Tinusaur Starter EDU is a miniature computer that every student can assemble, learn to program, and work on interesting and practical projects. Suitable for 5th to 12th-grade students. This is the most popular Tinusaur product, used by thousands of students in the world.
The kit consists of 3 electronic boards for assembling, one with a microcontroller (a type of microprocessor) and the other two with input-output devices, including sensors. The kit also includes a USB programmer and a wooden stand for the finished boards and projects.
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- The Tinusaur Starter EDU kit is suitable for 5th to 12th-grade students.
- Working with it covers 24 to 32 classes of 2 study hours or about two academic terms.
An example project could be an alarm system that uses a photoresistor as a light sensor, sound and LED signaling, and a button to control the operating modes. The student could implement the project in several versions with different sensors – light (photoresistor), PIR, etc.
Activities
(1) Assembling. Each course participant must assemble all boards from the Tinusaur kits – soldering them with a soldering iron. It is very easy to do with the help of our detailed instructions – at several stages during the school year.
(2) Acquiring knowledge and skills in programming, mathematics, physics, etc., by creating programs for the assembled boards to perform functions to solve specific problems.
(3) Projects. Working on practical-oriented projects that solve real problems is the main visible result that participants achieve during the course. The projects can be either individual or in teams, but in all cases, students should present them to an audience as part of the class work.
You could extend the Tinusaur Starter EDU kit with additional components to work on more complicated projects and to achieve more. For example, you could add a servo motor to add mechanical movement to your project. Those are not included in the kit but could be obtained from various sources.
Technical description and contents
The Tinusaur Starter EDU kit consists of 3 electronic boards for assembling, one of which is the main microcontroller board, and the other two are additional ones with digital and analog input-output devices.
- The main board is powered by the popular Microchip ATtiny85 microcontroller. The board has a button, a programming connector, a battery socket, and a battery.
- The first additional board is called LEDx2 and has several components, the main ones being the 2 LEDs – red and green.
- The second additional board is called EDUx3IO and has several components, the main 3 being a bright white LED, a photoresistor, and a buzzer.
- The kit includes a USB programmer for uploading the programs from the computer to the board.
- The set also includes a wooden stand for convenience while working on projects.
IMPORTANT: The product you get might have slight differences from what you see in the pictures or the detailed description. The functionality remains as described.
Resources
Guides
We prepared very detailed instructions for assembling and using all the boards and other items in the kit. They are available in PDF and other formats.
Video
For some of the boards and other items, we also produced detailed instructions and other helpful materials in a video format, available on YouTube or our website.
Docs & Specs
Additional resources such as specifications, technical descriptions, sample programs, and other useful materials are available on our website.
Development Environment
We created the Blocktinu, developed specifically for the Tinusaur boards, allowing you to create programs using blocks (similar to Scratch) and directly in the C language.
Topics, Projects, Experiments, and Activities
Below, you will find topics, projects, experiments, and activities that you could work on with the help of the Tinusaur kits.
Formal Science
Mathematics, Computer Science,
Programming, Logic.
- Basics of Programming: Algorithms, variables, conditional statements, logic operations, loops, functions, etc.
- Optimal value search, binary search.
- Coding and encryption. Protection of information.
- Microprocessor systems and microcontrollers.
- Input-output devices, sensors, transducers.
- Signals and modulations, Pulse-width modulation.
- Autonomous systems for collecting information from sensors.
- Sensor data collection, analysis, and response.
- Automated computer control systems.
- Control systems based on information collected from sensors.
Natural Science
Physics, Biology.
Physics
- Electricity and electrical circuits, applicable laws.
- Voltage, current, and resistance. Capacitance, Transducers.
- Signals – digital and analog parameters of signals.
- Sound generation and light emittance.
Biology
- Light and perception of light by the human eye.
- Sound and perception of sound by the human ear. Ultrasound.
Applied Science
Engineering, Robotics,
Agriculture, Environmental.
Engineering
- Electricity and electrical circuits, applicable laws.
- Voltage, current, and resistance. Capacitance, Transducers.
- Signals – digital and analog parameters of signals.
- Sound generation and light emittance.
Robotics
- N/A (check our other products)
Agriculture
- N/A (check our other products)
Environmental
- Electrical energy efficiency.
- Pulse-width modulation for energy saving.
- Lighting optimization with photo and other sensors.
Arts
Music
- Audio signal, period, and frequency. Sound generation.
- The tones in music and their frequencies.
- Duration of tones and its relation to the frequency.
- Creating melodies.
Multidisciplinary
Other technical,
Business, Entrepreneurship,
and all of the above.
Other Technical
- Analog-to-digital converters.
- Fast-blinking LED and frames-per-second in the TV.
Business and Entrepreneurship
- Development of a prototype of a real product with practical applicability.
- Presentation of an entrepreneurial project.
- “Game of Companies”: Development of a team project with practical applicability; Presenting the project to a virtual investor.
Still wondering what educational products to choose for your new STEM space or initiative?
Here are the three essential components that we give you:
Educational
STEM product
A real educational product developed by a team of skilled educators with many years of practical experience.
Educational
content
Adaptable and ready to be used in class curriculum. Developed for teachers by teachers and tested in practice.
Training for
educators
Extensive online teacher training based on our original STEM methodology includes theory, practice, and certification.