“Kniwwelino” microcontroller unveiled at Makerfest 2017

Published on 12/07/2017

On 4 July 2017, the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) participated in the Makerfest event at the Lycée Technique d’Esch-sur-Alzette. This was the 2nd edition and the aim was to prepare young people for the challenges of a digital Luxembourg.

LIST supports this initiative and joins the common objective of supporting them in becoming digitally literate and promoting creativity, talent and business spirit in the area of new information and communication technologies (ICT).

This was an excellent opportunity for the team of LIST researchers, Lou Schwartz, Valérie Maquil, John-Nathan Hill and Henrique Rangel, to unveil “Kniwwelino”, a microcontroller adapted for 6-12 year old children to enable them to create their own electronic inventions. Kniwwelino is compatible with Arduino (an open-source electronics platform) and was developed in the framework of the BeeCreative for Kids project, in collaboration with the Service de Coordination de la Recherche et de l´Innovation pédagogiques (SCRIPT) and the Service Nationale de la Jeunesse (SNJ).

The microcontroller integrates a wifi connection, an LED matrix, an RGB LED and two buttons, with the option of easily adding sensors and activators. Several examples were presented, such as a best-friend bracelet, allowing users to exchange secret codes with their friend remotely via icons, a soft toy that loves hugs – a heat sensor that detects the heat of a hug and displays a heart in return, and the paper/scissors/stone game based on a gyroscope.

The BeeCreative for Kids project aims to make Kniwwelino available in the form of creative kits at different makerspaces and after-school clubs. In order to identify which kits could be developed, the children who attended Makerfest could vote for the ideas mentioned above. They also had the opportunity to create a storyboard for their own invention. 

> For any further information, contact Valérie Maquil or Lou Schwartz from our department specialised in IT via email.

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Dr Valérie MAQUIL
Dr Valérie MAQUIL
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 Lou SCHWARTZ
Lou SCHWARTZ
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