Tinkerers Feb 25
It was just myself and Helen at the Tinkerers meet up today. We had a look at my Arduino robot, which Helen has taken home to work on.
We spent a good deal of time testing Helen's Dragstar car.

This was the first opportunity to mark out a good 7m white line track and test how well the vehicle can run along the track.
Track was marked out in the STEAM discovery centre, as this has black flooring, each tile is 500mm so 14 tiles = 7m (7000mm)

Results were excellent. The dragster has Bluetooth so can send data back to a mobile phone.

Data is sent back to phone.
Videos
Next Meeting
March 29th 2025
Tags
#Tinkerers,#Dragster,#Testing,#Car,#LineFollow,#STEM
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STEM Group 24th February 2024 Write Up
Today we had an update from Helen with her Advanced Lego car, this is going really well and can find objects and now turns to avoid them. It can also display information on orientation on a small LCD.

After giving the hot glue gun a quick clean and repair. This photo is posed as the glue gun is still plugged in.

We carried on with building the cars, we have been trying to build for the last few sessions. The main issue is lack of suitable resources and having to use bottle tops for wheels, kebab sticks for axels and then trying to fit it all together, when we also have either faulty or unsuitable switches, some don't work properly,, and along with motors have been soldered up too many times.

I also checked on my Copper Sulfate crystals I started last week, the liquid has now evaporated leaving some crystals in the dish, not ideal, but I need a much better way to do all this.

Next event
Saturday 9th March 2024
Tags
#PaigntonLibrarySTEMGroup,#STEM,#Event
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STEM Group 24th February 2024
The next Stem group event will take place on :
Date: Saturday Feb 24th 2024
Time: 10:30am to 15:00
Location: Paignton Library and Information Centre
Room: 12
Please remember you need to bring your OWN resources such as wire, solder, glue sticks, components etc.
We can carry on with :-
- Robot car projects
- Have a look at the results of dropping a gummy sweet in to Vinegar
- Hopefully have a look at some Copper Sulfate crystals, I set this up on 17/2/2024
- Coding activities can still take place in the IT learning centre
- What ever else people bring along to the event.
Video
Tags
#PaigntonLibrarySTEMGroup,#STEM,#Event
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Consent is NOT granted to use the content of this blog for the purposes of AI training or similar activity. Consent CANNOT be assumed, it has to be granted.

STEM Group 10th February 2024 Write up
So today there were a total of 4 people who attended, Helen demonstrated various robots made from Lego. We also carried on making the poor man version with scraps of card, scraps of wire, motors and milk bottle tops. This method is NOT working, but it is ALL we have access to.

Cardboard Car 1

Cardboard Car 2

Lego car 1
This robot is mega advanced, has the ability to range find so it knows where it is in relation to obstacles, has a build in IP camera, and can move, by next meeting more features will be added. It also uses an IR remote control.
Something to aim for when you start building projects.

Lego car 2
This robot car just moves very fast across the room.
We also tried to do more chemistry but ended up just adding vinegar to bicarbonate of Soda.
I will try and get the Lego We do sorted out for next time, as I need time to pick up the Tablets, then will need help to get them to connect to the Lego via Bluetooth, which I struggle with.
Next Stem group meeting is on Saturday 24th Feb at Paignton Library, room 12, between 10:30 and 15:00.
Tags
#PaigntonLibrarySTEMGroup,#STEM,#Event
AI statement :
Consent is NOT granted to use the content of this blog for the purposes of AI training or similar activity. Consent CANNOT be assumed, it has to be granted.

STEM Group 10th February 2024
The next Stem group event will take place on :
Date: Saturday Feb 10th 2024
Time: 10:30am to 15:00
Location: Paignton Library and Information Centre
Room: 12
We will probably carry on with the robot car we have been working on and see what people bring with them to showcase.
Please remember you need to bring your OWN resources such as wire, solder, glue sticks, components etc.
Video
Tags
#PaigntonLibrarySTEMGroup,#STEM,#Event
AI statement :
Consent is NOT granted to use the content of this blog for the purposes of AI training or similar activity. Consent CANNOT be assumed, it has to be granted.
