It’s been a busy few weeks since my last update, when Tinkimo won the Rocket Duck Launchpad weekend. At times it’s felt like progress has been slow… but looking back, I’ve actually got a lot done. Funny how that works.
I am pretty happy now with the Tinkibot design. I’ve swapped out the top LCD for a larger screen with a lower resolution. The old 1.3” display looked a bit lost up there, whereas the new one makes much better use of the space. As a bonus, it’s cheaper too (turns out fewer pixels can be a good thing). The lower resolution also means I can squeeze in more images, which is a win given the limited storage.
There are just a few final tweaks left on the robot body. I still need to wire up the buttons on the top, and I’ve managed to sneak in an extra one… which the PCB will now have to politely accommodate.
I’m also planning to add a proper power button. I’ve realised the robot can get a bit unpredictable when the battery runs flat, and having it default to a safe “off” state should stop any unexpected beeps, groans, or what can only be described as robotic existential distress. Poor Tinkibot.
With the design settling down, I’ve started assembling five robots, each in a different colour. The goal? A full-on dance routine. This has been part of the vision from the start, because if five robots can dance together without crashing into each other, it’s a pretty good sign the movement system is working properly. The Tinkibot Dance Troop is officially forming… and yes, they are rehearsing to YMCA.
On the software side, I’ve integrated the Tinkibots into Scratch, which I’ve reskinned as Tinkiblocks to stay within the licence. There’s already a surprisingly wide range of blocks available, and I’m really excited to see what people end up creating with them.
I’ve also been meaning to follow up on everything I learned at the Rocket Duck weekend… but so far, I’ve failed quite impressively. There just aren’t enough hours in the day, and right now having something physical to show people feels like the priority.
Still, step by step, it’s all coming together.
Terri
