STEAM STUDENT SET INVENTION GUIDE DOWNLOAD THE TEACHER'S GUIDE and other classroom resources at littleBits.
STEAM STUDENT SET INVENTION GUIDE 04 littleBits Basics 06–27 07 09 14 17 24 BIT TM INDEX POWER INPUT WIRE OUTPUT ACCESSO RIES 28 Inventing with littleBits 32–58 GUIDED CHALLENGES PG 39 59–70 Guided challenges start with instructions for a simple invention. Once you've created the invention, the challenge moves into the Remix phase where creativity really takes off. PG 53 71 Open challenges get you to flex your creative muscles. These challenges start with an open-ended problem.
WE INVE WO R L D WANT TO 2
NT THE WE O LIVE IN.
Y LA P S D & THI ST L I BU ITH IT FIR W U C CIR BASICS 1 ANATOMY OF A BIT TM Learn how you can tell top from bottom. BUILD DIRECTION BIT NAME OPEN HARDWARE SYMBOL & LITTLEBITS LOGO i3 button BOTTOM TOP 2 COLOR-CODED BY FUNCTION Bits are grouped into four different categories, which are color-coded. TM POWER (BLUE) Power Bits, plus a power supply, run power through your circuit.
3 MAGNET MAGIC! Bits snap together with magnets. The magnets are always right – you can’t snap them together the wrong way. ARROWS SHOULD POINT IN THE SAME DIRECTION 4 ORDER IS IMPORTANT POWER BITS always come first and INPUT BITS only affect the OUTPUT BITS that come after them. WITH NO OUTPUT BIT AFTER IT, THE INPUT BIT HAS NOWHERE TO SEND ITS SIGNAL 5 SOME BITS ARE ADJUSTABLE Switches, buttons, and dials on the board allow you to change how the Bit functions.
BIT INDEX TM POWER 07 08 p1 power p3 USB power INPUT 09 10 11 12 13 i3 button i5 slide dimmer i12 temperature sensor i13 light sensor i16 pulse WIRE 14 15 16 w1 wire w7 fork w10 inverter OUTPUT 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 o2 long LED o3 RGB LED o6 buzzer o11 servo o13 fan o21 number o25 DC motor ACCESSO RIES 24 25 26 27 a5 magnet shoes a6 hook & loop shoes a9 mounting board a10 motorMate a14 USB power adapter a19 servo hub a23 mechanical arm a24 servo mount a25 wheel Occasionally BitsTM get updated, s
p1 POWER SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS The power Bit converts the 9 volts of electricity in the battery to the 5 volts that littleBits circuits run on. o2 LONG LED The power Bit also sends a signal through your circuit. Controlling this signal with inputs is how you control your circuit. MEET THE BIT p1 POWER Every circuit starts with power. It provides the electricity that makes your Bits spin, buzz, blink, and shine.
p3 USB POWER SAMPLE CIRCUIT Like the power Bit, the USB power Bit sends a 5 volt signal through your circuit, which allows you to control your Bits. o3 RGB LED p3 USB POWER On light MEET THE BIT The USB power may be the smallest in the series, but it's big enough to send electricity to all your creations. This Bit lets you power your circuit through a micro USB cable. It can be connected to a computer or wall adapter for non-stop power.
i3 BUTTON SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS The button is like a door. When you press it, the door opens, letting the signal pass through the Bit and on to the next Bits in the circuit. The button is a momentary switch, you must continue to press it for the signal to flow. When you release the button, the door closes, stopping the signal from passing on to other Bits.
i5 SLIDE DIMMER SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS When the slider is all the way to the left, it’s sending an off or 0 volt signal. When the slider is all the way to the right, it’s sending a 5 volt signal. The slider can be positioned to send any signal between 0 and 5 volts. o2 LONG LED i5 SLIDE DIMMER p1 POWER MEET THE BIT Slide this dimmer back and forth to control your circuit.
i12 TEMPERATURE SENSOR SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS The temperature sensor takes a measurement from the environment and translates it into a signal. The higher the temperature it senses, the more signal it sends out to the following Bits (making lights brighter and motors turn faster).
