Show HN: Blot – code, art, robots and open source education

[apexedison]

https://github.com/hackclub/blot

For the last few years, I've been working at a non-profit called Hack Club developing tools to support self-motivated teens to learn about technology and build community with other like-minded peers while doing so.

This has resulted in the development of a model called "you ship, we ship." We build open source creative coding environments, and when teenagers share the projects they make with these tools, we send them materials to dive deeper into the subject and related technologies. Our approach is predicated on the constructionist idea that people learn best by building things they care about and sharing them with others. The vision we have is to create a public collection of creative learning tools that offer people projects they can do right away and communities of practice to engage with.

Blot is our next installment in the series. It's designed to be a gateway to CNC robotics through digital art. If you'd like to see some of the projects people have made so far, you can check out:

https://blot.hackclub.com/gallery

You can also find projects from our first "you ship, we ship" called Sprig. It's a game console you get by building a game for it.

https://sprig.hackclub.com/gallery

I'd love people's thoughts on the model and ideas for other subjects in technology we could build projects around.

[okamiueru]

This is great! I'm a little bit confused by the "You Ship, We Ship". It seems presented like a named concept of sorts, but the description when following the link is

> At Hack Club we're reimagining a new type of public education for technology. We believe people learn best by creating things they care about and sharing them with others. We build open source creative tools with young people all around the world. These tools are gateways to new subjects in technology like embedded systems, circuits or digital fabrication robotics. When teenagers build things with our tools we send them more creative materials for free.

> Our goal is to build a new type of library online that offers learners not just media to consume but tools to create. And it is free and open source to all. We're just getting started...

This is also great. But, I'm still confused by the name.

Shipping is usually referred to sending something through, well, ships originally, but postage in general this day. But, I don't think it has anything to do with that.

Am I missing something? Perhaps something lost in translation?

Edit: Aha. I just didn't read it correctly. The concept is that you contribute by sending materials to teenagers who are trying to learn this stuff? That's amazing!

[apexedison → okamiueru]

Thanks for asking I could give a better explanation. We mean the participant ships a project (like shipping code) and we physically ship them materials (like a drawing machine in the mail).

[okamiueru → apexedison]

Thanks for the explanation!

[dh-g]

Pretty cool project! The design reminds me of the midtbot(https://github.com/bdring/midTbot_esp32).

[apexedison → dh-g]

I really like Bart Dring's work but haven't seen this one before. Thanks for sharing!

[developer1000]

If I understand correctly you are basically selling a cnc drawing machine for 150$. I dont know if there is a market for that especially in the demographic that you are targeting. Why would a teenager not just print their artwork at the local library for 20 cents? Sure with your machine you can draw on all kind of materials thats good!

[dh-g → developer1000]

"The Blot is paid for by Hack Club" - My reading is the machine is free if you create a piece of generative art.

[apexedison → dh-g]

That's correct! The machine is in exchange for sharing your art program.