Make Annex RDS accessible to KIDS.

Give it a try, it costs you nothing !
kbtaher
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Make Annex RDS accessible to KIDS.

Post by kbtaher »

Hello,

I'm interested in helping kids learn robotics (ESP8266 & Arduino boards) via software tools based on visual blocks programming. (Blockly derivatives)
After a long journey of search, I finally make the great discovery of Annex RDS : the fantastic tool that makes programming ESP8266 devices directly from a tablet POSSIBLE. But there is a missing puzzle!
I propose to the brilliant developpers of "Annex RDS" to make it the number ONE and MOST used tool for ESP8266 programming, via making it accessible to KIDS.
This will be only possible by adding a "Visual Programming" web tool that will generate Annex Basic code from blocks.
The browser based tool (an unzipped folder containing index.html start file) will be downloaded from github and saved locally on the kid tablet.
There is the stable framework Blockly@rduino that can be used for that aim.
Blockly@rduino generates arduino C/C++ code.
So we only need to add the code stub generators that will generate the Annex "Basic" code.
The new created web tool may be called Blockly@nnexRDS.
The "Basic" generated code will be copied from the Blockly@nnexRDS web page to the Annex RDS embedded EditArea and runned from there as usual.

Thanks for your attention.
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cicciocb
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Re: Make Annex RDS accessible to KIDS.

Post by cicciocb »

Hi kbtaher,
very interesting as this could be a nice addition.

I've given a quick look at Blocky and it seems to be possible to add another customised language (Annex Basic in this case).

Maybe we should try to hire some volunteers ...
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Re: Make Annex RDS accessible to KIDS.

Post by Hendrix »

Scratch is the kids version of Blockly, see this comparison: https://codingnemo.com/blockly-vs-scratch/.

Millions of children learned Scratch so they have a large community. My grandchildren loved it.
kbtaher
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Re: Make Annex RDS accessible to KIDS.

Post by kbtaher »

[Local Link Removed for Guests] wrote: [Local Link Removed for Guests]Tue Jun 15, 2021 12:09 pm Hi kbtaher,
very interesting as this could be a nice addition.

I've given a quick look at Blocky and it seems to be possible to add another customised language (Annex Basic in this case).

Maybe we should try to hire some volunteers ...
Very glad to read your response.
I hope this addition will be a reality with the precious help of some lovely volunteers.
"Annex RDS for ESP8266 with Blockly", will certainly lead the list of ESP8266 development IDE.

Why is it so important to program ESP8266 directly from a tablet with no need of internet?
For the KIDS case, it's basically a matter of budget.

Programming ESP8266 with an arduino-based IDE needs a laptop (windows/linux). That is 120$ at least.
Programming ESP8266 with Annex RDS IDE needs a tablet (android). We can have a cheap one for only 16$.

The average income per year in some african countries is less than 800$.
The price of a laptop is more than 15% of the annual income.

From now I can see the poor child in mother Africa, taking by the right hand his "otto frog robot" (44$)
and by the left hand his tablet with Blockly@nnex intalled on (16$).
Under a tree, in the sunny forests, I think he will have a chance to learn modern technological skills
by playing with his mini robot.

Kids in the developing countries will have the opportunity and the pleasure to discover the tek jobs of tomorrow.
Millions of future young web/mobile/IoT developpers.
That's will be really amazing!
kbtaher
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Re: Make Annex RDS accessible to KIDS.

Post by kbtaher »

[Local Link Removed for Guests] wrote: [Local Link Removed for Guests]Tue Jun 15, 2021 2:32 pm Scratch is the kids version of Blockly, see this comparison: https://codingnemo.com/blockly-vs-scratch/.

