MOUSE Corps Apprenticeship Applications

ATTENTION MOUSE CORPS!

As we get confirmations on Apprenticeship opportunities, we will post applications & descriptions here. You can apply to all of them, or one or none!  Applications are due by June 4th.

EDC Center for Children & Technology: 1 Apprenticeship, 8 days, July only

Click here to learn more and to fill out the Application

FOR CREATIVE MOUSE CORPS STUDENTS!! EDC (Education Development Center, Inc.), is a global nonprofit organization that designs, delivers, and evaluates innovative programs to address some of the world’s most urgent challenges in education, health, and economic development. For this apprenticeship, you will work side by side with professionals to update and edit Websites and video, work on programming and graphic design for a computational thinking project, and also support and give feedback on EDC’s video game projects!

ROKO Labs: 1 Apprenticeship, July 8th – August 16th (Full time!)

Click here to learn more and to fill out the Application

Being a tech startup, every day is an adventure but we have the benefit of having some amazing clients at our mobile strategy and development consultancy – our clients include a few Fortune 500 companies (NYSE, CNBC), some international companies (Macquarie, Tullet Prebon), and other startups (Snaps!, BoxSmart, BrightWire) and are signing up new clients each month. I just know that there is so much a MOUSE Corps Apprentice can add to our organization as we push to grow our organization, and hopefully we can help the next generation of entrepreneurs dream even bigger!

DoITT: 1 Apprenticeship, July 8th – August 16th (Full time!)

Click here to learn more and to Apply

You will be working in the Wireless Unit. The Wireless Technologies unit preserves and enhances NYC’s mission critical communications through access to reliable, resilient, and secure wireless voice and broadband data technologies. The team also provides leadership in the areas of development and implementation of long-range wireless communications strategies for the City, and supports regional inter-operable communications initiatives through partnerships with local, state and federal entities.

ART^2 Code

Debugging the code

Below is the code that I have been slaving away at for the past two hours for ART^2. This is the code that has a working diagonal system. Before we could only draw/paint in squares, because only one motor could be on at a time. That is always true the way we have the code set up right now, so I made a sudo-diagonal method of doing it. One motor is on at one time, but they move only the slightest amount before they let the other one go and it repeats. This made an appearance of diagonal that is imperceptible to the human eye and a pencil.

Technical Junk

Also it turns out that for loops called inside the main “loop()” function makes everything stop working completely, which is why there is a while loop used as a for loop in the code. not using the for loop/while loop in the code makes the pencil move too slowly and stutter.

Next Steps in the Code

1. Make this work for all the directions
2. Use the map function to allow for sensitivity variability
3. Use the buttons on the Nunchuck for rotation of the servo motor

void stepper_controller() {

joystick_input();
joystick_input_neg();

if(directions[0]){
if(directions[1]){
int i = 0;
while(i < 500) {
stepy(true, 1/*map(joy_y_axis, 152, 233, 0, 1600)*/);
stepx(true, 1/*map(joy_x_axis, 145, 230, 0, 1600)*/);
i++;
}
}
}
}

void joystick_input() {
int joy_x_axis = nunchuck_buf[0];
int joy_y_axis = nunchuck_buf[1];

if(joy_x_axis > 145) {
directions[0] = true;
}
if(joy_y_axis > 152) {
directions[1] = true;
}
}

void joystick_input_neg() {
int joy_x_axis = nunchuck_buf[0];
int joy_y_axis = nunchuck_buf[1];

if(!(joy_x_axis > 145)) {
directions[0] = false;
}
if(!(joy_y_axis > 152)) {
directions[1] = false;
}
}

MOUSE Corps visits WNET Channel 13!

On Tuesday May 7th, MOUSE Corps had the awesome opportunity to take part in a workshop and tour at New York Public Media hub WNET!

