Build, Test, and Iterate

Instructor directions are listed below:

1. Tell and show students what materials are available to use in the building of their robotic hats (see implementation tab for suggested instructions on how to construct the hat base) and any class rules when it comes to building.
2. Review safety precautions when using the hot-glue guns.
3. Emphasize that only teachers (or other adult) will use the utility knife. We request that they draw what they’d like to have cut before asking us.
4. Remind students that balance is important when building their hat as a poorly balanced design will not work properly for very long.
5. Emphasize that the goal of this activity is to have a robotic hat with a moving feature. A moving creation that is poorly decorated is preferred over a beautifully decorated craft with no movement.
6. Remind students that this is a team project and all members should have the opportunity to program and build the hat.
7. Remind students that they need to test their project and iterate, repeating as many steps of the engineering design process as necessary.
   • Encourage students to rely on each other and remind them that sometimes the fastest way to fix a problem is to ask for help from one of your peers.
   • Encourage students to think like a scientist. Ask students to fix the problem by changing one thing at a time until they figure out the source of the problem.
8. Allow students 4 - 6 hours to build their robotic hats, see implementation for suggestions on breaking up the build process across multiple days.
9. Perform regular check-ins with each group to ensure that they are on track to finish in the allotted time.
10. Give students 5-10 minutes to clean up the space, returning unused materials and following instructor directions for further cleaning.

Be sure to emphasize that students should not take apart their robotic hats as they will be sharing them with the class.

• We recommend that students be directed to write their code first because before getting involved in the process of decorating their wearables. Since they will need to modify the code later, writing it before building is a good way to keep them aware of the idea that they control the motion of the Servos and blink of their LED with the code they write. This can parallel the experience coders have when building a project. They start with a general idea of what they want the action to look like, then make fine tuning changes once it’s installed on the project. It is a good idea to have students save their code to their computer so that they can return to it throughout the activity, especially if they are completing the wearable over multiple days.
   
• Similar to the robotic creations, students can hot glue their Servos anywhere on their wearable. Placement of the Arduino board is especially important with respect to how they will be powered. Ideally, the Arduinos should be powered with a battery pack for presentations so that students are not connected to a computer with a USB cable. It is very important to ensure easy access to the Arduino power ports.
   
• If the Wearable Tech Build takes place over multiple days, be sure to have a check-in with each team at the end of the day, taking some notes on what they need to complete their project. Ask what the group finished that day and what needs to be worked on the next day. If it appears that a group is in danger of not finishing on time, you may want to consider playing the robot fairy and working on their project overnight to ensure that they finish. Some groups may need extra help with code while others may need more help with building. We like to work with the students on the code, but building can often be done without them if needed.
   
• If there is time, consider suggesting that students add more functionality to their wearables, like LEDs. The Arduino activities in the Learning Center can be referred to for more ideas and guidance.

If the Servo is not working/won’t move

1. Check that all the wires are plugged to both the Servo and the Arduino board
2. Check that the Arduino board is connected to the laptop
3. Check that the code was uploaded to the Arduino

Other technical issues

1. Revisit the previous activities and refer to the Troubleshooting tab to help solve issues.
2. Download the Troubleshooting Guide for help with common coding errors.