With littleBits’ new Smart Home Kit, you can do just that. For the uninitiated among us, littleBits is an ever-growing open source library of small electronic modules that easily connect together. Open the littleBitsScratchExtension.ino firmware in the Arduino software; Select Arduino Leonardo from the Tools Board menu; Select your serial port from the Tools Port menu. On Mac, it's something like /dev/tty.usbmodem-1511. On Windows, it's probably the highest-numbered COM port. Apple's Files.app is a great way to interact with files on iOS. Today we'll begin taking a look at how our app can better integrate with it. First up, we're going to learn how to allow users to open files in our app, from the Files.app. Open the littleBitsScratchExtension.ino firmware in the Arduino software; Select Arduino Leonardo from the Tools Board menu; Select your serial port from the Tools Port menu. On Mac, it's something like /dev/tty.usbmodem-1511. On Windows, it's probably the highest-numbered COM port. 1-16 of over 100,000 results for 'little bits' littleBits Star Wars Droid Inventor Kit (680-0011) 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,137. 01 $99.95 $99.95. Get it as soon as Wed, Sep 30. Neighbors App Real-Time Crime & Safety Alerts Amazon Subscription Boxes Top subscription boxes – right to your door.

SCROLL

Easy-to-use electronic building blocks that snap together to engineer and invent creations that embody real-world solutions.

For more info or to request a product demo, simply fill out the form and a Teq Representative will reach out to you directly.

Students learn that the road to an invention is not a straight line: they need to create, test, play, and redesign as they go. littleBits by Sphero kits are equipped with Bits, lessons, and accessories to work hands-on with circuity, and hone creative and critical thinking skills, all while learning important STEM concepts. Step-by-step invention guides, easy-to-teach lessons, and curriculum linked to standards are available on littleBits by Sphero Classroom (classroom.littlebits.com), a free online platform.

Each Bit has a specific function. Invent anything from an alarm, to a wireless robot, to a digital instrument. They snap together with magnets so you can’t make a mistake! Bits are grouped into different color-coded categories.

Empowering everyone

littleBits opens the door for students and teachers of all levels to a more accessible way to invent and engineer at their own speed. littleBits Kits make teaching fun AND effective with step-by-step invention guides, easy-to-teach lessons, and curriculum linked to standards. From STEAM sets to Coding kits, each is packed with resources that make 21st century education fun and easy to teach. Students can build from the instructions or create something from their imagination, enabling the ‘A’ in STEAM and kickstarting student creativity.

PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER.

You can build it from the instructions or make something from your imagination.

USE IT.

Playing with what you’ve created is fun, but also an important part of inventing. Playing is like a test run. It’s a chance to see how well your invention works and look for ways you can make it better.

INSPIRE OTHERS.

Show the world (or class) what you’ve created, or use the littleBits Invent app or at littleBits.com.

IMPROVE YOUR INVENTION.

Keep experimenting! Add new Bits, swap parts with other inventions, or take all the pieces apart and put them together in a different way.

Robotics + art? Yes! Have students research their favorite artist and use littleBitsby Sphero to recreate a famous painting. Check outour lesson idea for the details.

Create a Robotic Artist

• Research your favorite artist. What materials did they create with? What techniques did they use?
• Build the Drawbot and try to recreate your favorite painting or artistic design.
• Now, take your creativity up a notch. Add additional components to help Drawbot make a new design!

Boost your classroom technology skills to engage your students and improve instruction with Teq’s Online Professional Development platform, now known as OTIS for educators.SCROLL DOWN for a sample course.

Let's Get Rolling with littleBits

Did you know that you can make your littleBits creation mobile? In this session, we'll show you how to incorporate wheels into your littleBits inventions. You'll be rolling in no time with this guided tutorial geared for 3rd through 8th grade.

To use the extension, upload the littleBits_Scratch_Extension.ino to your littleBits Arduino bit, install the Scratch Browser Plugin (see notes below for Firefox and for Chrome), and then open the littleBits extension on ScratchX.org.

