Joel, aka MrKlingon, is a lifelong SF enthusiast who has been playing with computers for about as long as he remembers. From a Think-a-Tron, to Digicomp, to science fair projects, he has always loved thinking of interesting computing projects.

Retired from work in network security for a Big Ten university at the beginning of the pandemic, he delighted in discovering all the great things Adafruit had to experiment with. Particularly interesting has been coming up with ways to squeeze all sorts of things out of the tiny Neo Trinkey. 

Microbit programs for a simple translation of 2  Bible verses.

Originally coded in Makecode: https://makecode.microbit.org/_bpsPKrA7dRa8

Github repo "NuScribe"

Program description

The program has two Bible verses, Isaiah 26:3 and John 3:16 from the King James version. Clicking "A" steps through five modes (below). Clicking on "B" initiates the mode action.

• SI - Show the Isaiah text
• SJ - Show the John text
• MX - refresh the "translation matrix"
• TI - Show the "translated" text of Isaiah 26:3
• TJ - Show the "translated" text of John 3:16

Relexification process

When the program starts, an array of generated words is created, one for each of the English words in the two verses. When called to "translate" the program goes word-by-word through the verse providing the generated word. Important: This is not a real translation, but more of a coded-English approach.

Creating the words

The mkWrd() uses three inputs

 rules = ["CVC", "CV", "CVCVC"]
 cons = "tdkp"
 vow = "aeiouy"

To create a word, it chooses at random a "rule", then replaces each C in the rule with a random consonant and each V with a random vowel. This function can be updated with different or more rules. Also the vowels and consonants can be edited. For example if you added a string of "eeee" to the vowels, it would increase the likelihood of "e" being a vowel used.

Re-Coding in Python

To rewrite the progam in Python, I changed the Makecode to display the Makecode version in Python. Then I went to https://python.microbit.org and copied pieces from Makecode to the Python editor. Note: You can't just copy the Makecode version - the Python displayed by Makecode needed editing to get the program to work. One bonus of the python.microbit IDE is the scrolling of text can be sped up, making it less tedious.

Bonus Python Feature

The python.microbit editor has a "speech" library! That lets you have the device "speak" your text. I added a toggle to turn it on/off (default = off). Touching the microbit logo toggles the feature - briefly showing a "butterfly" icon for "ON" and "sleepy face" for "OFF"

 

Important Disclaimer:

As noted - this is NOT a true translation.

My granddaughter and I love robots, and thanks to the Goodwill stores and little free libraries, we have a good supply of books, like the one above "Robots, Robots Everywhere!"

So it only made sense that I should try to put together her own robot. I had a spare Circuit Playground Express, two servos, battery pack,  a jigsaw and a supply of plywood. And this is what we came up with.

Robot Programming

I decided to use MakeCode to program the robot - mainly because it let me use the microphone to trigger on "loud noise". 

Makecode Program

Program has multiple functions:

• LeftArm - moves left arm
• Right - moves right arm
• Smile - plays a tune and  show "white smile" on the neopixels
• Frown - plays a tune and shows "blue frown" on the neopixels
• GoCrazy - sets up a random loop choosing the four functions above at random

The A/B buttons will trigger the Left/Right arm functions. A+B triggers "GoCrazy."

When the switch is set to the left, clapping your hands (or some other loud noise) sets the left and right arms moving. [When I was first testing, the "loud" sensitivity was too sensitive and the noise from the servos  kept it going so it wouldn't stop.]

I wrote another Makecode Circuit Playground program that I could use with another CPX to send commands to the robot. Pushing the A button cycles through 1, 2, 3 and 4 green neopixels showing. Pressing the "B" button transmits the number which the robot uses to choose LeftArm, RightArm, Smile or Frown.

When the switch is set to the right any IR signal from the "controller" CPX will trigger GoCrazy. The same goes for a loud noise.

Future Plans

The fun in using the CPX as the "brain" means reprogramming our robot pal is very easy. I already tweaked it getting it set up, and I expect I'll think of more things - I'm sure my granddaughter will have feedback and suggestions.

And, of course, I expect CircuitPython is in the droid's future - that would let me give it a "voice!"

