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Programs These are some example programs to get you going! Add Numbers View Age Calculator View All Statement Test Example View Any Statement Example View Any and All Statement Text Test View Basic 90-Degree Turn View Advanced Mine View Age Calculator Extended View Ant Command Test View Any and All Numbers Test View Auto Booting/Running a Program View Basic Capacitive Soil Moisture Sensor View 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ... 8

Sensors BME280 Temperature, Relative Humidity and Pressure This sensor allows you to measure air temperature, relative humidity and atmospheric pressure. Learn more Colour Sensor Module The TCS34725 colour module allows the JackBord to determine the colour of a surface or object placed near the sensor. Learn more Infrared Obstacle Avoidance This unit will detect the presence of objects at distances of between about 2cm to 30cm. Learn more RGB Colour Detects the RGB (red, green and blue) colours of an object. Learn more Sound Detection Use the simple sound detector module to determine if there is sound above a pre-set threshold. Learn more Capacitive Soil Moisture This analog capacitive soil moisture sensor measures soil moisture by detecting the change in capacitance that stems from the moisture content of the surrounding soil. The output of the sensor is a voltage between 0V and 3V, with 0V being very dry soil and 3V being wet soil. Learn more HC-SR505 Mini PIR Infrared Motion HC-SR505 is an infrared module which detects the movement of a person or animal, at distances of up to 3m. Learn more MQ4 Methane Gas The MQ4 module allows the JackBord to detect methane gas at concentrations from 300 ppm to 10,000 ppm. The reading output from the sensor is an analog voltage from 0.1V to 4.5V. There is a digital output as well, pin DO, which is normally high and goes low when gas is detected. Learn more Short Range Proximity This sensor uses an infrared transmitter and receiver to gauge the distance between the sensor and an object near it. It has a digital and an analog output which can be used to control things in response to the presence or absence of an object. Learn more

Projects Automatic Night Light In this project, you will make use of the LDR sensor on the TOP to create a light-sensitive night light with one of the LEDs. Read More Driving Robot In this project, you will create a robot that can drive around using the DRIVE page on the dashboard, the command line, or a program. Read More Electronic Dice In this project, you will build on the Rainbow LED project by turning the JackBord into a dice. Using the random function to generate a number and assigning each LED a value (all 5 lit up represents six) makes a very simple electronic dice. Read More Rainbow LED Display In this project, you will utilise all five LEDs on the TOP to create a rainbow. With proper commands, you can even make it pulse in sequence. Read More Soccer Robot In this project, you will use your JackBord to play soccer! We do this by turning an ice cream container into a scoop or a foot so the JackBord can push a ball from one point to another. Read More WiFi Signal Dial In this project, we are going to turn the JackBord into a dial so we can visually see the strength of the WiFi signal it is currently receiving. We will use an RC servo, which will move its arm in response to the WiFi strength. Read More

Contact Us We'd love to hear from you Please give us your feedback about any issues, complaints, praise and suggestions ​ We are always looking to improve as we aim to make your JackBord experience as best as it can be ​ Thank you Phone 0508 5225 2673 Proudly created and made in Kapiti, New Zealand Email info@jackbord.works Please submit your feedback below. First Name Last Name Code Phone Email Feedback Type Praise Question Suggestion Bug Report Complaint General Comments Send Thanks for submitting!