This Scratch extension allows you to connect your Scratch projects to the physical world using littleBits. Using littleBits you can create new ways to interact with Scratch through the use of inputs and outputs. For example, you might rotate the Scratch cat by turning a dimmer, or make a buzzer go off when you score a point in your game. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination!

Windmill simlulator using littleBits and Scratch.

You will need:

• Some littleBits Inputs and Outputs
• Micro USB Cable

Little Bits Software Download

Step 1 - Upload the Firmware

1. Install the codebender plugin:
   On Chrome/Chromium, install the codebender app in the Chrome Web Store
   On Firefox, install the codebender Add-on
2. (Windows only) install the device drivers
3. Connect a Power bit to one of the Arduino's input pins and turn on the Power bit.
   
4. Connect the Arduino to your computer's USB port
   
5. Make sure the correct board (Arduino Leonardo) and serial port is selected in the codebender window below and click 'Run on Arduino'

On Mac, the serial number will be something like /dev/tty.usbmodem-1511.
On Windows, the serial number will probably be the highest-numbered COM port.
(Or unplug the Arduino, check the menu, and then replug your Arduino and see what new port appears.)

1. Download and install the Arduino software (Windows instructions, Mac instructions)
2. Connect a Power bit to one of the Arduino's input pins and turn on the Power bit.
   
3. Connect the Arduino to your computer's USB port
   
4. Open the littleBits_Scratch_Extension.ino firmware in the Arduino software
   
5. Select Arduino Leonardo from the Tools > Board menu
   
6. Select your serial port from the Tools > Port menu.
   On Mac, it's something like /dev/tty.usbmodem-1511.
   On Windows, it's probably the highest-numbered COM port.
   (Or unplug the Arduino, check the menu, and then replug your Arduino and see what new port appears.)
   
7. Click the upload button
   

Step 2 - Install the Scratch Extensions Browser Plugin

Step 3 - Load the littleBits extension on ScratchX

Launch the extension by going to the following URL:

http://scratchx.org/?url=http://khanning.github.io/scratch-littlebits-extension/littlebits_extension.js

On Chrome, you'll need to enable NPAPI plugins. Go to chrome://flags/#enable-npapi and click enable:

Then, click 'Relaunch Now' button:

Then, when you go to ScratchX.org, you should see a puzzle piece icon with an X on it: . Click on it and select 'Always allow plug-ins on scratchx.org':

When you see the indicator light in the 'More Blocks' tab turn green your ready to start using the extension!

Step 4 - Have fun and be creative!

A Few Additional Notes:

Some of the input bits need to have power going through them. The Fork bit is very useful for running power to multiple inputs.

If the Arduino bit loses it's connection to the Power bit you will have to wait a few seconds while it reconnects itself with Scratch. The littleBits Mounting Boards or these 3D printed littleBits sandals are very useful for keeping everything connected.

Now take a look at the Scratch Blocks and the example projects to learn how to use the extension.

This is a brief description of each of the Scratch blocks included with the littleBits extension.

Littlebits App Mac Pro

Littlebits App Macbook

Sets one of the output pins (d1, d5, d7) to on (full power) or off (no power).

Sets one of the PWM output pins (d5, d7) to a value between 0 - 255.
0 = no power.
255 = full power.

Boolean block that returns true if an input pin (d0, a0, a1) is on (receiving voltage greater than 3v) and false if the input pin is off (receiving voltage less than 3v).

Hat block that executes when an input pin is switched on (receiving a voltage greater than 3v) or off (receiving a voltage less than 3v).

Hat block that executes when an input pin is greater than, less than, or equal to a specified number.

64 Bit Apps

Maps a value between two ranges of numbers.

Littlebits App Mac Download

This comes in handy when you're trying to use an input value (0 - 1023) to set an output value (0 - 255)

These are some very basic examples of what you can do with the littleBits extension. More advanced examples will be posted soon. /mac-os-107-installer-app.html.

Little Bits Code App

Move a sprite on the screen using a dimmer input

Output from Input

Use an analog input to write a value to an analog output.

Button Say Something

Make the sprite say something whenever the button input is pressed.