Millions of children learned Scratch so they have a large community. My grandchildren loved it.
Hello,

Actually, as you mentionned in your post, there are some Scratch-based offline softwares to program and Control physical microcontrollers (Arduino, ESP8266, microbit, RPi, etc).
As far as I know, the best ones are:

- Hackeduca conecta (https://www.hackeduca.com.br/) (by Edson Sidnei Sobreira)
It uses Scratch 3.0 offline and it is Arduino-based. It doesn't generate text code.
We can program Arduino, ESP8266, microbit & RPi boards via USB serial port.
It is windows compatible. So we need a laptop/desktop and we have to install other utilities.


- OneGPIO (https://mryslab.github.io/s3-extend/) (by Alan Yorinks _MrYsLab)
It uses Scratch 3.0 offline and it is Arduino-based. It doesn't generate text code.
We can program Arduino, ESP8266, microbit & RPi boards via USB serial port.
It is windows, linux and MAC compatible. So we need a laptop/desktop and we have to install other utilities.

The main disadvantages of these tools is :
1. We need a computer to program the uC, (lot of money)
2. We have to install some stuff, (difficult to use)
3. We have to attach the uC to the USB port when uploading the sketch. (add mobility constraints)
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Re: Make Annex RDS accessible to KIDS.

Post by barneyb »

kbtaher i do not know if you are aware that you can also use mobile phones with a reasonable screen size (if they are cheaper). The children can log onto annex access point(hotspot), its configured that way on first flash. Then using the phones web browser http://192.168.4.1 and using annexs easynet function they can control a robot now. all the best barney
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Re: Make Annex RDS accessible to KIDS.

Post by cicciocb »

It looks like an interesting challenge.
However, the integration will require some efforts in terms of time but do not seems impossible to achieve.
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Re: Make Annex RDS accessible to KIDS.

Post by kbtaher »

[Local Link Removed for Guests] wrote: [Local Link Removed for Guests]Wed Jun 16, 2021 12:26 pm kbtaher i do not know if you are aware that you can also use mobile phones with a reasonable screen size (if they are cheaper). The children can log onto annex access point(hotspot), its configured that way on first flash. Then using the phones web browser http://192.168.4.1 and using annexs easynet function they can control a robot now. all the best barney
As far as I know, a wifi only tablet is always more cheap than a smartphone even if it's small screen sized.
So, a cheap 7inch wifi tablet is the best choice. I have found here on alibaba, a 16$ one:
"Cheap 7 inch Allwinner A33 Q88 Quad Core Tablet PC Android 5.1 WIFI"

To be able to program the ESP8266 device, it's clear for me that, on my tablet, I only need to browse to 192.168.4.1
after having connected tablet wifi to the ESP SSID that will appear in the list of available Wifi SSIDs.
But it's the standard Basic text coding style.

Our purpose is to offer a Scratch like (drag-&-drop blocks) interface for kids to easily program the ESP8266 device.
We are talking here about Blockly (or Blockly@rduino) (not Scratch) because it's browser-based, and that's what we need.

-----------------
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Re: Make Annex RDS accessible to KIDS.

Post by cicciocb »

Hi, do not seems to be many potential enthusiastic contributors on that subject :cry:

Just for fun, I started to implement something into blocky and, even if do not seems impossible, it is certainly a time consuming activity and requires a good level in javascript coding.

I leave the initiative to someone else but I can support this activity by coding some parts.

cicciocb
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Re: Make Annex RDS accessible to KIDS.

Post by kbtaher »

[Local Link Removed for Guests] wrote: [Local Link Removed for Guests]Thu Jul 01, 2021 9:16 am Hi, do not seems to be many potential enthusiastic contributors on that subject :cry:

Just for fun, I started to implement something into blocky and, even if do not seems impossible, it is certainly a time consuming activity and requires a good level in javascript coding.

I leave the initiative to someone else but I can support this activity by coding some parts.

cicciocb
Hello,
"certainly a time consuming activity", I agree "profondly".
Perhaps interesting for some people thinking of a startup company producing kids STEM education robots based on ESP8266 with annex firmware.
(ottobot ESP8266 alternative).
Have a nice day.
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