Hey there! This kicks off a three part series describing our projects in a bit more detail. First up, the number blocks project I described in our first post, which Jeff Crews has named the Dock Blocks.
The whole idea behind the dock blocks is extensibility. They're goal is to provide a physical prop for all sorts of math activities (and any other activities an enterprising teacher can think of to use them for). The current focus has just a numeric display and lets the various blocks communicate by "docking" to each other, or to a master "station" blog (which holds the more expensive programmable bits). The reason for this is so that it's easy for a teacher to buy or create more of the little bits--which students actually use--without risking the costs of a broken computer or more expensive heavy duty microcontroller.
We want this to be extensible. Ideally it should be easily programmable "in the field" so a teacher can put in any idea they have, or can pull down new software to use with it from a website.
Crews has fabricated the basic physical components from materials he's found at local craft shops and hardware stores, which should make it easy for a teacher to source the same component whereever they are.
The block is a hollowed out wooden block; Jeff bought several for a few dollars at the craft store, and hollowed them out with a drill and dremel. Standard snaps (also from the craft store) will be mounted on the side, and connected through the cube by a generic stove screw from the hardware store. These snaps are conductive, and carry a ground and signal line from block to block as they're connected.
Inside them, we're looking at using an MSP430 to control the logic, all communicating via the signal line.
As described, there will also be a central "master" block. Crews is advocating a rocketship, and I don't think anyone wants to disappoint him.
Check back soon, for more info on the dock blocks, and the next two parts in this series describing our other projects!