Schemer is a tiny programmable button that helps you easily make interactive art and craft.

You can quickly make:

    a bracelet that changes color in response to your heartbeat
    a heat-seaking boat
    a painting that sings only when somebody is standing in front of it
    a pet collar that blinks in the dark
    a dress that twinkles when you get a phone call
    a light-following robot

Instead of using wires or bluetooth, you program it by holding it in front of a computer screen.
You only need your web browser. No wires, and no extra hardware or software to install.  

 
move your mouse over the picture to see more details
Program it
  • Go to the schemer page.
  • Press the touch pad for 1 second. The onboard light will flash 3 times, then turn off.
  • Put the ambient light sensor in front of the yellow flower.
  • Press "Send".
  • Hold it still until the web browser finishes sending the program.
If there's a problem, hold it closer to the screen or make the display brighter. Then try again.

On your iPhone/iPod, the timing may be slower with large pictures, so zoom out to make the heart picture smaller.


The schemer bus system 

The schemer bus allows you to connect all your compatible components using only two wires.
This greatly simplifies your project and keeps everything small and neat.

 
 
 
 
How it works

Every schemer-compatible component has a tiny microcontroller under it. Each one has a unique address and is able to send and receive data using the same pair of wires.

It's designed to be very easy to hookup, but it's picky about what it's connected to.

 
 
The two holes on either side of schemer connect to schemer-compatible components only: lightboards, motorboards, switches, sensors, etc. Schemer has a voltage booster so it can run on low batteries. This also makes lights bright and motors strong. Connect it to a 3V watch battery, or two AA batteries.

Never use more than 3 volts.

Schemer doesn't have an on-off switch. To make it sleep, press and hold the touchpad until it turns off. If you press and hold the touch pad again, it wakes up and continues where it left off. During sleep, it consumes very little electricity, so one battery can last as long as a month, depending on how often it runs.
This simplicity and integration does have one drawback: you won't be able to connect regular things like plain LEDS, motors, switches or buzzers, unless they are schemer-compatible.

If it's not an Aniomagic product, you probably can't use it with schemer.


Members of the schemer bus system

There is a growing number of components you can attach to the schemer bus: lights, switches, sensors, motors, buzzers, iPod remote control, etc.

 
 Lightboards

Lightboards come in sets of five, and each one has dots to help you identify it. The dots also indicate the PLUS connection to schemer. You can mix them in any color combination (diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald). Schemer can directly power up to 20 lightboards, so if you need more, check out Max below.

 
 
So how do you tell which color you have? Flip it over.
You can also connect it directly to a 3V battery, and it will light up.

Never use more than 3 volts.

 
 
 
 
 Sensors

Sensors come in pairs: circle and square.
You can use only one circle and one square at the same time; two circles won't work.
They can be the same type (temperature, light, touch, etc.), or a mix, as long as one is a circle and the other is a square.

  • If you don't connect a sensor, schemer will use its internal ambient light sensor.
  • If you have only one, schemer will use it.
  • If you have both, schemer will use the formula: circle - square.
    This allows you to make (for example) a robot that follows a light or sound.
 
 
 
 
Sensor Types

There is a growing number of sensors you can use with schemer.
Some are entirely self contained, like the light and temperature sensors.
Others - like the touch and custom sensors, allow you to connect your own sensors and conductive fabrics.

 
 
 
 
 Switch

Switch is a special component. You can use more than one, but they all do the same thing: when you press it, schemer performs switch procedures. It's represented by the "switch pane" in graphical mode. In text mode, you can write things like

    (if switch
      (left 2)
      (right 2))

It also has two connections that you can hook up to other things like tilt sensors, fabric switches, etc.
It's the sort of thing you'd use to make your robot back up when it hits a wall.

 
 
 
 
 Max

Use Max when you need to connect a lot of lightboards or motorboards.

Connect IN to schemer, and OUT to your other components. Typically, you would use it with a different battery (up to 6 volts), for maximum bling.

 
 


 
 
Get it
You can either get schemer by itself for $16, or get a complete bracelet kit for $50.  
 
 
 
 
 
Each bracelet kit contains:
 
You can always add more components like sensors, lightboards, and shakers later.
 
 
 
Detailed building instructions.



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