 

github project repository HERE

 

Search for Klingon words from the books "Kahless" and "The Final Reflection"

Files

ASCII ART IMAGES

• D7
• bird
• emblem
• fleet
• ship
• warbird
• blade

CODE

• code.py
• kahless.bmp
• kahless.py
• metadata.json

TEXT FILES

• kahless.txt - info from "Kahless" by Michael Jan Friedman

• klingonaase.txt - info from "The Final Reflection" my John M Ford

• worf - Worf quotes

• kahless.bas BASIC version of Kahless

Project description

KAHLESS is a reengineering of a C64 Basic program I wrote almost 30 years ago after I found a website listing Klingon words used in the novel "Kahless" by Michael Jan Friedman. My C64 program was written and compiled on an emulated C64. Interpreted string operations are SLOW - without the emulator running in "warp" mode, the program would not have been useable.

This project involved recovering the language info from the C64 binary (which I had posted in uuencoded form to a website). I then thought I should include some of John Ford's "Klingonaase" from "The Final Reflection" - happily I found https://afrodita.rcub.bg.ac.rs/~alexp/books/klingon.html which listed the vocabulary (fan and gaming sites have added more, but for this project I stuck to the words from these two classic Klingon novels (Available in the omnibus edition "The Hand of Kahless").

How to Use

On a Fruit Jam, copy all the files except kahless.bas to a directory "apps/KAHLESS". Then you can click on the KAHLESS icon to start the program. When run you'll see:

              |
              |
              |
             ' `
             | |
             | |
            '   `
         .-'|   |`-.
        /  /     \  \
       |__,\     /   |
      -'   \\   //\_ |
   ,-'   ___\\.//   `-__
  /__,--'       `--.____--
         `-._____.-'

-------------
What do you want to search for in the Kahless/The Final Reflecton lexicons?

Enter any string, for example "op"

-------------
What do you want to search for in the Kahless/The Final Reflecton lexicons?
op


Kerpach(a modern Klingon  (shopkeeper) KAHLESS

kleon               Enemy, or opponent.  Same, to a Klingon. [TFR]

  tai-kleon         Worthy opponent.  See 'kleon' above. [TFR]

teskas tal'tai-kleon  Compliments to a worthy opponent. [TFR]

Entries from KAHLESS are labeled, and entries from The Final Reflection are marked [TFR].

The program pauses 10 seconds then displays one of the ascii art files and gives the search prompt.

To use it as a sort of screen saver, type "dorandom" for the search. Then the program will display a random artwork, a random word from one of the two lexicons and then a random quote from Worf.

You can customize it by adding more quotes in the "worf" file.

Basic Version

Copy the file kahless.bas to apps/PyBasic/examples on a Fruit Jam. Then you can start PyBasic, and load "examples/kahless" and type "run"

What would you like to search for from Kahless or The Final Reflection?
? op
Kerpach(a modern Klingon  (shopkeeper) KAHLESS
kleon               Enemy, or opponent.  Same, to a Klingon. [TFR]
  tai-kleon         Worthy opponent.  See 'kleon' above. [TFR]
teskas tal'tai-kleon  Compliments to a worthy opponent. [TFR]

 

Project Star Traffic Github repository

(scroll down to "How to Use" to see how to use the code)

My first PyBasic-->CircuitPython project, Project Starflight involved defining a set of ten star systems linked with three "tramline" exits to other starsystems. The goal of the project was two-fold

1. See if I could write in BASIC after decades, using PyBasic and
2. To try to use an LLM to translate it into Python, Python that I could adapt to work as CircuitPython

This worked pretty well, and I admit the bot did a decent job documenting my undocumented PyBasic code.

Following that I wanted to try something different.

I'm a big fan of the Star Wars ride at Disney, "Star Tours," both for the fun flight simulator effect AND the whole spaceport ambiance of the ride queue, including (see above) the Arrival and Departure displays (ala flight info in an airport). I thought it would be fun to create a running display of spaceship arrivals and departures in a Star Wars mode.

So beginning with my Starflight BASIC code, I reused the data structures defining ships, stars, planets and hyperspace exits. I used fantasynamegenerators.com to create "Star Wars"-esque ships, stars and planets, and now refer to the exits as "hyperspace lanes" (as is the current SW parlance :).

The program then generates the set of exits from each star, and in a new array, assigns each ship to one of the 10 star systems.

Next, in a continuous loop, a ship is chosen, and (if not currently in motion) it is assigned a new destination from one of the exits available. The location array for that ship now has the number of the destination star - to indicate it is moving there the number is recorded as negative (i.e. if going to star #3, "-3") is logged.

When being set in motion TO a star the program prints

Departing from [planet name] vessel [ship name] 
heading for [destination]

note: each star has a "planet" associated with it. So departures originate from the planet to a star

if the ships location is a negative number, then the program prints:

[Ship name] arrived!!
[Ship name] arriving at [destination star]

Then changes the location value to a positive number to indicate it has arrived, so the next time the ship is chosen by the main loop, it will start from there.