Our clients say Anita Taylor, Science Teacher, Paraparaumu College "The beauty of the JackBord interface is that students are able to engage with the learning in their own space and at their own pace. Students are not frustrated by step-by-step teacher directions, they can be given the robot and sensors, and learn through the website videos. Currently our Year 11 classes use the Jackbord to produce data from gas and soil moisture sensors. All students learn to wire up the sensor and use the website to find a program to run to collect data. Students enjoy using their fine motor and computing skills to collect quantitative data that is quickly produced and easily processed." Campbell Scott, Home School Student "Adopting the Jackbord was an enjoyable task, and the instructions were clear and easy to follow. Using the TOP was an excellent learning experience and I was fascinated and impressed at the wide range of possibilities available. I just recently added the motors and wheels and found the driving experience to be excellent, the controls simple and easy to use, and enjoyed coding different tasks to the various buttons. As for the other activities you provided links for, I have already tried out the short range proximity sensor and temperature \ humidity metre. Both were great ideas and I look forward to trying out the other activities. I really appreciated the easy to follow, step by step guide videos, and am continually amazed at the diversity of functions that one can achieve with the Jackbord. I can't think of any criticism to give you" Elgene, Student, Victoria University "JackBord is well designed and highly functional. It is a great tool for entry level robotics students and enthusiasts. The Octagon software is reliable and intuitive. I recommend it to anyone wanting an innovative and interesting learning tool." Jacob, Year 13 Student, Paraparaumu College "During lockdown having a JackBord of my own made doing my own robotics projects possible. I still had everything that I needed to get my robots up and running due to the JackBord being so robust and including everything you ever need built in; all I had to do was plug in my components. Because the JackBord works with WiFi it can be controlled from anywhere in the world so we were able to have JackBord races from at home in our own bubble" Lance Flavell,Digital Technology Teacher, Bishop Viard College "I've never really ventured into electronics with any of my classes until now, so the idea of using JackBords was out of my comfort zone. I initially had concerns about managing the electrical components and whether students might be put-off by the programming interface. Instead, the students were super enthusiastic to wire up their JackBords to meet the challenges. Students previously distracted by social media and youtube were now actively engaged in setting up their JackBords. We are continuing to develop learning units and the JackBord experience has allowed me to unpack parts of the technology curriculum I'd previously considered out of reach." Anonymous, Home Educator "So far, we have really enjoyed the JackBord, and were amazed at all the cool things Matthew could do with it. (I was so happy that I don’t need to be a specialist on the subject for him to be able to do it). The videos are easy to follow, and it’s good that terminology now also gets explained. …... Matthew also really enjoyed the online sessions with Jack and the other participants. This is really well done, and I will recommend it to any parent who has a child interested in electronics. Absolutely well worth the money. Thanks for a great product" Sophie Tukikino,Former Principal, Te Kura Maori o Porirua "The Jackbord Robotics program is presently being delivered in Te Kura Mãori o Porirua to Year 7-8 and Year 9-10 students. The JackBord is a durable, robust product, therefore it is very easy for students to become hands-on straight away. JackBord allows students to become familiar with basic coding and using a range of components to build on the robots functionality. There is scope for students to use the JackBord to explore a range of responses to a problem, through a process of trial and error, develop a solution or, a range of solutions. The feedback from our students has been very positive, teachers have observed highly motivated, engaged students who are often reluctant to move onto their next subject." Noah, Home School Student “It has worked well and connects to the internet pretty fast. Thank you" ​ Theo's mother, Home Educator “We have never seen Theo so excited. He must have spent at least 6 hours with it yesterday and was up early this morning to get going on it again. Have a wonderful day!”

Programs These are some example programs to get you going! Add Numbers View Age Calculator View All Statement Test Example View Any Statement Example View Any and All Statement Text Test View Basic 90-Degree Turn View Advanced Mine View Age Calculator Extended View Ant Command Test View Any and All Numbers Test View Auto Booting/Running a Program View Basic Capacitive Soil Moisture Sensor View 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ... 8

< Back Any and All Statement Text Test This program tests the any and all statements with text values. The test values are all text. Program --- all Statement Test Program no 1 This is an example program showing how to use all statements. --- prog_vars = d/pin1 0 d/pin2 1 d/float1 12.5 d/float2 3.141 d/int1 10 d/int2 0 d/pin_no 0 d/text1 "Jack" d/text2 "Jill" prog_vars. prog_start = print " -------------- " print "all statement test program" prog_start. prog_loop = -- Test 1 Should be TRUE ie "a" = "a" all "a" = "a" -> print "Test 1 TRUE CORRECT" else print "Test 1 FALSE WRONG" exitprog enda. -- Test 2 Should be FALSE ie "a" != "b" all "a" = "b" -> print "Test 2 TRUE WRONG" else print "Test 2 FALSE CORRECT" exitprog enda. -- Test 3 Should be TRUE ie /text1 is != /text2 all /text1 != /text2 -> print "Test 3 TRUE CORRECT" else print "Test 3 FALSE WRONG" exitprog enda. -- Test 4 Should be TRUE ie /text1 is "JacK" all /text1 = "Jack" -> print "Test 4 TRUE CORRECT" else print "Test 4 FALSE WRONG" exitprog enda. -- Test Should be TRUE ie "Jack" is = "JacK" all "Jack" = "Jack" -> print "Test 5 TRUE CORRECT" else print "Test 5 FALSE WRONG" exitprog enda. prog_loop. prog_stop = print "Bye" prog_stop.

