Inspiration
We wanted to build a tool that would help PinkThink engage young users, primarily girls, with computer science by teaching coding though challenges that were fun, user friendly, even "girly," but most importantly customizable so that users can express their personalities as they learn.
How it works
Our design for the app is a game that everyone wants to play. Users earn points for writing programs, and unlock "bracelet" and "ring" achievements that they can share with friends. We developed 30 coding challenges that increase in difficulty, starting with simple light patterns, then advancing to if statements, if/else statements, for loops, and finally while loops. Our user experience is friendly, with a colorful design and an intuitive, block-based programming interface. As users work through the levels they also unlock the blocks to use in "Creative Studio" mode, where they are free to design anything they can imagine.
Our working prototype is a draft of the block-based programming interface at the core of our design. Users select blocks and order them as they choose, and our Android app converts the designs to Arduino code.
Challenges we ran into
We lost several hours downloading necessary software on a slow WiFi connection. We had trouble reaching the representative from PinkThink, who was on the east coast, so we were unable to ask questions about the project. The wire connections on the PinkThink hardware broke, so we were forced to switch to an Arduino Uno with Adafruit Neopixels part way through the night.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
Our team was comprised of first- and second-year students, none of whom had completed a hackathon before. We persevered through the challenges we faced with grace and willingness to brainstorm new ideas. Our team seamlessly delegated tasks to create a product we are all satisfied with given time constraint and aforementioned challenges.
What we learned
We learned to use the Android Studio and Arduino on the fly to accomplish our hack. We also learned the value of flexibility and perseverance.
What's next for PinkThink Mobile App
Arduino Hardware is amazing, with many extra, exciting accessories that the bracelet could be expanded to work with. This would allow users even more opportunities to personalize their fashion statement and explore the world of code. The more possibilities there are, the more likely that users will decide to branch out and try additional coding for their bracelet, and feel equipped to join robotics teams in their schools, or move on to try Scratch or Python on their own or in middle and high school classes.
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