ETHAN'S ADJUSTABLE SENSORY SPACE CONTROLLER

This lesson guides 3-5 grade students with Smart Servo experience in designing and building an adjustable sensory space controller for Ethan, a 7-year-old with autism and sensory sensitivity. Students will apply human-centered design principles to create a device that helps Ethan control aspects of his environment (light dimmer, sound machine) using the Smart Servo platform. Throughout this lesson, students will develop empathy for individuals with sensory processing challenges while building technical skills in programming, mechanical design, and testing.

Client Profile

Learning Objectives

• Apply human-centered design principles to develop solutions for individuals with sensory processing challenges
• Program a Smart Servo to control environmental features with variable positions
• Design and build a mechanical interface that translates servo motion into light/sound control
• Implement visual feedback using the Neopixel LED to indicate different settings
• Test and refine solutions based on user feedback

Activity: "Sensory Exploration Station"

1. Sensory Stations Setup:
   • Create 4-5 stations around the classroom with different sensory experiences:
     • Station 1: Bright flashlight with colored filters
     • Station 2: Headphones with various sound recordings at different volumes
     • Station 3: Different textured materials
     • Station 4: A quiet, dimly lit corner
     • Station 5: An area with multiple sensory inputs simultaneously
2. Sensory Experience:
   • Students rotate through each station for 3-5 minutes
   • At each station, students record in their design journals:
     • How does this sensory experience make you feel?
     • Is it comfortable or uncomfortable? Why?
     • How might this affect your ability to focus or learn?
3. Empathy Building Discussion:
   • Introduce Ethan and his sensory challenges
   • Discuss how sensory experiences affect different people in different ways
   • Share examples of how sensory sensitivities might impact daily activities

# Show example code for LED brightness control
import time
import board
import neopixel

pixel = neopixel.NeoPixel(board.NEOPIXEL, 1)

# Change brightness levels
while True:
    # Low brightness (20%)
    pixel.brightness = 0.2
    pixel.fill((255, 255, 255))
    time.sleep(2)
    
    # Medium brightness (50%)
    pixel.brightness = 0.5
    pixel.fill((255, 255, 255))
    time.sleep(2)
    
    # High brightness (100%)
    pixel.brightness = 1.0
    pixel.fill((255, 255, 255))
    time.sleep(2)
            

Connections

Activity: "Control Mechanism Investigation"

1. Servo Position Exploration:
   • Provide students with Smart Servos and sample code for setting different positions
   • Have students create a program that moves the servo to 5 distinct positions
   • Add Neopixel color changes to match each position
2. Mechanical Interface Testing:
   • Provide various attachments for the servo (knobs, levers, push rods)
   • Have students test how each attachment might:
     • Turn a dimmer switch
     • Adjust a volume knob
     • Press buttons of different sizes and resistances
3. Measuring and Mapping:
   • Use light meters to measure brightness at different dimmer settings
   • Use decibel meters to measure sound levels
   • Create a chart mapping servo positions to light/sound levels

# Servo position control with LED feedback
import time
import board
import pwmio
import servo
import neopixel

# Setup servo
pwm = pwmio.PWMOut(board.A2, duty_cycle=2 ** 15, frequency=50)
my_servo = servo.Servo(pwm)

# Setup NeoPixel
pixel = neopixel.NeoPixel(board.NEOPIXEL, 1)

# Control positions with visual feedback
while True:
    # Position 1 - Very Low (blue)
    my_servo.angle = 0
    pixel.fill((0, 0, 255))
    time.sleep(2)
    
    # Position 2 - Low (cyan)
    my_servo.angle = 45
    pixel.fill((0, 255, 255))
    time.sleep(2)
    
    # Position 3 - Medium (green)
    my_servo.angle = 90
    pixel.fill((0, 255, 0))
    time.sleep(2)
    
    # Position 4 - High (yellow)
    my_servo.angle = 135
    pixel.fill((255, 255, 0))
    time.sleep(2)
    
    # Position 5 - Very High (red)
    my_servo.angle = 180
    pixel.fill((255, 0, 0))
    time.sleep(2)
            

import time
import board
from digitalio import DigitalInOut, Direction, Pull
import pwmio
import servo
import neopixel

# Setup servo
pwm = pwmio.PWMOut(board.A2, duty_cycle=2 ** 15, frequency=50)
my_servo = servo.Servo(pwm)

# Setup buttons
increment_button = DigitalInOut(board.D2)
increment_button.direction = Direction.INPUT
increment_button.pull = Pull.UP

direct_button_low = DigitalInOut(board.D3)
direct_button_low.direction = Direction.INPUT
direct_button_low.pull = Pull.UP

direct_button_high = DigitalInOut(board.D4)
direct_button_high.direction = Direction.INPUT
direct_button_high.pull = Pull.UP

# Setup NeoPixel
pixel = neopixel.NeoPixel(board.NEOPIXEL, 1)

# Variables
current_position = 90  # Start in the middle
saved_position = 90    # Default saved position

# Color settings
colors = [
    (0, 0, 255),    # Blue (lowest)
    (0, 255, 255),  # Cyan (low)
    (0, 255, 0),    # Green (medium)
    (255, 255, 0),  # Yellow (high)
    (255, 0, 0),    # Red (highest)
]

# Set initial position and color
my_servo.angle = current_position
pixel.fill(colors[2])  # Medium setting color

while True:
    # Increment button - cycles through positions
    if increment_button.value == 0:
        current_position = (current_position + 45) % 225
        if current_position == 0:
            current_position = 45  # Skip 0 to keep within range 45-180
        
        my_servo.angle = current_position
        color_index = int(current_position / 45) - 1
        pixel.fill(colors[color_index])
        time.sleep(0.5)  # Debounce
    
    # Direct selection - low
    if direct_button_low.value == 0:
        current_position = 45
        my_servo.angle = current_position
        pixel.fill(colors[0])
        time.sleep(0.5)  # Debounce
    
    # Direct selection - high
    if direct_button_high.value == 0:
        current_position = 180
        my_servo.angle = current_position
        pixel.fill(colors[4])
        time.sleep(0.5)  # Debounce
    
    time.sleep(0.1)  # Small delay for loop stability