< Back Weather Station ​ Program --- Wind vane A1 Anno A5 Rain B2 --- prog_vars = d/count 0 d/air_temp 0.0 d/rh 0 d/press 0.0 d/light 0 d/wind_speed 0.0 d/wind_dir 0 d/at_arc 0 d/display_update_timer 0 prog_vars. prog_start = pclear ptl 10 0 ^ts=35^ "Live Weather" i2con sctp a5 gvr a1 360 0 sctp b2 scgoff 38 1 574.0 -- Create a new Dataset for the Data newds "met 12 Oct 2021" -- Set the chans to include dslc 1 dslc 5 dslc 7 dslc 35 dslc 36 dslc 37 dslc 38 -- Set the log interval to 5mins slog 300 -- Start logging lgon setuct 1 25 setuct 2 5 -- Set the light update thresh to 500 setuct 35 500 -- Quit button pb 700 10 ^n=Quit^p=exitprog^ "Setup Done" prog_start. prog_loop = -- main program loop any /display_update_timer > 100 -> update_display "/display_update_timer" /display_update_timer 0 else inc /display_update_timer enda. prog_loop. update_display = -- Display the readings -- Air temp round /36 2 -> /air_temp pg 10 125 /air_temp ^id=airt^ts=24^tc=red^w=200^n=Air T^min=-10^max=40^ ptl 40 220 ^ts=20^tc=red^ "Air T /air_temp" -- RH /rh /37 pvl 250 150 /rh ^id=rh^lw=10^lc=blue^ ptl 240 220 ^id=rht^ts=20^tc=blue^ "RH /rh" -- Light mapi 0 50000 0 200 /35 -> /light sub 200 /light -> /light pvl 440 150 /light ^id=srad^lw=10^lc=yellow^ ptl 440 220 ^ts=20^tc=yellow^ "Light /light /35" -- Wind Direction sub 360 /a1 -> /wind_dir pal 150 420 80 /wind_dir ^lw=10^lc=cyan^ ptl 150 500 ^ts=20^tc=cyan^ "Dir /wind_dir" update_display. prog_stop = print "Bye" prog_stop.

< Back Age Calculator This program takes the persons birth year and the current year and calculates their age. It then works out their age if they were born 10 years earlier. Program --- Age Calculator Program Example Uses the birth year and the current year to workout your age. Then it subtracts 10 years from their birth year. --- prog_vars = d/name "Fred" -- name text var with default value d/birth_year 1972 -- year of birth d/current_year 2020 -- the current year d/age 0 -- age in years d/message1 "If you were born 10 years earlier" prog_vars. prog_start = print " .......... " print "Age Program Begin" prog_start. prog_loop = -- Work Out their age sub /current_year /birth_year -> /age print "Hi /name you are /age years old" -- Subtract 10 years from their birth year and recalc. sub /birth_year 10 -> /birth_year print "New birth year /birth_year" -- Work Out their newage sub /current_year /birth_year -> /age -- Use /message1 to hold the message so the lines not too long. print "/message1" print "you would be /age years old" print "Done exiting now!" exitprog prog_loop. prog_stop = exitprog prog_stop.

< Back RGB Color Sensor Demo 2 This program is for the RGB color sensor, and plots the clear, red, green and blue color values as vertical bars on the show page. Program --- RGB Color Sensor Demo 2 --- prog_vars = d/red_line 0 d/green_line 0 d/blue_line 0 d/clear_line 0 prog_vars. prog_start = pclear d1000 ptl 10 5 ^ts=24^ "RGB Color Sensor Demo Program" -- Enable the I2c system i2con -- Display the Quit button pb 400 20 ^n=Quit^p=exitnow^ prog_start. prog_loop = -- main program loop -- Invert the values so the bars go up sub -1 /cs_clear -> /clear_line sub -1 /cs_red -> /red_line sub -1 /cs_green -> /green_line sub -1 /cs_blue -> /blue_line -- Display the colors as vertical bars pvl 25 300 /clear_line ^lc=yellow^lw=20^ pvl 75 300 /red_line ^lc=red^lw=20^ pvl 125 300 /green_line ^lc=green^lw=20^ pvl 175 300 /blue_line ^lc=blue^lw=20^ -- Display the values ptl 15 300 ^ts=16^ "/cs_clear" ptl 65 300 ^ts=16^ "/cs_red" ptl 115 300 ^ts=16^ "/cs_green" ptl 165 300 ^ts=16^ "/cs_blue" -- Set the USER 1 LED to the color. l1 /cs_red /cs_green /cs_blue prog_loop. prog_stop = ptl 100 200 ^ts=75^ "Bye" prog_stop.

