ILXO/projects
Group Projects
Grassroots experimentation
See Grassroots experimentation for the main page. What effects do various things - spaces/locations, people, projects, structures, procedures, events - have on the running of a grassroots group? When we make guesses, we're documenting them in the form of hypotheses and following through the course of the scientific method to find the result, with the intent of capturing these experiences in a way that's useful to other grassroots groups. This isn't particular to the ILXO office, by the way; we welcome and encourage other grassroots groups that want to do the same.
Individual Projects
Off-Grid Charger Design
This project explores different possibilities for off-the-grid power charging peripherals for the XO. This includes evaluating the performance, lifecycle, human factors issues and feasibility of existing power options for the XO and expanding this list to include other existing peripherals. Chris is also working on the development of new power generating peripherals, particularly focusing on using appropriate technologies to allow users to develop simple power generating systems from scratch with minimal need for imported components. Results from this summer will be compiled into a “power generation” guide to help both XO users and developers learn from these findings and continue to help develop new power systems for the XO or for other applications.
Signal Processing
It should be possible to allow children to do fairly sophisticated signal processing work on the XO by using the camera and microphone as primary inputs and doing image and audio processing. As a first step, Nikki will work on edge detection and edge tracing in order to develop motion detection using the camera. Motion detection can be integrated with a number of existing Activities. Additional signal processing work might include audio processing, such as developing filters for microphone input. Such filters could potentially work in conjunction with introductory circuits educational content in demonstrating high-pass and low-pass filters. Emphasis will be placed on making the interfaces to the signal processing tools adapted/produced as transparent as possible so that children will be able to manipulate them.
Science Education Kits
Andrea is designing a science "kit" for use with the XO that includes curriculum designs for various experiments and topics along with software and hardware/sensors to support these. She will be focusing on physics (mechanics, E&M) as well as an introduction to RC circuits and working with local students and teachers to design and field-test experimental apparati, as well as exploring new uses of current Activities (with particular emphasis on Measure).
Accessibility
How can the XO be used by children with various learning and physical disabilities as a tool that they build themselves in order to differently interact with the learning environment that surrounds them? This research project will explore the usability of the XO and its various activities and modes from the perspectives of various types of "differently-abled" users and catalog the inventions that are created when those users are charged with the task of becoming makers of tools to help others like themselves in the classroom. Mel Chua is currently looking for participants to help with this project, which will kick off with Mel's own "disability" of a severe hearing loss.
Language learning through RPGs
Melanie Kim, a "mini-intern" this summer will attempt to build an RPG which teaches users of the program to teach foreign languages. Spanish is the foreign language she will be using in the RPG during the summer. The program will, if successful, teach users by activities within the game. This might include sending the player on "Quests". For example, if there were a quest for the player to search for objects for a birthday party, they could search for typical objects found at a birthday party (balloons, cake, lights, etc.) while learning the names of these objects in Spanish.
Additional Projects
Green machine: The environmental impact of XOs (Mia Kato)