Joel Sadler wants to help any person to create any thing, and works to develop tools that can help people ‘crossing the gap between idea and electronic prototype.’ In his dissertation The Anatomy of Creative Computing: Enabling Novices to Prototype Smart Devices Sadler worked through prototyping experiments with novice users with the goals of building more prototypes, generating more ideas, and building creative confidence. He says that as an engineer he loves ‘stuff’ and prototyping stuff, and simple materials are the building blocks. Post-it notes, paper, pen and markers can be used to make the simplest sketch prototypes. As users build confidence in a design they can move to stiffer materials and more sophisticated methods.
Working with his team at Piper, Sadler previously launched the Piper Computer Kit and recently announced three new tools for new makers. The Command Center is modeled after a game controller and uses electronics, buttons and switches to teach mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and software development concepts. The Light Show is an 8x8 RGB LED matrix tool that helps users to program and learn about the concepts of Light Emitting Diodes. The Sensor Explorer includes a color sensor, temperature sensor, and ultrasonic sensor to help users develop explore the sensors that control everything ‘from your toaster over to the International Space Station’. All three of these new tools are add-on accessories for the Piper Computer Kit, and all share the idea that building stuff is the best way to learn the stuff.
The Piper Computer Kit is a great learning tool in a very crowded industry full of building kits that teach users about making and coding. The idea that Piper is continuing to develop new tools, new curriculum (called Coding Challenges in the Piper vernacular) helps to make their corner of the development world feel a little bigger and more permanent. I also loved the fact that the original computer kit uses Raspberry Pi but the Command Center uses an Arduino Micro board, giving users a feel for both platforms.
Joel Sadler has a low-key delivery style that easily communicates his ideals and methods, and I’m encouraged to see that this style is evident in the tools he’s creating. Sadler’s 2014 TedXJamaica talk, Solving big problems with tiny prototypes, is a great showcase for his design philosophy.