The afternoon began with each MOUSE Corps legacy group being paired with at least two WNET mentors — including VP of Education and former MOUSE Executive Director Carole Wacey, and THIRTEEN General Manager Roz Dav — and getting to know each other over pizza. Next, everyone participated in an activity from MOUSE’s Serious Games curriculum called the Found Object Game. Each group was given one mystery bag filled with rubber bands, pipe cleaners, rubber gloves etc. and told they had five minutes to create a fun, playable table top game together and then pitch it to the rest of the room. It was a great to watch the MOUSE Corps students and the WNET mentors having so much fun and working together to create and pitch some very creative and very funny games like Angry Forks.

After that, we were treated to a tour of WNET studios! Highlights included getting to talk to an editor who showed us some sneak peaks of a documentary he was working on in an edit room, going to the control room for the Tisch WNET Studios at Lincoln Center, and meeting the “Voice of Channel Thirteen”, Tom Stewart! Then, each group had the opportunity to work on their pitches for their Legacy Projects with the guidance of their WNET mentors. At the end, everyone shared out the tips the mentors had shared with them.

Here are some of the best tips the WNET mentors and MOUSE Corps students shared

• Say the “Why” first
• Use stories with names to make your pitch more personal
• Explain your technology (Instead of just saying ‘Arduino’ explain what an arduino is!)
• Cover the general overview first, dig deeper second
• When pitching as a group, the person demoing the product with the person telling the story should collaborate
• Cut out the fluff/watch the time/pay attention to the order
• State the problem first
• Make it universal
• Repeat your main points to clarify
• Use real examples and stories

In the end, the day was educational, fun and inspiring for both the students and WNET staff!

Thank you WNET!

Fire Dragons

Well during this meeting we have finally come up with a Permanent name
Extend-o-Arm
We have also made more progress with the de-bugging for the code on the motor.
#include // include the servo library
Servo servoMotor; // creates an instance of the servo object to control a servo
Servo servo2;
int analogPin = 0; // the analog pin that the sensor is on
int analogValue = 0; // the value returned from the analog sensor

const byte PIN_BUTTON_SELECT = 2; // Select button is triggered when joystick is pressed

const byte PIN_BUTTON_RIGHT = 3;
const byte PIN_BUTTON_UP = 4;
const byte PIN_BUTTON_DOWN = 5;
const byte PIN_BUTTON_LEFT = 6;

const byte PIN_ANALOG_X = 0;
const byte PIN_ANALOG_Y = 1;
int val;
int val2;
int pos = 0;
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);

// Specify each pin connected to a pushbutton as an input.
// Also enable the Arduino’s internal “pull-up” resistors
// for each pushbutton we want to read–this means the shield
// doesn’t need to have resistors on it.
// Note that when a pull-up resistor is used on a pin the
// meaning of the values read are reversed compared to their
// usual meanings:
// * HIGH = the button is not pressed
// * LOW = the button is pressed
pinMode(PIN_BUTTON_RIGHT, INPUT);
digitalWrite(PIN_BUTTON_RIGHT, HIGH);

pinMode(PIN_BUTTON_LEFT, INPUT);
digitalWrite(PIN_BUTTON_LEFT, HIGH);

pinMode(PIN_BUTTON_UP, INPUT);
digitalWrite(PIN_BUTTON_UP, HIGH);

pinMode(PIN_BUTTON_DOWN, INPUT);
digitalWrite(PIN_BUTTON_DOWN, HIGH);

pinMode(PIN_BUTTON_SELECT, INPUT);
digitalWrite(PIN_BUTTON_SELECT, HIGH);

servoMotor.attach(8);
servo2.attach(9);
}

void loop() {
// Print the current values of the inputs (joystick and
// buttons) to the console.
Serial.print(“l:”);
Serial.print(digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_LEFT));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“r:”);
Serial.print(digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_RIGHT));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“u:”);
Serial.print(digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_UP));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“d:”);
Serial.print(digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_DOWN));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“x:”);
Serial.print(analogRead(PIN_ANALOG_X));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“y:”);
Serial.print(analogRead(PIN_ANALOG_Y));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“s:”);
Serial.print(digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_SELECT));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.println();

