Lego Boost autobuilder - car

Wow, I was really looking forward to turning the lego boost into the autobuilder and having a play with picking up bricks and building different structures, but boy it was temperamental to the say the least.

I made our own platform to go through the conveyor belt because I didn't want to mix bricks with the boost set as the kids always want to change it round.

There are 2 videos because every time I tested picking up just one wheel it was great and connected to the platform, yay. Out the code together to pick up both the wheels from the drag n drop interface it just didn't work. Loads of videos of picking up one, front or back but none of them both together. Done it for me the night before but get the camera out and no.

The batteries need to be fully charged otherwise what you think is 10 studs or bricks across is not and the distances change and you end up changing your code so other again. It's frustrating and is very hard to get to pick up plates, but bricks should be fine. I added a 2 stud length Adel or cross (the red piece) on the grip to add some extra tension to grip well.

It worked, it was good fun but a shame it's so delicate. 

It's a cat now.

Making a Compass and Earths Magnetic Field

As part of our cub scouts we were looking at navigation. So we rubbed some strong neodynium magnets across a sewing needle about 100 times. Aligns the electrons in the atoms of the needle to point the same direction like in magnet. Then you place that in a bottle top or cork, sit on the top of some water and it the north pole of the magnet will turn to line up with the South pole of the earth magnetic field.

Electromagnetic Induction

During this covid 19 isolation his homework or lesson would have been on Electricity.

We found some tutorials and websites explaining Faraday' s experiment for electromagnetic induction and had a go.

WE had some coloured copper wire, more turns around a steel bat the better. WE had a printer bar that I salvaged but a steel nail should work. Some crocodile clips and a multimeter to be able to identify a current generated as you push and pull the electromagnet through the coil.

You also need a snap on battery connector and the battery to power the electromagnet.

Can be done with just a normal bar magnet going in and out of a coil, didn't have to be an electromagnet to do the induction.

My 9 year old enjoyed it and made a presentation in Google docs with some info about chubby chops franklin and Faraday.

Good fun, will try get videos posted in here for our references.

All your dreams come true

Posters spotted. Just keeping the eye trained, or more obeying it's demand to capture despite numerous glances of consternation.

Matchbox Microphone

From Home Inventions book (DK publisher), Matchbox microphone.

The graphite in the lead conducts electricity from the battery through its carbon atoms. Had a quick look up but think the graphite has a covalent bond which hold together in layers connecting 3 carbon electrons of a atom and so leaves a free carbon electron to move like the loose electron does in a copper atom. This is why it conducts.

The loose piece of lead from a pencil which lays across the two other lead sticks conducts but can move if you good it and so you get this break in circuit and change of current and sound of the air being blown as it rolls. 

Had crocodile clip wires, split a pencil or two as they kept break and gaming too short to go across a matchbox. Was cool. Hooked up an affordable oscilloscope (jyetech d1... something) to visually see the sound and change in current. 

Hive Game on a Walk

Having a play of the cool boardless game of Hive, outdoors on a bench. Great portable game with simple rules a few pieces to remember but good fun. Read previously someone describe it a little like chess. Great nonetheless.