i13 LIGHT SENSOR SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS o21 NUMBER p1 POWER 021 number: count down MODE: 021 number: VALUE read value Use the purple screwdriver to turn the dial and adjust how much light it takes to change the signal. Clockwise increases sensitivity, counterclockwise decreases it. i13 LIGHT SENSOR MEET THE BIT MODE: Use this Bit to control your circuits with light! The amount of light shining on the sensor will change how your circuit behaves.
i16 PULSE SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS The pulse is a switch that opens and closes over and over again. When it's open, the signal from the previous Bit passes through to the next Bit. When the switch closes, the signal is blocked. o2 LONG LED p1 POWER Use the purple screwdriver to adjust the dial. You can change the speed of the rhythm by turning the small dial on the Bit with your purple screwdriver.
w1 WIRE SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS The wire doesn’t change the signal in any way – it just carries it over from one Bit to another. o3 RGB LED w1 WIRE p1 POWER MEET THE BIT The wire Bit has a flexible wire running between its two bitSnaps. This allows you to place your Bits farther apart, turn corners, and make connections that can twist, turn, and spin.
w7 FORK SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS The fork takes the incoming signal and sends it to all three output bitSnaps. o21 NUMBER o3 RGB LED w7 FORK p1 POWER o6 BUZZER MEET THE BIT The fork gives you more options for connecting your Bits; it lets you connect a single Bit to as many as three others. If you place an input before the fork, it will control all three outputs at once, such as light, sound, and motion.
w10 INVERTER SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS Anytime the inverter receives a signal lower than 50% power (2.5 volts) the inverter sends full power (5 volts) to the next Bit in the circuit. If the inverter receives a signal greater than 2.5 volts, the inverter sends 0 volts to the next Bit in the circuit. o3 RGB LED w10 INVERTER i3 BUTTON p1 POWER MEET THE BIT The inverter is an example of a logic Bit.
o2 LONG LED SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS This Bit uses a light-emmiting diode (LED) to turn electricity into light. The more signal you send the Bit, the brighter the light shines. i3 BUTTON p1 POWER o2 LONG LED MEET THE BIT The long LED is a flexible lighting option. We call it the “long” LED because the light is connected to the board by a cable, which lets you put the light in some interesting places.
o3 RGB LED SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS The RGB LED is actually three very small lights (a red, a blue, and a green light). Turning the dials changes the brightness of each light. The colors from these lights mix together to create every color in the rainbow. o3 RGB LED R: Adjust the amount of red light G: Adjust the amount of green light B: Adjust the amount of blue light i5 SLIDE DIMMER p1 POWER MEET THE BIT The RGB LED is a light with adjustable color.
o6 BUZZER SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS The buzzer converts the electrical signal it receives into a vibration, which creates a buzzing sound. The higher the signal it receives, the more intense the vibration, and the louder the sound is. o6 BUZZER i3 BUTTON p1 POWER MEET THE BIT The buzzer makes a sound no one can ignore. It's great at sounding the alarm or annoying those nearby.
o11 SERVO SAMPLE CIRCUIT Attach the servo hub. See pg 26. i5 SLIDE DIMMER p1 POWER HOW IT WORKS The servo has two modes. In mode, the input from other Bits determines the position of the hub – try using a dimmer to set the angle you want. In SWING mode, the servo will move back and forth on its own like a pair of windshield wipers – the input signal controls the speed of the swing. TURN The servo's range of motion is about 110 degrees.
o13 FAN SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS Inside the fan is a tiny motor. When it receives a signal, it spins. The more signal it receives, the faster it spins. i3 BUTTON p1 POWER MEET THE BIT Use the fan to create a gentle breeze, perfect for cooling things off. You can also try taping small things (like stickers or pieces of paper) to the center of the fan for some spinning visuals.
o21 NUMBER SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS The number Bit displays information about the signal it’s receiving. o21 NUMBER Reset bitSnap TM MODE: In COUNT mode, the Bit can count up or down when the Bit receives an input signal over 2.5 volts. It can be reset by receiving a signal through the reset bitSnap. count or read i5 SLIDE DIMMER In READ mode, the Bit displays information about the signal it’s receiving in either volts ranging from 0.0–5.0 or values ranging from 0–99.