val = analogRead(PIN_ANALOG_X); // reads the value of the potentiometer (value between 0 and 1023)
val = map(val, 0, 1023, 0, 179); // scale it to use it with the servo (value between 0 and 180)
servoMotor.write(val); // sets the servo position according to the scaled value
delay(15);

val2= digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_DOWN);
if (val2 == LOW)
{
for(pos = 0; pos< 1000; pos += 2)
{
servo2.write(pos);
delay(7);
}
}
}
Although there are some bugs left I feel that the bugs will be resolved by the end of next week.
We tested the the mounting mechanism that will be used to mount the Mechanical Arm.

That's All

Art group = A.R.T. art

Name: Assistive Remote-controlled Two-dimensional Art (ART^2) = pronounced : art squared
Description:
ART^2 is an assistive painting device designed by MOUSE Corps for artists with Cerebral Palsy. Controlled by a nunchuk-joystick to help them express their love for art while keeping their artistic freedom.

Next up:

• motor, shaft, timer belt and painter in the middle piece
• motor mechanism to move from left to right
• the lowering/raising of painter head
• bug in code for motor that stops movements after 3 seconds of no movement
  • tighten timer belt on the side of motor

Accomplished today:

• IT’S ALIVE!!!!!!!! (middle piece moves using nunchuk)

COOKING GROUP HAS A NAME AND SENTENCE YAY!!! PLUS UPDATE

Name: Mixing Buddy

Sentence: Mixing Buddy is an assistive technology prototype, that allows people with Cerebral Palsy to enhance their cooking experience.

Bad News: proto-shield is crappy

Good News: We got another one!

We are using a proto-shield in order to get rid of the breadboard, and keep the circuit safe!

The code is working fine, and we will meet later to keep working on the circuit!

Project Name: JoyPix
Description: Bringing the simplicity of photography to those with Cerebral Palsy.

Check out our update in my wordpress.

http://doublewt.wordpress.com/2013/04/26/extend-a-arm-update-for-42613/

So right now, I am able to make the servo stop at a certain angle.
The problem is that, it won’t go back to position zero.
Right now I need code a method that will make the servo move back to zero.

hint:
servo.detach( );
this can stop a continuous rotation servo.
code so far:

// Store the Arduino pin associated with each input
#include // include the servo library
Servo servoMotor; // creates an instance of the servo object to control a servo
Servo servo2;
int analogPin = 0; // the analog pin that the sensor is on
int analogValue = 0; // the value returned from the analog sensor

const byte PIN_BUTTON_SELECT = 2; // Select button is triggered when joystick is pressed

const byte PIN_BUTTON_RIGHT = 3;
const byte PIN_BUTTON_UP = 4;
const byte PIN_BUTTON_DOWN = 5;
const byte PIN_BUTTON_LEFT = 6;

const byte PIN_ANALOG_X = 0;
const byte PIN_ANALOG_Y = 1;
int val;
int val2;
int pos = 0;
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);

// Specify each pin connected to a pushbutton as an input.
// Also enable the Arduino’s internal “pull-up” resistors
// for each pushbutton we want to read–this means the shield
// doesn’t need to have resistors on it.
// Note that when a pull-up resistor is used on a pin the
// meaning of the values read are reversed compared to their
// usual meanings:
// * HIGH = the button is not pressed
// * LOW = the button is pressed
pinMode(PIN_BUTTON_RIGHT, INPUT);
digitalWrite(PIN_BUTTON_RIGHT, HIGH);

pinMode(PIN_BUTTON_LEFT, INPUT);
digitalWrite(PIN_BUTTON_LEFT, HIGH);

pinMode(PIN_BUTTON_UP, INPUT);
digitalWrite(PIN_BUTTON_UP, HIGH);

