Author Archives: Declan Fox

Bodgers Day 1 – Getting started

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Hello Bodgers

It was great to be back and to get started for another year. We spent most of last Saturday getting set up for the year ahead. We began by installing our Python Editor Mu, you can download it here.

We also installed Paint.Net which we will use for editing images for our sprites, you can get Paint.Net here.

I have created some resources for our games that are available on Dropbox here, download the folder called CoderDojo and save it to your Desktop.

Launch Mu and load the file called day_1.py from the CoderDojo folder you just downloaded and enter the code from the worksheet below..

welcomeDownload

Click Play and your first Python game should run.

Looking forward to seeing you all again next Saturday.

Declan, Rob and Kevin

Bodgers – More Distance Sensors

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This week we are going to try making a measuring device using our HC-SR04 sensors.

First we’ll wire our circuit up.

Next let’s test our circuit with the following code.

from machine import Pin
import utime
from time import sleep

trigger = Pin(17, Pin.OUT)
echo = Pin(16, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_DOWN)
buzzer = Pin(15, Pin.OUT)


def ultra():
    trigger.low()
    utime.sleep_us(2)
    trigger.high()
    utime.sleep_us(5)
    trigger.low()
    while echo.value() == 0:
        signaloff = utime.ticks_us()
    while echo.value() == 1:
        signalon = utime.ticks_us()
    timepassed = signalon - signaloff
    distance = (timepassed * 0.0343) / 2
    print("The distance from object is ", distance, "cm")
    return distance


def buzz():
    buzzer.value(1)
    sleep(0.5)
    buzzer.value(0)
    sleep(0.5)


while True:
    dist = ultra()
    if dist < 30:
        buzz()
    utime.sleep(1)

This week’s challenge is to rewrite the code so the the closer to something the sensor is the faster it will beep.

Once we have that done we will look at transferring the code onto the Pico itself and running it from a battery.

Bodgers – Servos

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This week we will connect a SG90 mini servo to our Pico.

Wire the breadboard as shown below:

First test that the buttons are working correctly with the following code.

from machine import Pin
from time import sleep

button_1 = Pin(18, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_UP)
button_2 = Pin(19, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_UP)

while True:
    if button_1.value() == 0:
        print("Button 1 is Pressed")
    if button_2.value() == 0:
        print("Button 2 is Pressed")
    sleep(0.1)

Next here is the code for the Servo.

from machine import Pin, PWM
from time import sleep

servo_pin = PWM(Pin(0))
servo_pin.freq(50)

def servo(degrees):
    if degrees > 180:
        degrees = 180
    if degrees < 0:
        degrees = 0
       
    max_duty = 8050
    min_duty = 1650
       
    new_duty = (min_duty + (max_duty - min_duty) * (degrees/180))
    servo_pin.duty_u16(int(new_duty))

servo(0)
sleep(0.5)
servo(90)
sleep(0.3)
servo(180)
sleep(0.3)

This weeks challenge is to combine both pieces of code above so that when button 1 is pressed the servo arm will move one way and when button 2 is pressed it will move in the opposite direction.

Bodgers – Buttons

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This week we are looking at using buttons on our Raspberry Pi Picos.

Connect the LEDs and Buttons to the Pico as shown below:

Next use the code below to test the LEDs

from machine import Pin
from time import sleep

red_led = Pin(15, Pin.OUT)
green_led = Pin(14, Pin.OUT)

def blink():
    red_led.value(1)
    sleep(0.5)
    red_led.value(0)
    green_led.value(1)
    sleep(0.5)
    green_led.value(0)

while True:
    blink()

Next we’ll test the buttons using the following code:

from machine import Pin
from time import sleep

button_1 = Pin(18, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_UP)
button_2 = Pin(19, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_UP)

while True:
    if button_1.value() == 0:
        print("Button 1 is Pressed")
    if button_2.value() == 0:
        print("Button 2 is Pressed")
    sleep(0.1)

This week’s challenge is create a program called buttons_leds.py that turns on the red LED and turns off the green LED when button 1 is pressed and when button 2 is pressed will turn the green one on and the red one off.

