The Electric Kombi Conversion Project – Topic 6: Understanding car engines – gyroscopes, accelerometers, sensors (technologies related to motion)

Inquiry question 6:

How can the integration of technologies such as the micro:bit be used to improve the functionality and efficiency of the Kombi vehicle?

6.5 Technologies related to motion:

Students learn to:

• Apply problem solving techniques to identified problems related to motion
• Plan, implement and evaluate a sequence of operations for the completion of a design project related to motion

Lesson 16:

Teacher demonstration: the micro:bit and how it can be used.

• Key Question: Can the sensors on the micro:bit be used to collect data?
  • Accelerometer
  • Speed

Student Activity: Students use a gyroscope to explore the concepts of angular motion and torque by performing a number of simple activities using the examples in the video.

Student Activity: Students to make a 2-minute video to explain the concepts of angular motion, torque and functionality of a gyroscope using their model and demonstrating one or more of the activities.

Teacher Demonstration and Discussion:

• The process of using code and the hardware needed to capture data.
• The process of how to collect and analyse data.

Student Activity: Students to investigate data capture using a micro:bit.

• Key Question: What data is being collected and for what purpose?

Resources

Micro:bit crash course

First steps with microbits for data-logging and modelling

Accelerometer

Micro:bit and accelerometer resource

Getting two microbits to talk to each other

Teacher demonstration and discussion: Teachers can use this activity or for example, a speed trial of the electric Kombi from point a to point b as an example for demonstration. It requires the use of two micro:bits for collecting and analysing data. Further resources depend on the microcontroller used such as a microbit or an Arduino. But for the microbit, refer to the makecode site

Student Activity: Gyroscopes

Micro:bit & gyroscopes

Lessons 17 & 18:

Teacher demonstration: Teacher to provide coding tutorials for students to practise the
content.

Student Activity: This is a continuation of Lesson 16, where students are investigating data capture with the use of a micro:bit. To achieve this, students are developing confidence and competence in visual or general purpose coding. Students to work through coding exercises to program micro:bits to
collect acceleration data. Teacher to facilitate application of skills and knowledge to develop functional code for their vehicle projects. Students to test their code to determine if the code is functional.

See resources from lesson 16.

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