< Back Octagon Drawing Example This program draws various shapes on the Show page and is a good way of getting started with the drawing commands in Octagon. Program --- Octagon Drawing Program --- prog_vars = d/step 0 d/color 0 d/opacity 1.0 d/arc_angle 0 d/arc_radius 0 prog_vars. prog_start = pclear ptl f a ^ts=20^tf=verdana^ "JackBord Oactagon Drawing Program" psq t e 100 ^fc=red ^ pcr t h 50 ^fc=cyan ^ prect o j f e ^fc=yellow ^lc=yellow^lw=5^ prog_start. prog_loop = -- main program loop repeat 35 -> pal /step /step /step /step ^lc=/color ^op=/opacity ^lw=50^ mapi 0 520 0 360 /step -> /arc_angle mapi 0 520 0 100 /step -> /arc_radius parc 400 200 /arc_radius 0 /arc_angle ^lc=/color ^fc=transparent^lw=16^ inc /step 15 dec /opacity 0.05 any /opacity <= 0 -> /opacity 1.0 inc /color any /color >= 15 -> /color 1 ptl t c "step /step" repeat. exitprog prog_loop. prog_stop = print "Bye" prog_stop.

< Back Motor and Drive Commands allstopon - STOP ALL MOVEMENT Purpose This stops all movement of the robot and puts it in a safe mode. Syntax allstopon Notes This command overrides ALL other commands that would normally be able to induce some kind of movement in the robots drive system. The ONLY way to leave all stop on mode is to run the allstopoff command. allstopoff - Leave all stop on mode. Purpose This causes the robot to leave all stop on mode. Syntax allstopoff bmd - The direction of BOTH motors Purpose Allows the direction of movement of both drive motors to be set at the same time. Syntax bmd dir Arguments dir 0 = Forwards 1 = Reverse. bms - Set the speed of both drive motors Purpose This sets the speed of both drive motors to the same value. Syntax bms value Arguments value -100 to 100 Where: -100 full reverse 0 stop 100 full forward Pushers No Returns Nothing Examples bms 0 STOP bms 50 Half forward bms -50 Half back Channels & Vars Channel 150 both motor speed 160 left motor speed 170 right motor speed Notes This is for robots with motor drives. cbst - Cold start boost for the drive motors Purpose This is an extra duty cycle added to the motors speed when its starting from stand still. Syntax cbst value Arguments value 0 to 1000 This is a duty cycle. Examples cbst 100 Set to 100 Notes This is for robots with motor drives. dmlp - Set Left Drive Motor Esp32 Pin no Purpose This is the pin on the esp32 to use for the left drive motors pwm. Syntax dmlp pin Arguments pin The pin no on the esp32 to use. Notes This is for robots with motor drives. Don’t use unless you know what you are doing. dmrp - Set Right Drive Motor Esp32 Pin no Purpose This is the pin on the esp32 to use for the right drive motors pwm. Syntax dmrp pin Arguments pin The pin no on the esp32 to use. Notes This is for robots with motor drives. Don’t use unless you know what you are doing. dslimit - Disable Steering Limit Checking Purpose This allows the steering limit switch checking to be enabled and disabled on robots using a linear actuator with limit switches for steering. Syntax dslimit value Arguments value 0 = Don’t disable 1 = Disable Pushers No Returns Nothing Examples dslimit 0 Don’t disable steering limit switches dslimit 1 Disable steering limit switches Notes This should only be used for testing. faster - Pulse the drive motors forwards a little. Purpose This will briefly pulse both drive motors in the forwards direction a little and then turn them off. Syntax faster Examples faster Move robot forwards a little left - Pulse the robot to the left Purpose On a robot with motor drives fitted this command will cause the robot to turn a little to the left. Syntax left Examples left Turn slightly to the left. Notes This is for robots with motor drives. lmd - Set Left Drive Motors Direction Purpose Set the direction of travel of the left drive motor. 0 = forward Syntax lmd dir Arguments dir 0 = forward 1 = reverse 1 = reverse lmo - Set Left Drive Motors Offset Purpose This is added to the motors speed at a low level to compensate for differences in the motors. Syntax lmo offset Arguments offset The duty cycle offset between 0 and 1000. lms - Set the speed of the left drive motor Purpose This sets the speed of the left drive motor. Syntax lms value Arguments value -100 to 100 Where: -100 full reverse 0 stop 100 full forward Pushers No Returns Nothing Examples lms 0 STOP lms 50 Forward half lms -50 Back half Channels & Vars Channel 150 both motor speed 160 left motor speed Notes This is for robots with motor drives. lmt - Left motor start threshold Purpose This is the min speed value at which the left motors wheels will turn. Range 0 to 100. Syntax lmt value Arguments value 0 to 100 Examples lmt 25 Channels & Vars Channel 165 Notes This is for robots with motor drives. right - Pulse the robot to the right Purpose On a robot with motor drives fitted this command will cause the robot to turn a little to the right. Syntax right Examples right Turn slightly to the right. Notes This is for robots with motor drives. rmd - Set Right Drive Motors Direction Purpose Set the direction of travel of the right drive motor. 