PictoBlox Extensions
  1. Scratch Based Default Extensions
    1. Motion
    2. Looks
    3. Sound
    4. Control
    5. Events
    6. Sensing
    7. Operators
    8. My Blocks
    9. Variables
  2. Artificial Intelligence
    1. Face Detection
    2. Object Detection
    3. Human Body Detection
    4. Computer Vision
    5. Text Recognition
    6. Speech Recognition
    7. ChatGPT
    8. Natural Language Processing
    9. Recognition Cards
    10. Text to Speech
    11. Translate
    12. Open CV
  3. Innovative Extensions
    1. QR Code Scanner
    2. Weather Data
    3. Physics Engine
    4. IFTTT Webhooks
    5. Internet of Things (IoT)
    6. Data Logger
    7. Music
    8. Video Sensing
    9. Pen
  4. Machine Learning Environment
    1. Image Classifier (ML)
    2. Object Detection (ML)
    3. Pose Classifier (ML)
    4. Hand Pose Classifier (ML)
    5. Audio Classifier (ML)
    6. Number Classifier and Regression (ML)
    7. Text Classifier (ML)
  5. Quarky
    1. Quarky (Main)
    2. Display (Quarky)
    3. Robot (Quarky)
    4. Sensors (Quarky)
    5. Speaker (Quarky)
    6. Quarky Ultimate Robots
    7. Quarky Expansion Board
    8. Mars Rover
    9. Humanoid (Quarky)
    10. Quadruped (Quarky)
    11. IoT House (Quarky)
    12. Quarky Mecanum
    13. Quarky Robotic Arm
    14. Dabble
    15. Quarky Advance Line Following
PictoBlox Extension

Display (Quarky)

Display-(Quarky)
Extension Description
Controls the 7 x 5 RGB LED display.
  • STEMpedia-Rocket-800x800 Available in: Block Coding, Python Coding
  • STEMpedia-Rocket-800x800 Mode: Stage Mode
  • STEMpedia-Rocket-800x800 WiFi Required: No
  • STEMpedia-Rocket-800x800 Compatible Hardware in Block Coding: Quarky
  • STEMpedia-Rocket-800x800 Compatible Hardware in Python: Quarky
  • STEMpedia-Rocket-800x800 Object Declaration in Python: quarky = Quarky()
  • STEMpedia-Rocket-800x800 Extension Catergory:

Introduction

The extension allows the user to control the RGB LED display of Quarky.

Connecting Quarky with PictoBlox

Let’s begin by first connecting Quarky to PictoBlox. Select your preferred type of device i.e. either the desktop/laptop or your smartphone and follow the instructions.

Desktop

Follow the steps below for connecting Quarky to PictoBlox:

  1. First, connect Quarky to your laptop using a USB cable.
    Power Quarky
  2. Next, open PictoBlox on your desktop.
  3. After that, select Block or Python Coding as your coding environment.
  4. Then, click the Board button in the toolbar and select board as Quarky.
  5. Next, select the appropriate Serial port if the Quarky is connected via USB or the Bluetooth Port if you want to connect Quarky via Bluetooth and press Connect.
    COM Port

And voila! Quarky is now connected to PictoBlox.

Mobile

Follow the steps below for connecting Quarky to PictoBlox:

  1. First, power ON Quarky.
  2. Open PictoBlox on your smartphone. Go to My Space and make a new project by clicking the ‘+(plus)’ button in the bottom-right corner.
    PictoBlox in Mobile Phone
  3. Then, tap the Board button in the top-right corner of the toolbar.
    PictoBlox BoardSelect board as Quarky.
  4. Next, tap the Connect button:
    PictoBlox ConnectSelect your device from the list.

And voila! Quarky is now connected to PictoBlox.

Stage Mode

Stage mode is one of the two modes you can write your programs in Pictoblox. In this mode, you can write scripts for the sprite and boards to interact with sprites in real-time. If you disconnect the board with Pictoblox, you cannot interact with the board anymore. In this mode, you can make games and animation interacting with Quarky.

You can toggle between the upload mode and stage mode using the button on the top right side of Pictoblox.

Note:  You have to upload the firmware into the device before interacting with it. Please refer this doc: https://ai.thestempedia.com/docs/updating-quarky-firmaware-with-pictoblox/

In Python Coding Environment, use the following object declaration to use Python functions in Stage Mode:

quarky = Quarky()

Upload Mode

Upload mode is one of the two modes you can write your programs in Pictoblox. This mode allows you to write scripts and upload them to the board so that you can use them even when it is not connected to your computer, for example, you need to upload a script for making moving robots.

In this case, Quarky will run offline according to the program and it can not interact with the stage.

In Python Coding Environment, use the following object declaration to use Python functions in Upload Mode:

from quarky import *
Read More

PictoBlox Blocks

The block displays the specified emotions on the Quarky RGB LED. These emotions are static and predefined in the code.
The block displays the specified pattern on the Quarky RGB LED. These patterns are predefined in the code.
The block displays the specified text on the Quarky RGB LED. 
The block displays the specified character on the Quarky RGB LED.
The block is used to create custom patterns on the RGB LED display of Quarky.
The block changes the color of the particular RGB LED of Quarky.
The block turns OFF the specified RGB LED of Quarky.
The block turns OFF all the RGB LEDs of Quarky.
The block changes the brightness level of the RGB LEDs of Quarky to the defined value.
The block returns the hex code of the Red, Green, and Blue values specified.
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Block Coding Examples

Beating-Heart

Beating Heart Quarky – Stage Mode – Block Coding

The project shows how to create custom patterns on Quarky RGB LED in Upload Mode.