o25 DC MOTOR SAMPLE CIRCUIT HOW IT WORKS The DC (or “direct current”) motor rotates a shaft when it receives a signal. The more signal it receives, the faster the motor will spin. i5 SLIDE DIMMER p1 POWER A switch on the board lets you choose which direction the motor spins. CW spins clockwise and CCW spins counterclockwise.
a5 MAGNET SHOES a6 HOOK & LOOP SHOES a9 MOUNTING BOARD MEET THE ACCESSORY MEET THE ACCESSORY Shoes slip onto your Bits' feet and hold your circuit together. On the bottom of your shoes you'll find magnets or hook & loops, which are great for securing your circuits to different surfaces. HOW IT WORKS bitFeet go in the shoes TM First, snap together your littleBits circuit. Then press the feet of your Bits into the holes of the shoes and place it on your chosen surface.
a10 MOTORMATE a14 USB POWER ADAPTER & CABLE MEET THE ACCESSORY MEET THE ACCESSORY The motorMate makes it easy to attach paper, cardboard, LEGO axles, and lots of other materials to the DC motor. This power adapter and USB cable combo is the perfect way to provide long-term power to your littleBits creations. ® HOW IT WORKS Flat edge To mount, slide the motorMate onto the shaft of the DC motor by aligning the flat edges.
a19 SERVO HUB a23 MECHANICAL ARM MEET THE ACCESSORY MEET THE ACCESSORY The servo hub lets you easily attach materials to your servo motor and add more complex movements to your littleBits inventions. BE SURE TO ALIGN THE TEETH ON THE SHAFT WITH THE TEETH IN THE HUB HOLE. HOW IT WORKS The servo hub can be attached and removed by gently pushing or pulling it on or off the servo motor. This is helpful if you need to reorient how the holes are positioned for a project.
a24 SERVO MOUNT a25 WHEEL MEET THE ACCESSORY MEET THE ACCESSORY The servo mount lets you attach your servo to a mounting board or a pair of littleBits shoes. It's a great way to keep the servo steady so the arm can go wild. When used with a DC motor, this wheel is perfect for making bots, cars, and all sorts of spinning inventions. LINE UP THE FLAT EDGE OF THE DC MOTOR SHAFT WITH THE FLAT EDGE OF THE CENTER HOLE IN THE WHEEL.
THE LITTLEBITS INVENTION CYCLE TM What is the Invention Cycle? The Invention Cycle is a roadmap for your invention journey. Each phase is full of activities and questions that help you explore your ideas and develop your invention. DO I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE INVENTION CYCLE EXACTLY IN ORDER? Nope! If you want, you can remix while you play or share while you create. Each phase of the invention cycle represents a different way of thinking and making.
CREATE CREATE PLAY! PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER. You can build it SHARE PLAY THE LITTLEBITS INVENTION CYCLE from the instructions or make something from your imagination. Don't worry if it doesn't work or if it isn't perfect. The important thing is to create your first model so you have something to experiment with. REMIX Playing with what you've created is fun, but also an important part of inventing. Playing is like a test run.
PROTOTYPING TIPS WHAT’S A PROTOTYPE, YOU ASK? A prototype is a model that helps you test an idea. This is the first step in turning your ideas into actual inventions. Building a prototype helps you learn what you like, what works, and what needs more figuring out. You’ll be building a lot of prototypes during the challenges in this booklet. DON’T WORRY ABOUT PERFECTION The more you experiment, the more you will learn, and the better your invention will be. TRY SOME WEIRD AND UNEXPECTED STUFF.
HELPFUL TOOLS & MATERIALS paper or plastic cups scissors THE WORLD AROUND YOU IS FULL OF MATERIALS FOR PROTOTYPING AND CREATING INVENTIONS. At littleBits, we dig through our recycling bins all the time to collect stuff for our projects. In fact, the very first prototype of a Bit was made with cardboard, copper tape, and a few electronic components like LEDs.
INVENT A 30 SELF-DRIVING VEHICLE CHALLENGE 01 MINUTES (MINIMUM) TIME START BY BUILDING THE CIRCUIT CRUISER, A VEHICLE THAT GETS AROUND ON TWO DC MOTORS. Add extra features to this lean, mean, mobile machine. Use it to deliver school supplies to your friends, help your teacher pass out papers, or wake up your sleeping classmate.