0 = forward Syntax rmd dir Arguments dir 0 = forward 1 = reverse rmo - Set Right Drive Motors Offset Purpose This is added to the motors speed at a low level to compensate for differences in the motors. Syntax rmo offset Arguments offset The duty cycle offset between 0 and 1000. rms - Set the speed of the right drive motor Purpose This sets the speed of the right drive motor. Syntax rms value Arguments value -100 to 100 Where: -100 Full reverse 0 STOP 100 Full forwards Examples rms 0 rms 50 rms -50 Channels & Vars Channel 150 both motor speed 170 right motor speed Notes This is for robots with motor drives. rmt - Right motor start threshold Purpose This is the min speed value at which the right motors wheels will turn. Range 0 to 100. Syntax rmt value Arguments value 0 to 100 Examples rmt 25 Channels & Vars Channel 175 Notes This is for robots with motor drives. rstdv - Reset the motor drive system Purpose Resets the drive system to the way it is when the JackBord is turned on. Syntax rstdv Examples rstdv sbms - Set the speed of both drive motors to different values Purpose This sets the speed of both drive motors to the different values in the same command. Syntax sbms left right Arguments left Speed of the left motor. -100 to 100 Where: -100 full reverse 0 stop 100 full forward right Speed of the right motor. -100 to 100 Where: -100 full reverse 0 stop 100 full forward Pushers No Returns Nothing Examples sbms 0 0 Stop sbms 25 50 Left turn sbms 50 25 Right turn sbms 20 20 Forwards Channels & Vars Channel 150 both motor speed 160 left motor speed 170 right motor speed Notes This is for robots with motor drives. sdmct - Set the JackBord drive motor controller type Purpose Set the type of motor being used on the robots drive system. Options are: Type Description 0 NO motor drive installed. 1 Normal MOSFET mode 2 DRV8833 H-bridge 3 L298N H-bridge 4 BTS7960B H-bridge 5 Mobility scooter drive using MCP4161 Digital Potentiometer 6 Single Front Wheel Drive on, front. Connected to the L298 H-bridge Output 2. Syntax sdmct value Arguments value Drive type type, see above. Examples sdmct 2 Set DRV8833 H-bridge type. Notes This is for robots with motor drives. sdtur - s et default turn urgency Purpose Set the default turn urgency Syntax sdtur value Arguments value 1 to 50 Examples sdtur 10 Set default turn urgency to 10 setstmax - Set the Maximum Safe Operating Speed for the robot Purpose This allows a safe maximum speed to be specified and it will be enforced automatically. Syntax setstmax speed Arguments speed -100 to 100 Where: -100 full reverse 0 stop 100 full forward Notes This is for robots with motor drives. The limit set here is automatically enforced by the drive system. setstmin - Set the Minimum Safe Operating Speed for the robot Purpose This allows a safe minimum speed to be specified and it will be enforced automatically. Syntax setstmin speed Arguments speed -100 to 100 Where: -100 full reverse 0 stop 100 full forward Notes This is for robots with motor drives. The limit set here is automatically enforced by the drive system. slower - Pulse the drive motors backwards a little. Purpose This will briefly pulse both drive motors in the reverse direction a little and then turn them off. Syntax slower Examples slower Move robot backwards a little ssv - Set Speed Step Value Purpose Set the amount by which the speed of the drive motors will be changed by other commands such as turn. Syntax ssv value Arguments value 1 to 50 Pushers No Returns Nothing Examples ssv 10 Set to 10 Notes This is for robots with motor drives. straight - Drive in a straight line Purpose Causes the robot to drive in a straight line. Syntax straight stop - Stop both of the robots drive motors Purpose Use this to bring the robot to a halt. Syntax stop Examples stop Halt the robot Notes This is for robots with motor drives. strpw - Set the linear actuator pulse width in milli secs Purpose This sets the width of the pulses used to move linear actuators attached to the JackBord via an L298 H-bridge. The shorter the pulse the slower and more precise the control is. Syntax strpw value Arguments value Pulse width in milli-seconds between 1 and 1000ms. Examples strpw 200 Set the pulse width to 200ms Notes This is for robots with motor drives. strtype - Set the steering type Purpose Set the type of steering being used on the robots drive system. Options are: Type Description 0 Normal differential drive 1 Rack and pinion steering 2 Single front steering wheel 3 L298 Linear Actuator ie Beach Robot. On L298 h-bridge motor no 1. Syntax stur value Arguments value Steering type, see above. Pushers No Returns Nothing Examples strtype 0 Set differential steering Notes This is for robots with motor drives. stur - Set turn urgency Purpose This is the increment used when turning. The higher the value the more aggressive turning will be. Syntax stur value Arguments value Turn urgency 1 to 500. This is a duty cycle. Pushers No Returns Nothing Examples stur 200 Set the turn urgency to 200 Notes This is for robots with motor drives. tgdir - Toggle the direction of travel. Purpose This toggles the current direction of travel of the drive motors. Syntax tgdir tsf - Set turn speed factor Purpose This is the increment used when turning. The higher the value the more aggressive turning will be. Syntax tsf value Arguments value 1 to 50 Pushers No Returns Nothing Examples tsf 10 Set the turn speed factor to 10. Notes This is for robots with motor drives. turn - Turn the robot left or right Purpose Provides a means of steering a robot using values in the range: -100 Full left turn 0 Straight 100 Full right turn The exact limits for left and right are set using the minleft and minright commands. Syntax turn value Arguments value -100 Full left turn 0 Straight 100 Full right turn Examples turn 0 Go straight turn -10 Soft left turn turn 90 Hard right turn Channels & Vars Channel 153 Notes This is for robots with motor drives. vd View - drive system status Purpose View the status of the motor drive system. Syntax vd

