[IAEP] [support-gang] What Sensors and Where To Buy?

[Kevin Mark]

--- On Fri, 9/21/12, forster at ozonline.com.au <forster at ozonline.com.au> wrote:

> From: forster at ozonline.com.au <forster at ozonline.com.au>
> Subject: Re: Re: [IAEP] [support-gang] What Sensors and Where To Buy?
> To: "Kevin Mark" <kevin.mark at verizon.net>
> Cc: iaep at lists.sugarlabs.org
> Date: Friday, September 21, 2012, 11:22 PM
> Kevin wrote
> 
> > What your explanation makes clear is why people
> typically pay 3rd parties to develop educational material
> with pre-tested sample circuits and included parts. The
> average teacher will not have the expertise to just find a
> sensor, make a circuit, connect it, use software like
> measure and explain what the output means. 
> > 
> > I assume if a packet was constructed for the basic
> concepts for Ohms law and the basic understanding of how the
> sensor fits-into this Electronics equation, then they could
> present a lesson with a packaged electronics kit with
> audio-plug w/sensor bits. 
> 
> Kevin
> You make a very good point, a kit of sensors and associated
> lesson plans would be great. One like the Arduino Starter
> Kit would be good, it has a patch board, leads and sensors
> suitable for the XO mic socket, it has a few output devices
> we don't need
> http://littlebirdelectronics.com/products/starter-kit-for-arduino-flex
> 
> The concern I have is cost. The XO is $188 and most of the
> target market is very price sensitive. My guess is that it
> would accept a cost of $10 for a Starter Kit, just my
> guess.
> 
> The Arduino Starter Kit would be at least $23.50 if you
> removed the Arduino and USB cable and added a 3.5mm phono
> plug with flying leads, probably more, my guess $30 -$35
> considering that the per component price goes up for smaller
> kits.
> 
> Here is how I calculate $23.50
> 
> http://littlebirdelectronics.com/products/starter-kit-for-arduino-flex
> $59.95
> http://littlebirdelectronics.com/products/USB-Cable-A-to-B-6-Foot
> less $3.95
> http://littlebirdelectronics.com/products/arduino-uno-r3   
> less $32.50
> total starterkit less arduinouno and usb cable   
>                
>    $23.50
> 
> Maybe the next step is to talk to a kit manufacturer like
> Sparkfun

Funny you should mention them, when I was at World Maker Faire 2012, they were very interested in the XO that I and Nick where displaying. They provide a bag of goodies that he used at our table and it was useful for his work when he went to Haiti with Waveplace. I think they might be someone to ask about either providing a kits or ...... helping certain small groups as part of 'good will', 'tech outreach' with a 'shout-out' to them or such. They run a 'free day' which I have been party to, and they are generous with their efforts at creating a community of Makers. We might be able to work with them on kits or be a recipient of their outreach.

-Kev