1 BUILD YOUR CIRCUIT.
2 3 PRESS THE WHEELS ONTO THE DC MOTORS. LINE UP THE FLAT EDGE OF THE DC MOTOR SHAFT WITH THE FLAT EDGE OF THE CENTER HOLE IN THE WHEEL. 025 DC motor: CW DC motor: Closeup 34 PRESS YOUR CIRCUIT ONTO THE MOUNTING BOARD.
4 ATTACH THE BATTERY TO THE MOUNTING BOARD NEXT TO THE SLIDE DIMMER. 5 PRESS THE MOTORS ONTO THE MOUNTING BOARD. USE A RUBBER BAND OR MASKING TAPE TO ATTACH THE BATTERY.
6 SET THE FIRST DC MOTOR TO CCW (COUNTERCLOCKWISE) AND THE SECOND DC MOTOR TO CW (CLOCKWISE). 025 DC motor: VAR 021 number: read volts DIRECTION: 025 DC motor: CCW CCW 7 TEST YOUR CIRCUIT. With the slide dimmer set all the way up, the car should move forward. Troubleshooting pg 71. DIRECTION: 025 DC motor: CW CW TEST YOUR CIRCUIT.
HOW IT WORKS p1 POWER o25 DC MOTOR Control the direction your car drives by flipping the mode switches. Because the motors face opposite directions, they need to be set in opposite spin modes to drive in one direction. Setting the motors to the same direction mode will create a car that spins around in circles. sends a signal through the circuit. The w1 WIRE receives the signal from the power and sends it along to the slide dimmer. The i5 SLIDE DIMMER controls how much power goes to the motors.
HOW CAN YOU LEVEL-UP YOUR CAR? LET’S EXPERIMENT! A CHANGE HOW YOU CONTROL THE CAR. • Use inputs other than the slide dimmer. Try a light sensor you control with a flashlight, or string two wires together with a button to have a “remote” control. B C SUPE IT UP! • Add a siren using lights or the buzzer, or a speedometer using the number Bit . TM • Give your vehicle a body or form. Give it some character! • Use LEGO® to build a bigger car or even a train.
INVENT AN ART MACHINE CHALLENGE 02 30 MINUTES (MINIMUM) TIME LEVEL a25 wheel (×2) a9 mounting board START BY CREATING A DOODLE WIZARD – a bot made with DC motors, and a pulse that dances, wiggles, and draws up a storm. Add your own artistic flair by changing up some of the Bits and materials to create unique masterpieces.
1 BUILD YOUR CIRCUIT.
2 3 ATTACH THE WHEELS TO THE DC MOTORS. PRESS YOUR CIRCUIT ONTO THE MOUNTING BOARD. LINE UP THE FLAT EDGE OF THE DC MOTOR SHAFT WITH THE FLAT EDGE OF THE CENTER HOLE IN THE WHEEL. 4 ATTACH BATTERY TO THE MOUNTING BOARD. 025 DC motor: CW DC motor: Closeup USE A RUBBER BAND OR MASKING TAPE TO KEEP THE BATTERY IN PLACE.
5 ATTACH MOTORS TO THE MOUNTING BOARD. 7 SET THE PULSE SPEED TO THE SLOWEST SETTING. SPEED: "–" FULLY COUNTERCLOCKWISE 6 021 number: read volts 42 ADJUST MOTOR MODES.
8 ATTACH THE MARKER. USE A RUBBER BAND OR MASKING TAPE TO ATTACH THE MARKER. 9 When you turn the power on, one wheel should spin all the time while the other one alternates between spinning and stopping. Troubleshooting pg 71. TEST YOUR CIRCUIT. POWER: ON MAKE SURE THE TIP OF THE MARKER JUST TOUCHES THE DRAWING SURFACE. TEST YOUR CIRCUIT. Now Make let’s make some a ser and p ies of draw art! ick in your a few of gs, favor ites.