< Back RC Servo Demo This program steps the servos shaft from 0 to 180 degrees and back to 0 in 10deg steps. The servo is connected to port A1. Print the arm angle in the print tab. This goes with the Using RC Servos Part 2 video Program --- RC Servo Demo 1 THis program steps the servos shaft from 0 to 180 degrees and back to 0 in 10deg steps. The servo is connected to port A1. Print the arm angle in the print tab. --- prog_vars = d/count 0 d/arm_angle 0 prog_vars. prog_start = pclear svp a1 0 print "RC Servo Demo 1: Start" prog_start. prog_loop = -- main program loop -- 0 to 180 repeat 18 -> svp a1 /arm_angle "Arm Angle /arm_angle" inc /arm_angle 10 d50 repeat. -- 180 to 0 repeat 18 -> svp a1 /arm_angle "Arm Angle /arm_angle" dec /arm_angle 10 d50 repeat. -- exit the program exitprog prog_loop. prog_stop = print "Bye" svp a1 0 prog_stop.

Stuart Ayres, Chief Executive Stuart is delighted to be leading JackBord as it opens up a world of opportunity for so many young people who would otherwise not have a chance to realise their potential - especially in STEM. ​ He loves to work with and enable young people because of their innate curiosity, courage and energy and finds them as an incredible source of inspiration. ​ Apart from implementing strategy, Stuart presently manages the team, finances, funding / shareholders, marketing /branding/ communications, sales and legal. ​ He has an extensive background in finance, business development /start ups and advisory. ​ When not working at JackBord Stuart loves to fish, bike, golf, photograph, cook, travel and spend time with his grandies. He also finds time for voluntary community work through Rotary ​ stuart@jackbord.works Jack Penman, Founder and Chief Designer With a passion for creating new things and pushing the boundaries in everything he does, Jack enjoys working with the amazing team at JackBord and the students he is lucky enough to teach. He has learnt to understand and direct his gifts of ADHD and Dyslexia into experimenting, creating and teaching to solve the problems and challenges of today and tomorrow. Apart from constantly coming up with new ideas and improvements, Jack manages hardware design, software engineering, documentation, education. ​ When not creating wonderful new things, Jack loves to teach electronics and robotics (especially via JackBord) to kids of all ages, play the cello and let off any surplus energy through karate. He is committed to supporting his two boys into a world of opportunity. ​ Jack recently attended TEDx Kapiti as a speaker, click here to watch his talk! ​ jack@jackbord.works Meet the Team As a start up we are a relatively small team who have worked incredibly hard over the past two years to bring Jack's vision to young learners, parents and educators. We are all committed to making a difference for educators, and young learners of all ages and abilities by encouraging them into the world of STEM through the authentic learning experiences of JackBord. We are about to reach out for talented software engineers, educators, administrators and marketing personnel who share our vision and passion. If you are interested contact Stuart . Geoff Fellows, Quality Control, Administration With a background in ICT and Consulting, Geoff has provided his array of skills, experiences and networks helping get JackBord off the ground. He keeps active testing product, systems and user experience. A man of many interests, Geoff enjoys sailing, motorcycling, helping others and spending time with his grandchildren. ​ geoff@jackbord.works