Output looks like:

Do you need instructions? (y/n)

? y
This system will display current starship traffic
across a span of ten interconnected systems.

Ships travel from system to system via hyperspace lanes
and you will see arrivals and departures.


Departing from Uverrooith Vessel: Hellhound
heading for Krithuc.
Departing from Codachaa Vessel: BS Khan
heading for Pluedurs.
Hellhound arrived!!
Hellhound arriving at Krithuc
Departing from Guvor Vessel: Omen
heading for Krithuc.
Departing from Yorar Vessel: Hellhound
heading for Olutsos.
Departing from Vuthadoh Vessel: SC Providence
heading for Pluedurs.
Hellhound arrived!!
Hellhound arriving at Olutsos
SC Providence arrived!!
SC Providence arriving at Pluedurs
Departing from Uusnes Vessel: BS Nuria
heading for Sleak.
Departing from Lesti Vessel: Saber
heading for Sleak.
Saber arrived!!
Saber arriving at Sleak

 

How to Use:

 

There are three sets of code here: a PyBasic version, a CircuitPython app for FruitJam and a CircuitPython version for the NeoTrinkey.

PyBasic

• StarTraffic.bas - copy this to the examples/ directory under apps/PyBasic/ on a FruitJam. Then load and run. [note: you can run this under any PyBasic install]

FruitJam App

Copy these files into a directory on your FruitJam "apps/StarTraffic"

• code.py
• metadata.json
• startraffic.bmp (icon)
• startraffic.py

Then you can navigate on the FruitJam to the icon, click and let the program start.

NeoTrinkey

Copy these files to your NeoTrinkey:

• neoStarTraffic.py (rename as code.py)
• ncount.py support file for neostartraffic.py [provides blinky lights]
• prt.py support file for neostartraffic.py [allows redirect of output as if typed]

Change the variable REPL to True or False depending on whether you are running the program in a REPL like Mu or Thonny. If not the output will be directed via HID as if typed. If REPL=False the program will wait, blinking red and green till you touch one of the touch pads. This gives you a chance to move the cursor on the computer to where you want the output to show up (eg. in an editor window).

Touching the touch pads when the program is running will terminate it.

Project-Starflight

Simple space game in PyBasic and CircuitPython - GitHub repository: Project Starflight

I've been enjoying playing with PyBasic on my FruitJam - trying the examples in the examples/ directory, and adding a few from http://www.vintage-basic.net/games.html (adapting the ones that didn't work at first).

I wanted to go old-school and write a program in BASIC using PyBasic. Been years (decades!) since I coded in BASIC, so it was a challenge. Eventually I got my Starflight.bas coded - worked fine, but then I wanted it in CircuitPython, so I asked duck.ai to find an AI that could do that. And... it did, even adding appropriate comments, even though I hadn't commented the BASIC version. I just needed a couple of tweeks to get it to work in CircuitPython. Runs fine on FruitJam and even NeoTrinkey (using the REPL in Mu.)

I used FantasyNameGenerators.com to create the ship names, stars and planets.

Just copy it to the FruitJam

• Starflight.bas - copy to apps/PyBasic/examples
• Starflight.py - copy to apps/PyDOS - I made a subdirectory "code/" and put it there. Just run PyDOS, and cd to PyDOS/code, then type "Starflight" For a NeoTrinkey, copy it to the name "code.py" - then run it with Thonny or Mu to see the program running in the REPL.

Program output:

Do you need instructions? (y/n)

y
You are commanding a rescue ship that is tasked
with finding a ship that has crashed in a remote system.
Each star sytem has at least 3 tramlines to other star systems.
Your job is to pilot your ship until you can reach the
lost ship.
                   Good luck.

Welcome Captain. Please sign in with your name.
joel
Captain joel we're reviewing ships available.
ENM: 4
You are now in command of Hellhound.
Your mission is to travel from ekuasims to ikreglault
where the target ship Saber is reported to be
crashed on trilles 992.

Current tramline exits are:
--------------------------------
1: naithef
2: ezlaoct
3: sehle

Choose your tramline
1
Current tramline exits are:
--------------------------------
1: sehle
2: ikreglault
3: ezlaoct

Choose your tramline
4
Invalid choice. Please choose 1, 2, or 3.
Current tramline exits are:
--------------------------------
1: sehle
2: ikreglault
3: ezlaoct

Choose your tramline
1
Current tramline exits are:
--------------------------------
1: poaph
2: baeccays
3: otaeks

Choose your tramline
2
Current tramline exits are:
--------------------------------
1: sroi
2: ikreglault
3: ikreglault

Choose your tramline
2
Congratulations! You have rescued Saber!