pinMode(PIN_BUTTON_DOWN, INPUT);
digitalWrite(PIN_BUTTON_DOWN, HIGH);

pinMode(PIN_BUTTON_SELECT, INPUT);
digitalWrite(PIN_BUTTON_SELECT, HIGH);

servoMotor.attach(8);
servo2.attach(9);
}

void loop() {
// Print the current values of the inputs (joystick and
// buttons) to the console.
Serial.print(“l:”);
Serial.print(digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_LEFT));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“r:”);
Serial.print(digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_RIGHT));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“u:”);
Serial.print(digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_UP));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“d:”);
Serial.print(digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_DOWN));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“x:”);
Serial.print(analogRead(PIN_ANALOG_X));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“y:”);
Serial.print(analogRead(PIN_ANALOG_Y));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“s:”);
Serial.print(digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_SELECT));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.println();

val = analogRead(PIN_ANALOG_X); // reads the value of the potentiometer (value between 0 and 1023)
val = map(val, 0, 1023, 0, 179); // scale it to use it with the servo (value between 0 and 180)
servoMotor.write(val); // sets the servo position according to the scaled value
delay(15);

val2= digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_DOWN);
if (val2 == LOW)
{
for(pos = 0; pos< 1000; pos += 2)
{
servo2.write(pos);
delay(7);
pos = 1000;
}
}

}

4-23-13 ART GROUP BLOG

Accomplished today:

• Timing Belts in “permanent” place with hot glue +pin for moving the middle piece.
• more Soldering wires to driver
• motor + support for shaft on middle piece in place
• code for x-axis movement
• assuming for y-axis code to work
• shaft across from motor on middle piece
• pulleys for motor in middle piece attached

Coming UP:

• shaft across middle platform
• cutting middle piece out for painter head to go through to canvas
• try if a bluetooth nunchuk will work with the same code
• braces + pulley for middle shaft

Adjustable Arm:
Eddie worked on hacking a desk Swing-Arm Lamp into an adjustable Camera Swing-Arm.
He got rid of the light bulb, the power wire, attached the camera on a mount and put the
Swing-arm on the clamp.

Camera Enclosure:
Jay and Hiram finished up the design of the camera enclosure on Tinker cat.

Printing Buttons:
We 3D printed a simple button in order to get an idea of how complex to make our enclosure.

Mixing Buddy update: IT WORKS!

Today, we worked on the mixing buddy, and encountering several problems, we finally found what was wrong: The breadboard did not have power on ground! We added 5 volts AND ground to te breadboard, and Whadaya know? It worked! We also updated our code a bit.

The link to our Gist on github is here!!!

We also started soldering the accessibility switch. We are using a male and female headphone jacks, and know the switch is more accessible.

Fire Dragon 4-16-13

Today for Extend-A-Arm (EAA),

Zainab worked on the modelling the crutches and trying to determine where it would be best to place the controls and EAA on the crutches. Updated and improved how the object that EAA picks up will be delivered to Tawn etc. Came up with some moving forward question that needs to be looked at moving forward with the production of the EAA.

Wilson and Filipa worked on and updated the code for the controls and movement of EAA. They have made improvements in making the controls works as they need to.

CODE HERE:

// Store the Arduino pin associated with each input
#include // include the servo library

// JOYSTICK controll
Servo servoMotor; //creates an instance of the servo object to control a servo
int analogPin = 0; // the analog pin that the sensor is on
int analogValue = 0; // the value returned from the analog sensor
const byte PIN_ANALOG_X = 0; // right-left controll
const byte PIN_ANALOG_Y = 1; // will not be using this one for now
const byte PIN_BUTTON_SELECT = 2; // Select button is triggered when joystick is pressed
int val;

// BUTTON controll
Servo servoMotor2;
const byte PIN_BUTTON_RIGHT = 3;
const byte PIN_BUTTON_UP = 4;
const byte PIN_BUTTON_DOWN = 5;
const byte PIN_BUTTON_LEFT = 6;

