Can inputs be counted with Picaxe 08M?

[pcloran]

Hello - first post - I am beginning to teach 'electronics' in my school from September years 7-9 (11-14 year olds). Nobody at school has any experience and this question may give you some idea of my knowledge base. I want to run a project where kids make a steady hand game with the loop and track touching providing an input to pin 3 (I think) of a Picaxe 08M. That's my sort of basic idea what I can't work out is how via programming the chip a player gets several chances before the output sounds - I'm looking at an LED and piezo sounder as outputs and my hope is that pupils will have a play around with programming the chips to make it as easy or difficult as they choose.
I've heard it described as an 'intelligent steady hand game' - it' proving far too clever for me at the moment.

Any ideas???

Peter

 

[hippy]

Entirely possible, 08M should be ideal. The track and the loop are really just a switch. So first thing is to write a program which turns a LED on or sounds the Piezo when the switch closes ( track and hoop short ).

Switch, LED and Piezo control are all described in Manual 3, Electronics Interfacing.

Can you tell us what experience you do have, electronics and software, so advice can be best tailored to your skill level.