I admit many (if not most) of my projects have virtually no "practical" applications. This is different.

My wife and I play Super Big Boggle almost every day - it's good mental exercise and a great way to exercise and expand your vocabulary. (My skill is in building up a lexicon of  archaic vulgar words). (Note: said skill has not given me the edge. I usually lose ):

Now, after many hundreds of games, the little "hourglass" 3 minute egg timer has started to stick - kind of annoying when you finally notice after 4 minutes that the timer  hasn't moved.

The obvious solution might be to "buy a new timer," but not for me. I've got a lot of Circuit Playground Express devices (I REALLY like the CPX!) so it made sense to me to just program a timer with the CPX, so I did. 

The Makecode project is here

To use it,

1. download it to your CPX
2. press A to start the timer (or restart)
3. press B to pause/un-pause the timer
4. "Shake" the CPX to stop, clear the current timer and get it ready to start another 3 minutes

When running, a pixel blinks clockwise around the CPX, first Green, then Yellow and for the last minute Red. When it's done the "Magic Wand" sound plays.

 

Seriously - this calculator was fun to program - but I freely admit it's not a practical tool.

My first computers were mechanical. There was the  "Think-a-Tron," then "Digicomp I" and finally "Digicomp II." Of those, only the Digicomp I was actually programmable. Think-a-Tron was a sort of punch card reader and Digicomp II was a mechanical binary calculator using marbles.

The Digicomp II included examples of things the calculator could do - including Newton's method for calculating roots, and that is what this project is for.

This is a simple calculator that can calculate square and cube roots using Newton's method.

Set the switch LEFT to calculate ***square*** and RIGHT to calculate ***cube*** roots.

* Press A to calculate the root of the current target (Default target is "2").
* Press B to play back the current root (2 or 3), then target value, finally display the current root found.
* Press A+B to randomly choose (and display) a new target value (2-1000)
* Touch A1 to display the most recent root found.

  File: Root.js - Javascript version of Circuit Playground code
  Makecode Block version here: https://makecode.com/_b3z9Vi18vcFW

Numbers are displayed by lighting the Neopixels green digit-by-digit (i.e. 3 pixels = "3", 6 pixels = "6" and so on). All digits purple indicate a decimal point and "0" is all pixels turned yellow.

BuildABrain

Simple expert system for NeoTrinkey - yes/no questions, inspired by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20Q

This project lets you put a simple expert system into your neotrinkey! The "brain" will ask yes/no question - touch pad #1 for "Yes" and pad #2 for "No"

Github archive *here*

Uncomment the dataset you want - this is shipped with a Star Wars set and Star Trek.

#from SWBrain import * #for Star Wars dataset
from STBrain import *  #for Star Trek dataset

Here's how the Star Trek set was designed:

Basically, sketch out the decision tree, then number each node. Create a "yes" and "no" array that links each node to the next node (if any).

#Data in nodes for Star Trek info

Words = ["Think of someone from Kirk's Enterprise.","Gold uniform", "Captain", "Blue Uniform", "Kirk", "Russian", "Vulcan", "Male", "Chekov", "Sulu", "Spock", "Scotty", "Uhura", "Male", "Are they dead","McCoy", "Chapel"]

Yes = [0, 2, 4, 6, 0, 8, 10, 11, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 15, 0, 0, 0 ] #node for yes answers
No = [0, 3, 5, 7, 0, 9, 13, 12, 0, 0, 0, 14, 0, 16, 0, 0, 0 ] #node for no answers

note: the zeroth node should be the introduction, for Star Trek it's "Think of someone from Kirk's Enterprise."

Files:

• BuildABrain.py - copy to code.py on NeoTrinkey

• STBrain.py - Star Trek data

• SWBrain.py - Star Wars data

• prt.py - lets you redirect output via HID output, just set REPL=False

  Note: if REPL=False the program will blink Neopixels until you touch one of the pads.

Here's how it looks in action:

Think of someone from Kirk's Enterprise.
Gold uniform?
No
Blue Uniform?
Yes
Vulcan?
Yes
Spock?
Yes
I was right!
let's try again
Think of someone from Kirk's Enterprise.
Gold uniform?
No
Blue Uniform?
No
Male?
Yes
Scotty?
No
Are they dead?
No
Maybe you should talk to my programmer!

Give it a try - see if you can build a brain for you NeoTrinkey!