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);

// Specify each pin connected to a pushbutton as an input.
// Also enable the Arduino’s internal “pull-up” resistors
// for each pushbutton we want to read–this means the shield
// doesn’t need to have resistors on it.
// Note that when a pull-up resistor is used on a pin the
// meaning of the values read are reversed compared to their
// usual meanings:
// * HIGH = the button is not pressed
// * LOW = the button is pressed

pinMode(PIN_BUTTON_RIGHT, INPUT);
digitalWrite(PIN_BUTTON_RIGHT, HIGH);

pinMode(PIN_BUTTON_LEFT, INPUT);
digitalWrite(PIN_BUTTON_LEFT, HIGH);

pinMode(PIN_BUTTON_UP, INPUT);
digitalWrite(PIN_BUTTON_UP, HIGH);

pinMode(PIN_BUTTON_DOWN, INPUT);
digitalWrite(PIN_BUTTON_DOWN, HIGH);

pinMode(PIN_BUTTON_SELECT, INPUT);
digitalWrite(PIN_BUTTON_SELECT, HIGH);

servoMotor.attach(8);
servoMotor2.attach(9);
}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

void loop() {
// Print the current values of the inputs (joystick and
// buttons) to the console.
Serial.print(“l:”);
Serial.print(digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_LEFT));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“r:”);
Serial.print(digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_RIGHT));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“u:”);
Serial.print(digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_UP));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“d:”);
Serial.print(digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_DOWN));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“x:”);
Serial.print(analogRead(PIN_ANALOG_X));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“y:”);
Serial.print(analogRead(PIN_ANALOG_Y));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.print(“s:”);
Serial.print(digitalRead(PIN_BUTTON_SELECT));
Serial.print(” “);

Serial.println();

val = analogRead(PIN_ANALOG_X); // reads the value of the potentiometer (value between 0 and 1023)
val = map(val, 0, 1023, 0, 179); // scale it to use it with the servo (value between 0 and 180)
servoMotor.write(val); // sets the servo position according to the scaled value
delay(15);

if (PIN_BUTTON_LEFT==LOW)
{
servoMotor2.write(0);
}
}

Omar and Ivan worked on the the scissor like movement of EAA when extending, delivering object to user and retracting. They created a cardboard model to help them better understand how all the movements will work.

Next Week Goal:
To start creating and putting together the actual product instead of just prototypes

MIXING BUDDY 4-16-13 !!!! UPDATE!!!1!!!1!!!2!!2@@2!!!

Today, we updated our code, and created an arm for our mixing buddy!

The code is below:

// constants won’t change. They’re used here to
// set pin numbers:
const int buttonPin = 2; // the number of the pushbutton pin
const int ledPin = 13; // the number of the LED pin

// Variables will change:
int ledState = LOW; // the current state of the output pin
int buttonState; // the current reading from the input pin
int lastButtonState = HIGH; // the previous reading from the input pin

// the following variables are long’s because the time, measured in miliseconds,
// will quickly become a bigger number than can be stored in an int.
long lastDebounceTime = 0; // the last time the output pin was toggled
long debounceDelay = 50; // the debounce time; increase if the output flickers

void setup() {
pinMode(buttonPin, INPUT);
pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);

// set initial LED state
digitalWrite(ledPin, ledState);
}

void loop() {
// read the state of the switch into a local variable:
int reading = digitalRead(buttonPin);

// check to see if you just pressed the button
// (i.e. the input went from LOW to HIGH), and you’ve waited
// long enough since the last press to ignore any noise:

// If the switch changed, due to noise or pressing:
if (reading != lastButtonState) {
// reset the debouncing timer
lastDebounceTime = millis();
}

if ((millis() – lastDebounceTime) > debounceDelay) {
// whatever the reading is at, it’s been there for longer
// than the debounce delay, so take it as the actual current state:

// if the button state has changed:
if (reading != buttonState) {
buttonState = reading;

