Coding and Microcontroller Experiments
This project brought together coding and microcontroller experiments to explore how software and hardware work together to create interactive technology. I began by breaking each idea into smaller systems, planning the steps, and testing one part at a time before combining everything into a finished project. The coding work focused on building clear logic with variables, conditions, loops, events, and timing. In Scratch, I developed an interactive game and refined the movement, gravity, collision detection, scoring, and obstacle timing through repeated playtesting. Small changes could have a major effect: one incorrect condition could stop an action, a timing value could make the game feel too fast or too slow, and a minor logic error could cause unexpected behavior. Debugging required me to read the code carefully, isolate one problem at a time, and make changes without creating new issues elsewhere.
The microcontroller experiments added a physical, hands-on challenge. Components had to be connected to the correct pins, powered safely, and matched to the program. Loose wires, reversed components, inaccurate sensor readings, timing problems, and communication issues between the code and the hardware could all make a working idea appear broken. Troubleshooting meant checking the wiring, reviewing the code, testing individual components, and observing how each change affected the system. The first attempt rarely worked perfectly, so patience and flexibility were important throughout the process.
The most rewarding part was seeing the final projects respond to my decisions. A game reacting to player input or a microcontroller operating a physical component showed how abstract code can produce a real result. These projects strengthened my debugging, problem-solving, creativity, persistence, and confidence. They also showed me that mistakes are an important part of building technology because each challenge provides information that can improve the next version.