< Back Smart RGB LED Random Flashing Smart RGB LED Random Flashing Program This program has 6 WS2812B smart LEDs connected to port A pin a1. It will cycle the LEDs through random colors. Program --- Smart LED Random Flashing Program This program has 6 WS2812B smart LED's connected to port A pin a1. It will cycle the LEDs through random colors. --- prog_vars = d/led_no 0 d/red 0 d/green 0 d/blue 0 prog_vars. prog_start = print "Smart LED Program Started" -- turn all 6 leds off sled a1 6 0 /red /green /blue prog_start. prog_loop = -- Set each color to a random value rand 0 255 -> /red rand 0 255 -> /green rand 0 255 -> /blue -- Set the LEDs color -- /led_no is the LED we are setting. sled a1 6 /led_no /red /green /blue -- Inc to the next LED and then start again. any /led_no >= 6 -> /led_no 0 else inc /led_no enda. prog_loop. prog_stop = print "prog stopped" prog_stop.

Educators SHOP A durable and versatile electronics, scientific instrument, computer, coding, robotic and construction device all in one ! Authentic learning The possibilities are in the minds and hands of users No prior knowledge is required. Students can learn at their own pace inspired by over 100 activities covering 4 Levels within 4 Foundation and 6 Application subjects. With learner and teachers guides educators can deliver curriculum and achievement standards. Ideal for primary and secondary schools, home schoolers, maker groups, holiday workshops, youth groups, JackBord will captivate curious minds for hours, opening up a world of opportunity in science, engineering, technology, robotics and more. Find out what teachers think Step-by-step guides & videos make learning & teaching a breeze! & much more! Now with a basic foundation in electronics, coding and sensors the world of STEM really opens up. We provide many more Guides, Activities and Projects for Science, Robotics Technology Engineering Arts & more! to inspire curious minds to create their own projects Sensors Progress you prior learnings in electronics and coding to discover how sensors work from our huge range, use your electronics knowledge to connect them to the JackBord, then use programming to collect the data! Test for temperature and humidity, soil moisture, light, Ph, water cleanliness, range, numerous possibilities. Programming Now move on to coding, including the concepts of data and data processing leading to practical application. ​ We have our very own coding language called Octagon, which is great for beginners and an ideal segue into other programming languages. Electronics Start your journey by learning about electronic components, theory and application. Electronics lays the foundation for coding and robotics. Learn to design and construct electronic circuits! Table of User Guides & Activities Learning Materials Delivering curriculum and providing achievement standards couldn't be easier with easy to understand video guides and activities. Learners need no prior knowledge and can learn at their own pace Professional Development Teachers take control of own professional development in IT. Keep ahead of the students. No prior knowledge required and learn at your own pace and place with our easy to follow video guides and activities. Octagon Our own built-in programming language. Easy to learn and use and a fantastic stepping stone to more complex languages such as Python or Java Script. More advanced programmers can skip Octagon and programme JackBord using Python. It couldn't be easier! Virtual JackBord Use anywhere, anytime. Wi fi / IR enabled. Learners can carry on their projects online / at home on their own DashBoard. No need to take away the hardware Keepers Keep water, soil moisture or air cleanliness monitoring projects going for months on end with our static "Keepers". Analyse the data with Octagon Build robots, toys, games, science projects, weather stations, testing environments, greenhouses, pendulums, tools ...-you name it. Bolt on JacKano, our precision laser cut, aluminium parts which you put together using real nuts 'n bolts. The possibilities are in the hands of users. JacKano MeKits & Sensors MeKits are special collections of parts we have put together to give learners a head start with projects in Science, Horticulture, Robotics, Electronics, Construction. These will inspire them to make their own projects using an array of sensors, servos, motors and JacKano available. TOP Learn basic electronics with no prior knowledge with the amazing TOP. With built in LEDs, resistors, capacitors, transistors, switches build circuits and bring electronics alive. Understanding electronics is the foundation to programming and robotics. Community Work with the local community to monitor a local stream's water quality, an area's micro climate or air quality, wi fi hot spots, or build a beach cleaning robot (picture above). The possibilities are limited only by imaginations Ideal for library after school or holiday programmes, Youth groups SHOP Agricultural & Horticultural Science Design & Visual Communication Chemistry & Biology Digital Technologies Physics, Earth & Space Science Engineering Science Construction Statistics & Mathematics Geography English (Te Reo Māori to come) Robotics