// only toggle the LED if the new button state is HIGH
if (buttonState == HIGH) {
ledState = !ledState;
}
}
}

// set the LED:
digitalWrite(ledPin, ledState);

// save the reading. Next time through the loop,
// it’ll be the lastButtonState:
lastButtonState = reading;
}

LEDstate is basically our Power-switch tail

We are thinking of ways to stabilize our pot. Magnet rings are one idea if they are not that strong and does not heat up/ melt. Weighing the pot in some way are another idea.
Next week we will “clean up” the circuit by getting rid of the breadboard and begin soldering.

After meeting with the people from UCP last week we got more feedback from them, the feedback was on more specifications that should be added to the camera and camera enclosure. The feedback we got was that they would like Grooves on the camera enclosure, Elevated buttons or larger buttons, The button would be better on the left for some people or right for some others. Also we thought it would be better to replace the shutter button on the camera with an analog stick. Extra buttons next to the shutter button/analog stick, they also asked for different colored buttons. On Tinkercad we added the enclosure around the camera. As for the prototype, we used a wheelchair and cardboard to create the platform. There were two platforms created one that shows the “Wheelchair Joystick” and the other that shows the “Joypix”.

Dining Band @ NY Tech Meetup = internet fame

Zainab, Omar, Youssef and Matthew did an amazing job presenting the MOUSE Corps Legacy Project: Dining Band at NY Tech Meetup on Tuesday – in front of 500+ tech innovators.   Their demo totally inspired the NYTM community:

• check out all of the tweets: https://twitter.com/MOUSESQUAD
• The folks at GOOD.is blogged: “People are Awesome: 11th graders invent a way for blind people to locate the food on their plate“

Watch their demo here: http://bit.ly/158V6Fa

Thank you to NY Tech Meetup for inviting us – and we can’t wait to show you our student’s new assistive/adaptive tech prototypes in partnership with United Cerebral Palsy!

April 9th Blog

Completed today:

• motor working with arduino code not with nunchuk yet
• Frame with shafts in place
• stepper driver soltered with PCB

Next up:

• get nunchuk to work with motor and arduino code
• built the moving piece that will hold the paint brush
• built piece to connect time belt

Today Feedback

So To start of this Blog Post I will be Stating the Feedback we receive:
1.One thing Tawn Stated was that being right handed.(try to make it Universal)
2.Another thing that she mentioned would be that she prefers the device Attached to the Crutches, or the Wheelchair.
3. Lighter than 5 pounds.
4. Weight that the Arm should be able to pick is about 2-3 pounds.
5. Three fingers is preferred
6. Another thing would be that it would be that it is easily removed, Putty Type .
7.Buttons would be preferred.
8.A way to attach the device to the wheelchair without causing interfering.
9.Walker is 35.5 Inches, 7 Inches From cup holder to the arm grabber. 4.9 (Arm Garber)

Feedback from Vinita, Judy and Laura

Questions:

How easily can you move this joystick?
Vinita: “yes I can move it easily”
Judy: tries to use the joystick and has only a little trouble

Can you hold a Camera?
Vinita: “I can hold the camera well”

Notes:

Judy:

. Prefers raised buttons on an enclosure
. wants to be able to use both hands to press shutter
. wants the enclosure to have grips in order to hold well
. has trouble holding a camera with left hand without covering the lens

Vinita:

. wants to be able to turn the camera while holding it with one hand, she can only
get a good grip with her right hand.
. thinks that it would be good if their was a strap to the enclosure
. feels it would be better to have bumps in order to feel the location of the shutter
. wants to be able to take pictures of herself with friend’s (facebook style)

Laura:

. thinks we should think of making a remote shutter
. wants to make sure that we can use transparent material to 3D print the enclosure

Today, we are testing the analog stick with the arduino board on a breadboard.
A breadboard is a board with metal connectors that lets you test small scale electronic systems temporarily without soldering.