HOW IT WORKS i16 PULSE The speed dial controls how fast the pulse flips on and off. Adjusting it will change how often and how long the second motor spins. p1 POWER sends a signal through the circuit. The first o25 DC MOTOR receives that signal and spins at full speed in one direction. The signal passes through the motor and on to the i16 PULSE . The pulse only lets the signal through in short bursts.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOUR INVENTION DO? LET’S EXPERIMENT! A ADJUST THE BITS TO CREATE YOUR OWN UNIQUE DRAWING STYLE. • How does changing the speed of the pulse or the direction that the motors spin make your drawings different? • Which adjustments make your favorite drawings? B WHAT OTHER MATERIALS CAN YOU USE? C TRY ADDING NEW BITS. • Use different drawing tools, like chalk, crayons, pens, or pencils. • What happens when you use a servo to draw? • Attach multiple drawing tools to use at once.
INVENT A THROWING ARM CHALLENGE 03 1 HOUR (MINIMUM) TIME LEVEL START BY BUILDING A LAUNCHER THAT FLINGS PROJECTILES WITH A SERVO AT THE PRESS OF A BUTTON. Set up a tower of cups and try to knock them over. Then modify your launcher to make it even more accurate, powerful, or speedy. Challenge your friends to see who can knock over the most cups.
1 BUILD YOUR CIRCUIT. Attach the servo hub. See pg 26.
2 4 PRESS SERVO INTO THE SERVO MOUNT AND SCREW IN. USE PHILLIPS HEAD SCREWDRIVER. PRESS THE SERVO MOUNT ONTO THE MOUNTING BOARD AND ADJUST SERVO MODE. i12 temp. sensor: Fahrenheit mode JUST ONE SCREW NEEDED. 3 PRESS YOUR CIRCUIT ONTO THE MOUNTING BOARD. 5 MODE: i12 temp. sensor: TURN celsius mode i13 light sensor: light mode i13 light sensor: dark mode o11 servo: swing mode o11 servo: turn mode TURN POWER ON. USE A RUBBER BAND OR MASKING TAPE TO KEEP THE BATTERY IN PLACE.
6 WITH POWER ON, CONNECT THE MECHANICAL ARM TO THE SERVO HUB AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE MOUNTING BOARD, AS SHOWN. 7 MAKE A BUCKET FOR THE LAUNCHER. USE PHILLIPS HEAD SCREWDRIVER. 8 TAPE THE BUCKET TO THE FREE END OF THE MECHANICAL ARM. USE MASKING TAPE.
9 CRUMPLE UP A HALF SHEET OF NOTEBOOK PAPER TO LAUNCH. 10 Pressing the button should rotate the mechanical arm. Troubleshooting pg 71. TEST YOUR CIRCUIT. TEST YOUR CIRCUIT. 50 time! game d invent 's t i Now target an ends.
HOW IT WORKS p1 POWER sends a signal to the button. When pressed, the the servo. i3 BUTTON lets the signal through to When the o11 SERVO gets the signal, it turns, rotating the arm and throwing the projectile. a23 MECHANICAL ARM The farther you place your cup from the servo hub, the faster it will swing. You can experiment with extending the mechanical arm with other materials, but you’ll have to pay attention to weight. As the cup gets farther from the hub, it also takes more force to move it.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE OR CHANGE? LET’S EXPERIMENT! A TRY EXPERIMENTING WITH THE MECHANICS OF YOUR CATAPULT. • How does changing the length of the mechanical arm change the throwing distance? • Try different objects for balls.
INVENT A SECURITY DEVICE CHALLENGE 04 1 HOUR (MINIMUM) TIME a6 - hook & loop shoes a1 WITH - batteryTHE & cable START BY MAKING THE BACKPACK ALARM LIGHT SENSOR, PULSE, AND BUZZER. This light-sensitive alarm will alert you if someone is snooping around your stuff. a1 -school.
1 BUILD YOUR CIRCUIT.
2 SET THE MODE AND SENSITIVITY OF THE LIGHT SENSOR. 3 SET THE PULSE SPEED TO THE SLOWEST SETTING. SPEED: "–" FULLY COUNTERCLOCKWISE SENSITIVITY: FULLY CLOCKWISE MODE: i12 temp. sensor: LIGHT Fahrenheit mode i13 light sensor: light mode o11 servo: swing mode 4 PRESS HOOK & LOOP SHOES ONTO YOUR CIRCUIT.