Getting Started The recommended pathway for the JackBord activities is to complete the guides level by level, in the order of Electronics, Programming, Sensors, Control, then Robotics. ​ For example, you would do all level 1 subjects before moving on to any of the level 2 subjects. However, this is not an enforced rule - feel free to jump ahead if the content is too easy, you want to learn something specific for a project, or are looking for a referenced activity. User Guides Read more Here are the instructional guides explaining how to use your JackBord and its components. View More Student Guides Read more For Learners: These guides will help carry you through the different activities and concepts you learn along the way. Starting from level 1, a complete beginner, to level 8, university level. Teacher Guides Read more For Teachers: These guides will help you teach the content in the classroom. They provide a little bit more information and context which can help you, and your students, understand the how, what, and why. View More Projects Read more These are standalone projects submitted by our team and users. You will find tons of cool projects to work on and impress friends and family! View More Subject Codes Each subject has a code that is 4 digits. The first 2 digits are the subject code, and the fourth digit is the level. ​ For example - 1001 is Electronics level 1, and 1002 is Electronics level 2. ​ For some subjects, the 3rd number is a sub-subject. ​ For example - 2001 is coding level 1, and 2011 is programming level 1.

< Back Rainbow LED Display In this project, you will utilise all five LEDs on the TOP to create a rainbow. With proper commands, you can even make it pulse in sequence. This project uses the TOP and its LEDs to create a rainbow that turns on in a sequence. We do this by connecting the LEDs to Port A on the JackBord and running a few commands to turn them on, including aon, daisy chains, and delays. This is a great introductory project if you’re just getting started, and sets the basis for future projects such as the Electronic Dice. You can find the PDF instructions using the button below. PDF INSTRUCTIONS Project Gallery

< Back Short Range Proximity This sensor uses an infrared transmitter and receiver to gauge the distance between the sensor and an object near it. It has a digital and an analog output which can be used to control things in response to the presence or absence of an object. This sensor uses an infrared transmitter and receiver to gauge the distance between the sensor and an object near it. It has a digital and an analog output which can be used to control things in response to the presence or absence of an object. Quick Commands To get the sensor working, assuming the analog pout is connected to port A a1 and the digital output is connected to a2, enter the commands below at the command prompt. gvr a1 0 100 get a2 The gvr a1 0 100 will result in the value of a1 increasing as an object moves away from the sensor. You can see this change on the LIVE page. Buttons The button press btp and button release btr commands can be used with this sensor. This example uses a button on port a pin a2 and turns the USER LED (l1) on when the sensor detects an object. Removing the object turns it off. btp a2 l1 1 btr a2 l1 0 Videos Getting Started Using the Sensor NOTES AND CAUTIONS: This sensor needs to be adjusted if you want to use the digital output It's maximum range is about 5cm Ambient lighting can affect the performance of the sensor Parts of the Sensor Power LED - Turns on when the power is applied. Detection LED - Turns on when an object is detected. Variable Resistor - Used to adjust the sensitivity of the digital output. Transmitter - The infrared transmitter. Receiver - The infrared receiver. How it Works The transmitter sends an infrared signal and the receiver receives any signal reflected by an object nearby. The closer the objects the stronger the infrared signal that's returned and the lower the output voltage on the analog output. The digital output will go high (3V) when an object is detected and the blue variable resistor sets the trigger threshold for the digital output. Input and Output Pins The sensor has two output pins described below: Connecting the Sensor to the JackBord First bolt the sensor onto port A using an M4 nut and bolt. This is because we're going to use the pins from port A to control the sensor and specifically we need the analog inputs on port A. Take a green jumper wire and connect it to the ground pin on the JackBord and take the other end and connect it to the green ground pin on the sensor. Connect a yellow jumper wire to the 3V pin on the JackBord on port A and then connect the other end to the 3V power input on the sensor. Connect a black jumper wire to the digital output of the sensor and the other end goes to port A pin a2. Connect the analog output of the sensor which is the white pin onto port pin a1 of the JackBord. When you are done it should look like the picture below: Previous Next