Beating Heart Quarky – Upload Mode – Block Coding

The project shows how to create custom patterns on Quarky RGB LED in Upload Mode.

Biodegradable vs Non Biodegradable Waste

A waste management system that will differentiate the waste based on its type. If it detects biodegradable waste, the LEDs Quarky’s matrix will turn green. If it’s non-biodegradable waste, the LEDs will turn blue.

Display Number 1 to 9 on Quarky

The example demonstrates how to implement a while loop running from 1 to 9 and show it on the Quarky display.

Face Expression Mimic

The project makes the Quarky display the expression according to the expression identified from the Face Recognition.

Face Tracking Controlled Quadruped

Learn about face-tracking, and how to code a face-tracking Quadruped robot using sensors and computer vision techniques.

IR Sensor Calibration

The example demonstrates how to calibrate the IR sensors to detect black lines on the white surface.

LED Control with Keys

The example demonstrates how to control the glowing LED using the keyboard keys.

LED Looping

The example demonstrates how to control the individual LEDs of the Quarky and run patterns using the loops.

Name Badge – Quarky

The example demonstrates how to display scrolling text to make a name badge.

Quarky LED Animation

The example demonstrates the various animation of the Quarky LED display.

Quarky LED Emotion

The example demonstrates the LED emotions of the Quarky.

Random LED Glow on Quarky

The example demonstrates how to create a random colored LED pattern on Quarky.

Sign Detection with Quadruped

Learn how to set the bounding box threshold, and detect signals such as 'Go', 'TurnRight', 'TurnLeft', and 'Stop' to control quadruped movements.

Touch Piano

The example demonstrates using the Quarky touch display to make touch piano.

Traffic Light on Quarky

The example displays how we can display a custom pattern on the matrix by making a script to display a Traffic Light.
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Python Functions

setled()
The function sets the specified RGB LED of Quarky (specified with X and Y position of the LED) to the specified RGB color and brightness value.
Syntax: setled(x_position = 1, y_position = 1, color = [0, 0 , 0], brightness = 20)
clearled()
The function turns off the specified RGB LED of Quarky (specified with the X and Y position of the LED).
Syntax: clearled(x_position = 1, y_position = 1)
cleardisplay()
The function turns off all the LEDs of the Quarky.
Syntax: cleardisplay()
drawpattern()
The function sets the RGB LED matrix to the pattern specified in Pictoblox. The parameter passed is a 35 char string where each char corresponds to a color in the color palette.
Syntax: drawpattern(pattern = “aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa”)
showemotion()
The function sets the RGB LED display matrix to the emotion specified: “happy”, “angry”, “crying”, “super angry “, “surprise”, “basic”, “love”, “nerd”, “reject”, “wave”, “thinking”, “giggle”, and “disco”.
Syntax: showemotion(pattern = “happy”)
showanimation()
The function sets the RGB LED display matrix to display the animation specified: “happy”, “nerdy”, “thinking”, “angry”, “contempt”, “blink”, “fear”, “surprise”, “wink”, “wave”, and “crying”.
Syntax: showanimation(animation = “happy”)
showpattern()
The function sets the RGB LED display matrix to display the specified pattern: “rainbow”, “rainbow strip”, “cloud colors”, “party colors”, “forest colors”, and “lava colors”.
Syntax: showpattern(pattern = “rainbow”)
setbrightness()
The function sets the brightness of the RGB LED display matrix.
Syntax: setbrightness(brightness = 20)
showtext()
The function sets the RGB LED display matrix to display the specified character.
Syntax: showtext(character = “A”, color = [0, 0 , 0])
showscrollingtext()
The function runs the specified text message on the RGB LED of Quarky. You can also set the speed and the color of the text.
Syntax: showscrollingtext(message = “Hi I am Quarky”, speed = 1, color = [0, 0 , 0])
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Python Coding Examples

Beating-Heart (4)

Beating Heart Quarky – Stage Mode – Python

The project shows how to create custom patterns on Quarky RGB LED in Stage Mode.

Beating Heart Quarky – Upload Mode – Python

The project shows how to create custom patterns on Quarky RGB LED in Upload Mode.

Face Expression Detection

Learn about AI-based face expression detection, a technology that uses artificial intelligence algorithms and computer vision techniques to analyze images or videos of human faces and recognize emotions or expressions.

IR Sensor Calibration – Python

The example demonstrates how to calibrate the IR sensors to detect black lines on the white surface in Python Coding Environment.

LED Control with Keys – Python

The example demonstrates how to control the glowing LED using the keyboard keys in the Python Coding Environment.

LED Looping – Python

The example demonstrates how to control the individual LEDs of the Quarky and run patterns using the loops in Python Coding Environment.

Line Follower Robot – Full – Python

The example demonstrates how to make a line follower robot with Quarky in the Python Coding Environment.

Name Badge – Python

The example demonstrates how to display scrolling text to make a name badge in the Python Coding Environment.

Quarky LED Animation – Python

The example demonstrates the various animation of the Quarky LED display in the Python Coding Environment.

Quarky LED Emotion – Python

The example demonstrates the various animation of the Quarky LED display in the Python Coding Environment.

Random LED Glow on Quarky – Python

The example demonstrates how to create a random colored LED pattern on Quarky in the Python Coding Environment.

Sign Detection with Quadruped

Learn how to set the bounding box threshold, and detect signals such as 'Go', 'TurnRight', 'TurnLeft', and 'Stop' to control quadruped movements.

Touch Piano – Python

The example demonstrates using the Quarky touch display to make a touch piano in the Python Coding Mode.

Traffic Light on Quarky – Python

The example displays how we can display a custom pattern on the matrix by making a script to display a Traffic Light in the Python Coding Environment.
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