5 PLACE THE ALARM INSIDE YOUR BACKPACK. POWER: ON PRO TIP: TRY USING THE HOOK & LOOP STRIP TO KEEP YOUR CIRCUIT IN PLACE. 6 TEST YOUR CIRCUIT. The buzzer should BUZZ when your circuit is exposed to light, and stop buzzing when it is completely covered up. You may need to adjust the sensitivity of your light sensor to get it just right. Troubleshooting pg 71. TEST YOUR CIRCUIT.
i13 - light sensor p1 - power HOW IT WORKS i13 LIGHT SENSOR The Some bags might not be totally dark inside. If your alarm sounds even in the bag, try turning the sensitivity dial down (counterclockwise) a little. If your alarm doesn’t sound at all, make sure the sensitivity dial is turned all the way up. p1 POWER sends a signal through the circuit. The i13 LIGHT SENSOR is in light mode. When the alarm is inside your bag, no light hits the sensor, so it doesn’t allow a signal to pass through.
HOW CAN YOU CUSTOMIZE YOUR ALARM? A CHANGE THE BIT SETTINGS. • Switch the light sensor mode to DARK to create an alarm that sounds when it is dark. Where could an alarm like this be useful? • If your alarm didn't sound reliably, try adjusting the sensitivity of the light sensor. • Adjust the speed of the pulse Bit to change how fast the alarm sounds. What setting do you think makes the best alarm? 58 B WILL YOUR ALARM WORK IN DIFFERENT PLACES OR SCENARIOS? C MAKE YOUR ALARM MORE EFFECTIVE.
Rob o ta t Assis nt Vo ti HACK YOUR CLASSROOM CHALLENGE 05 achi ne USE BITS AND YOUR WITS TO MAKE THE CLASSROOM OF THE FUTURE. You spend a lot of 1 time in your school and classroom. How can you make it even more fun to be there? Pinpoint something that could be easier, especially exciting, or that you wish existed. Use your expertise to design an invention that makes school extra awesome.
1 CREATE A LIST OF WAYS YOU COULD MAKE YOUR CLASSROOM BETTER. Need ideas? Ask your friends or teachers about what bothers them or what they’d like improved. You could even level-up something you already like. 2 fun A X B O C X too heavy! 3 LOOK THROUGH YOUR BITS AND MATERIALS AND THINK ABOUT HOW EACH ONE COULD HELP.
PRO TIP: EVERY TIME YOU TRY SOMETHING NEW, PLAY WITH YOUR INVENTION TO TEST IT OUT. SHARE YOUR INVENTION ON THE LITTLEBITS APP OR WEBSITE. TEST YOUR PROTOTYPE. Set up your invention in the classroom and see what you can learn about how it works. Your invention might not work the way you thought, but that’s ok, it’s part of the invention process! Take note of what works and what doesn’t so you can improve it.
Do or Al a rm with Light Robot Clean er INVENT FOR GOOD CHALLENGE 06 62 INVENT A PRODUCT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE ELSE’S LIFE. How 2 TM HOURS (MINIMUM) TIME does a product get invented? Here at littleBits we use the Invention Cycle! When it’s time to create a new kit we go through the same process that you do. We brainstorm, create prototypes, play with them, let kids around the country play with them, and we remix over and over again until we get things right.
1 Start by thinking about where there are frustrations or difficulties in someone’s life. For example, a person who has trouble hearing might need a way to know if someone is knocking at their door. CREATE A LIST OF IDEAS FOR A PRODUCT. 2 A B It could be the one that sounds the most fun to solve, or creates the biggest difference in someone else’s life. SELECT THE ISSUE YOU WANT TO WORK ON. A B A B 3 LOOK THROUGH YOUR BITS TM AND MATERIALS AND THINK ABOUT HOW EACH ONE COULD HELP.
&! @~#* &! @~#* &! @~#* TEST YOUR PROTOTYPE. The first product tester will be you. Pretend you are a customer who just purchased your invention. How well does it do its job? Take notes about what works and what doesn’t. You can make changes in the next version. SHARE YOUR INVENTION ON THE LITTLEBITS APP OR WEBSITE. &! @~#* DID PLAYING WITH YOUR INVENTION GO THE WAY YOU EXPECTED? Now’s your chance to experiment with fixes and improvements.
