CamJam 8th Feb 2014

It's Saturday I'm writing this post during the 5th CamJam. So expect updates through out the day on this page as I live update it!!! This will be a brain dump as the day goes on.

Really liked the leaflet that Code Club left in the lecture theatre (I've turned both sides into a single image). Just a shame this wasn't a sticker! I'd love the top image as a sticker.
First session was Minecraft on the Pi with Craig Richardson. The picture below shows a rare moment when Minecraft locked the Pi!!!!

The talk was out of sequence due to the first speaker being locationally challenged (ie lost!!).
Craig's talk is a great quick intro to programming Minecraft on the Pi in python.
In the Mobile power for the Pi, and Packaging WiringPi for Raspbian talk by Hamish Cunningham. An interesting talk about the MoPi so far. There is a kickstarter page for this, will have to have a look at that.

Here is a closer look at the MoPi from earlier. You can see it in the flesh in the show and tell area.

The build a package bit was a bit of a let down, more of look it up on the net. So basically a promo for his kickstarter. Bit disappointing.
Here's a pick of some of the battery packs on his show and tell stand that he's done to demonstrate the MoPi

Let's look at some of the show and tell stuff being shown at this CamJam.

So as the photos show there was a Pi controlled sailboat.
One school kid was walking round with this that he had made:

A portable Pi - pretty cool.
A teenager was show/demonstrating the internet of things with the Pi, twitter and a Wii remote.

Let's look at the new companies selling stuff at CamJam. There were one or two new companies showing stuff this time.

Phenoptix they had lots of LED stuff and small screens.
Piborg where there showing this monster, which they were then driving with a PS3 controller.

Plus they had these little kits there too

Dawn Robotics were selling robotic stuff and interesting boards.

Next to the Pimoroni Cyntech stand was a basic electronics kit being sold. The two projects were a traffic lights project and a motion sensor.

Second session I attended was the Create a chat client between two Raspberry Pis. Interesting session rung by Whaleygeek. This was a very useful lesson for teachers. Dave did a great visual example of how a network works, and to make sure folks were listening had a game of "buzzword" bingo. He had already done a python module to handle the networking low level stuff, so had people just typing in a short python program that either acted as a server or client. I liked the demonstration and the "buzzword" bingo something for class I think.
Today's stash:

A Raspberry Pi coaster, couple of 8MB SD cards with Noobs on, XLoborg, a pan and tilt, and a berryclip.
CamJam The 2014 plan

The next CamJam is the 10th May. Once more there will be morning programming sessions. Then in the afternoon venders, hack tables in foyer and meeting room. While the lecture theatre will have an education focus in it's talks. There will also be programming and bread boarding workshops.
Then on 5th July it will be a "normal" jam (their quotes not mine). Followed by a CamJam on the 6th September that will have a robotics theme with robotic workshops, hack tables etc. and mnormal presentations in the lecture theatre.
The big idea and very exciting for December is Pi Wars, robots competing to complete various tasks, like navigate mazes, follow lines, navigate round objects. Robots will have to be Pi based, have an upper spend limit. The idea is to use jams to help people build skills leading up to this event.
Now for the education readers of this blog this would be a great opportunity for students to build and enter the competition.

I think this would be a very exciting project for students to do, either as part of course work, or in an after school club.
The final talk for me today is the build a robot by Dawn Robotics. Which has some great advice. I do hope this session is being videod. Which reminds me I need to watch the AirPi talk as that was on while I was in another session. But back to this robotic talk, a great one to play students as a quick intro for building their robot with things for them to consider.
Sorry got it wrong, just sat through a NodeRED on the Pi talk, the scratch of the internet of things world. Semi interesting, I can see a use of this in the classroom.
The real final talk for me is one on network monitoring on the Pi.

Trying to get a laptop working with the projector for the network monitoring talk.
So the two network geeks put together a system for monitoring networks using Pi's, open source tools, and some shell scripting. An interesting talk, a good practical case study of a use of the Pi.
Overall another great CamJam, some ideas to take home, a great plan for future jams leading to a great event at Christmas.

Posted with Blogsy