Babel Board

myminifactory

Project Overview: We've developed an interactive display that lets users walk up to the board, pick up an RFID card, scan it, and have the board play back a word in the local Cree dialect. The chosen words match four concepts and the cardinal directions of the medicine wheel. When a word is played back, the approriate colors and segment of the LED ring light up the respective section of the medicine wheel at the center of the board. This project aims to enhance Cree language instruction, show pride in the local language, and let non-speaking Cree individuals pick up some words of interest. It will be installed at our community's local high school. Primary Hardware: We're using an Adafruit METRO 328, an Adafruit PN532, an Adafruit Wave shield, and four NeoPixel 1/4 60 Ring LEDs. 3-D Printing: A sketch was converted to an SVG image, then imported into TinkerCAD. We used this rough sketch as a layout, designed a bracket from composite shapes to hold the electronics discreetly behind the board. This bracket is made from PLA and doesn't require support. The first version of the bracket had some material snipped away; we've since installed the second version with "cut-aways" to ensure it doesn't interfere with the Uno/shield combo. Current Project Status: We're finishing up the art/mural on the front of the board, recording our words of choice in the local Cree dialect (which will be written on the RFID card). All the hardware has been set up/soldered, the 3D printed bracket is installed, and we've completed the coding to respond to the RFID card. Influence: The Adafruit babel fish inspired this project.