Page Flipper INVENT A CHAIN REACTION CONTRAPTION CHALLENGE 07 3 Rube Goldberg was a cartoonist who liked to draw really complicated solutions to very simple problems. For example, to turn the page of a book, you might roll a ball down a ramp that hits a box. Then the box falls over and scares a hamster that starts running on its wheel, that winds up a string that turns the page. In this challenge, you’re going to design your own multi-step machine.
1 CREATE A LIST OF EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES THAT ONLY TAKE ONE STEP. For example, dropping a can in the recycling bin, flipping on a light switch, or opening a book. 2 SELECT THE EVERYDAY ACTIVITY YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH. Which one do you think will be the most fun for this challenge? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 3 LOOK THROUGH YOUR BITS AND MATERIALS AND THINK ABOUT HOW EACH ONE COULD HELP.
9-6 = 3 y=x + 6x +9 2 SHARE YOUR INVENTION ON THE LITTLEBITS APP OR WEBSITE. TEST YOUR PROTOTYPE. Getting all of these moving pieces to work together is going to be a challenge. Try running your contraption a few times. Record where it works the best and where it isn’t so reliable. You can use this information to refine your design. DID PLAYING WITH YOUR INVENTION GO THE WAY YOU EXPECTED? Now’s your chance to experiment with fixes and improvements.
Rew ne ing HACK YOUR HABITS chi ard a Reminder M Recycler CHALLENGE 08 68 CREATE AN INVENTION TO TRACK YOUR DAILY HABITS, THEN TRANSFORM YOUR INVENTION TO MAKE LIFE BETTER.
1 3 CREATE A LIST OF THINGS YOU OR YOUR CLASSMATES DO THAT YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT. Maybe it’s a habit you’d like to improve on (how can I make fewer trips to my locker?), something you’re curious about (how many high fives can I get in a day?), or an issue you’d like to help other people understand (why don’t your classmates recycle?). Try to list as many different habits as possible. LOOK THROUGH YOUR BITS TM AND MATERIALS AND THINK ABOUT HOW EACH ONE COULD MEASURE OR TRACK THAT HABIT.
High-Five-o-meter r Recycling Thank You fo donut! Here’s a FREE . SHARE YOUR INVENTION ON THE LITTLEBITS APP OR WEBSITE. TEST YOUR PROTOTYPE. To get it working reliably, it will probably take a bit of adjusting and redesigning. Once you have it down, you can start tracking your life. MAKE A HYPOTHESIS ABOUT THE RESULTS YOU WILL GET. For your first trial, decide how long you want to use the invention for.
TROUBLESHOOTING MY CIRCUIT ISN’T WORKING. 1) Make sure your power BitTM is on. You should see a red LED illuminated on the board. 2) Try swapping in a new 9 volt battery. Low batteries can cause a circuit to misbehave. Bits have different power demands. For example: a DC motor may appear to not be working while a light still shines brightly. 3) Ensure the power cable is securely fastened to both the battery and the power Bit. 4) Make sure your Bits are arranged in the proper order.
CONTINUE YOUR INVENTOR JOURNEY The inventing doesn’t stop here! Discover new friends, new challenges, and new invention adventures online and on the littleBits Invent App. EXPLORE LITTLEBITS.CC AND THE LITTLEBITS INVENT APP FOR... MORE INVENTIONS! COMMUNITY See what other Inventors have made with littleBits. Find a local littleBits Chapter or share your questions and ideas on our forum. MORE CHALLENGES! Take on new challenges and submit your solutions.
o13 p1 POWER p3 USB POWER o3 RGB LED FAN o6 BUZZER o25 DC MOTOR i3 BUTTON i12 TEMPERATURE SENSOR o2 LONG LED o11 SERVO & HUB i13 LIGHT SENSOR i16 PULSE o21 NUMBER STEAM STUDENT SET i5 w10 w7 w1 SLIDE DIMMER FORK INVERTER WIRE 9V battery & cable USB power adapter & cable hook & loop strips (x2) mechanical arms (x3) motorMates (x4) mounting boards (x2) screws (x4) screwdrivers (x2) servo hub servo mount shoes, magnet (x12) shoes, hook & loop (x12) wheels (x2) 700-0137 ACCES
