartbeat sensor pins to the cable as shown in the sensor page
connect the alligator cable ends: red to powerstrip, black to ground and yellow to the K port
open a text editor and click in the editing window
connect the FunKey Sensor board to the computer using the USB cable
hold the "heart image" side of the sensor gently but firmly to your finger tip
wait about 20 seconds and you should see "b" keys in the text editor matching your heart rate, about one per second
create a Scratch program the senses the "b" key and makes something happen, for example it makes a heart sprite get larger then smaller
example: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/467927373

Proximity Sensor with Scratch

begin with board unconnected to computer
connect the proximity sensor pins to the cable as shown in the sensor page
connect the alligator cable ends: red to powerstrip, black to ground and yellow to the W port
open a text editor and click in the editing window
connect the FunKey Sensor board to the computer using the USB cable
place your hand about an inch away from the sensor's plastic lenses. You should see an "o" when you bring your hand near the sensor and a "p" when you move it away
create a Scratch program that makes use of the "o" and "p" keys, perhaps to make a sprite "jump"
example: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/468068902

Tilt Sensor with Scratch

begin with board unconnected to computer
connect the tilt sensor pins to the cable as shown in the sensor page
connect the alligator cable ends: black to ground and yellow to the W port (only two connections)
go to this simple Scratch program that makes use of the "o" key, to make a sprite "jump"
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/472085165
connect the FunKey Sensor board to the computer using the USB cable
when you tilt the sensor in one direction the sprite should jump up.

Reaction timer with Proximity Sensor in Scratch

begin with board unconnected to computerconnect the proximity sensor pins to the cable as shown in the sensor page
connect the alligator cable ends: red to powerstrip, black to ground and yellow to the W port
open a text editor and click in the editing window
connect the FunKey Sensor board to the computer using the USB cable
place your hand about an inch away from the sensor's plastic lenses. You should see an "o" when you bring your hand near the sensor and a "p" when you move it away
this Scratch program makes use of the "o" key, to test your reaction time
example: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/471934998

Proximity sensor with LED

begin with board unconnected to computer
connect the proximity sensor pins to the cable as shown in the sensor page
connect the alligator cable ends: red to powerstrip, black to ground and yellow to the Up port
power the FunKey Sensor board using the USB cable to a computer or other USB source
consult the sensor page for connections to the pins on the RGB LED. Only black and yellow are used. Connect the RGB LED alligator clips to the board, with black and yellow wires. Black clips to ground, and yellow to the Down port.
place your hand about an inch away from the sensor's plastic lenses. You should see the LED light up when you bring your hand near the sensor and go dark when you move your hand away.
Similarly you can use proximity sensor attached to the Up port to control the Down port attached to the continuous motor (two wires like the LED) or the buzzer (all three wires needed)
Other sensors can work in this fashion, for example the light sensor attached to the Up port instead of the proximity sensor.

Touch control with outputs

The Click port can be used as a touch input to control outputs attached to the Right or Left ports
You can touch the Click port directly with your finger or use a standard alligator clip to activate it by touching the end of the clip or attaching it to a piece of conductive material like aluminum foil.
The Right and Left ports are both controlled in this fashion by the Click port, but they act in opposite ways: touching Click makes the Right port go "on". touching Click makes the Left port go "off". You can control outputs like the RGB LED, buzzer or continuous motor which are attached to the Right or Left ports.
Note that the Click port also sends a "c" keystroke to the computer, so if you are using a computer to power the board, you may get a sea of "c"s arriving at any program you might have open.

Detailed Activities

There is a Scratch studio called FunKey Sensor where activities are linked to some of these projects.

Heartbeat with Scratch

begin with board unconnected to computer

connect the heartbeat sensor pins to the cable as shown in the sensor page

connect the alligator cable ends: red to powerstrip, black to ground and yellow to the K port

open a text editor and click in the editing window

connect the FunKey Sensor board to the computer using the USB cable

hold the "heart image" side of the sensor gently but firmly to your finger tip

wait about 20 seconds and you should see "b" keys in the text editor matching your heart rate, about one per second

create a Scratch program the senses the "b" key and makes something happen, for example it makes a heart sprite get larger then smaller

example: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/467927373

Proximity Sensor with Scratch

begin with board unconnected to computer

connect the proximity sensor pins to the cable as shown in the sensor page

connect the alligator cable ends: red to powerstrip, black to ground and yellow to the W port

open a text editor and click in the editing window

connect the FunKey Sensor board to the computer using the USB cable

place your hand about an inch away from the sensor's plastic lenses. You should see an "o" when you bring your hand near the sensor and a "p" when you move it away

create a Scratch program that makes use of the "o" and "p" keys, perhaps to make a sprite "jump"

example: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/468068902

Tilt Sensor with Scratch

begin with board unconnected to computer

connect the tilt sensor pins to the cable as shown in the sensor page

connect the alligator cable ends: black to ground and yellow to the W port (only two connections)

go to this simple Scratch program that makes use of the "o" key, to make a sprite "jump"

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/472085165

connect the FunKey Sensor board to the computer using the USB cable

when you tilt the sensor in one direction the sprite should jump up.

​

Reaction timer with Proximity Sensor in Scratch

begin with board unconnected to computerconnect the proximity sensor pins to the cable as shown in the sensor page

connect the alligator cable ends: red to powerstrip, black to ground and yellow to the W port

open a text editor and click in the editing window

connect the FunKey Sensor board to the computer using the USB cable

place your hand about an inch away from the sensor's plastic lenses. You should see an "o" when you bring your hand near the sensor and a "p" when you move it away

this Scratch program makes use of the "o" key, to test your reaction time

example: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/471934998

Proximity sensor with LED

begin with board unconnected to computer

connect the proximity sensor pins to the cable as shown in the sensor page

connect the alligator cable ends: red to powerstrip, black to ground and yellow to the Up port

power the FunKey Sensor board using the USB cable to a computer or other USB source

consult the sensor page for connections to the pins on the RGB LED. Only black and yellow are used. Connect the RGB LED alligator clips to the board, with black and yellow wires. Black clips to ground, and yellow to the Down port.

place your hand about an inch away from the sensor's plastic lenses. You should see the LED light up when you bring your hand near the sensor and go dark when you move your hand away.

Similarly you can use proximity sensor attached to the Up port to control the Down port attached to the continuous motor (two wires like the LED) or the buzzer (all three wires needed)

Other sensors can work in this fashion, for example the light sensor attached to the Up port instead of the proximity sensor.

Touch control with outputs

The Click port can be used as a touch input to control outputs attached to the Right or Left ports

You can touch the Click port directly with your finger or use a standard alligator clip to activate it by touching the end of the clip or attaching it to a piece of conductive material like aluminum foil.

Note that the Click port also sends a "c" keystroke to the computer, so if you are using a computer to power the board, you may get a sea of "c"s arriving at any program you might have open.