Bodgers – Distance Sensors

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This week we will be using the HC-SR04 Ultrasonic Distance Sensor

Wire up the sensor as shown below

Here is the code we will need for the sensor.

#From www.tomshardware.com/how-to/raspberry-pi-pico-ultrasonic-sensor
from machine import Pin
import utime

trigger = Pin(17, Pin.OUT)
echo = Pin(16, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_DOWN)

def ultra():
   trigger.low()
   utime.sleep_us(2)
   trigger.high()
   utime.sleep_us(5)
   trigger.low()
   while echo.value() == 0:
       signaloff = utime.ticks_us()
   while echo.value() == 1:
       signalon = utime.ticks_us()
   timepassed = signalon - signaloff
   distance = (timepassed * 0.0343) / 2
   print("The distance from object is ",distance,"cm")

while True:
   ultra()
   utime.sleep(1)

Once this is working you can move on to this week’s challenge. Combine this with the LED code from the last session so that the LED flashes when the distance measured by the sensor is less than 30CM. Here is the LED code:

from machine import Pin
from time import sleep

led = Pin(15, Pin.OUT)

def flash():
    led.value(1)
    sleep(0.5)
    led.value(0)
    sleep(0.5)
    
while True:
    flash()

Bodgers – Week 2

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Hi everyone, it was great to see you all last Saturday.

We worked on a car collision game here is our worksheet:

20231005Download

You can find the images for this game along with images for next week’s game here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/znirpob0ywen2kzwbgf6k/h?rlkey=ykhlgf8lbr4i35lu3ed8mrbrs&dl=0

Looking forward to seeing you all again next Saturday.

Declan and Kevin

Bodgers – A Look Back At 2020/2021

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Hello everyone,

I would like to thank all the Bodgers who joined me this year. I really enjoyed the sessions and I’m really grateful to you all for your attention, patience and your willingness to help me and each other out.

It’s a pity we couldn’t get together for even one session but hopefully when CoderDojo Athenry gets back to in person sessions I can meet you all then. I would also like to invite you all to our first post-COVID pizza party (hopefully before Christmas).

I have put together a video of the games we made this year.

Special thanks to everyone who created levels for our Red Runner game. You can find a copy of the code and images for this game on Dropbox here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/sj6hil242d3fxmk/AAAHPnEVjw5IGWqs_G3eTXkDa?dl=0.

Thanks also to Kevin who helped us get up and running.

Enjoy the summer and hopefully I’ll see you in the autumn.

Declan

CoderDojo Athenry Information Session 07-Nov-2020

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Hello again everyone.

It was great to speak to you all last Saturday.

Here are some notes with information all about CoderDojo Athenry in PDF form.

coderdojoathenry-infosession-2020Download

Here’s a quick recap of everyone’s notes;

Martha told us all about the Explorers group, you can contact Martha at Martha@coderdojoathenry.onmicrosoft.com and you can find her slides here.

online-sessions_week_01_information-sessionDownload

Oliver spoke about the Advancers group and you can contact Oliver at Oliver@coderdojoathenry.onmicrosoft.com

I talked about the Bodgers group, you contact me at Declan@coderdojoathenry.onmicrosoft.com and you can read all about the Bodgers group here.

bodgers-2020-2021-1Download

Kieran then spoke about the Modellers group. Here is his presentation.

coderdojoathenry-modellers-kickoff-nov2020Download

Kieran can be contacted at Kieran@coderdojoathenry.onmicrosoft.com.

Finally Michael spoke about the Hacker Group which will be starting in the new year. Here are his slides

hackers-intro-2020Download

Mike’s email is, yes you guessed it is, Mike@coderdojoathenry.onmicrosoft.com

We will be posting information for our first session next Saturday in the next day or two, so keep an eye out for that.

Looking forward to seeing you all again next Saturday.

Declan and the CoderDojo Athenry Mentors