Month: March 2021
Materials
-CircuitMess Nibble
-screen protector template
-welding visor replacement lens
-drill
-1/8 drill bit
-phillips screwdriver
-clear tape
-sharp scissors
-block of wood
-hobby knife or exacto knife
-microfibre cloth
-double sided sticky tape
First step is to gather our materials. The biggest part will be the welding visor replacement lens. These are around $4-6 (CAD) and can be found in farmer/auto hardware stores or online.
You will also need the custom template print found on our website this will be our guide for our screen protector.
To start the build, we cut out the template from the page and then tape it face down on your welding lens with the lens cover plastic still on. I like to line up two of the flat edges along the edge of the welding lens. See picture below.
After the template is attached, we cut the lens with our scissors. The slower the cut the better. If you go fast, there is a chance that the lens can create cracks or fractures.
Once you are done with the other two edges, cut out the triangle for the speaker/buzzer.
I round down the edges after I am done cutting. This helps prevent the screen protector from catching on anything when you put it in your pockets.
Warning! This next step should be done with someone who can use a drill safely.
We place the screen protector onto our block of wood. This block of wood is used to protect whatever surface you are drilling on. The welding visor material is thin and is easily drilled through.
Place your 1/8th drill bit (or similar metric bit) overtop of the black circles on the template. Make sure your bit is placed in the center and ensure that your other hand or a clamp is holding the screen protector down firmly on the wood.
Note: if the screen protector is not held down, it will spin around when trying to drill
Slowly drill your holes into the screen protector, you have more control the slower you go.
Now that you have your holes in, you will notice that there will be some plastic popping up from the drill holes. Use your hobby knife to clean up the plastic.
Leave the plastic that is covering the lens to check that you have drilled the holes correctly. Unscrew the two screws below the screen on your CircuitMess Nibble and test your screen protector.
If your screws line up correctly, go ahead and peel the plastic layer off your lens. Wipe the screen on the Nibble with your Microfibre cloth to ensure it is clean.
If you want your screen protector to stay on, add two strips of double-sided tape along the left and right sides of the screen. Then attach your screen protector in by screwing it in place and adhering it to the tape.
Congratulations on your new screen protector.
Let me know how your build went. What worked, what didn’t? Did you make any changes to the design? Comment below!
If you enjoyed the build keep watching the website and subscribe to our Facebook page to see all our new builds. See our Nibble review here!
Sneak peak: Over the next couple months we will be building a custom shell for the Nibble.
I used to think that I had a growth mindset. Ever since I learned about brain plasticity, I have based everything on the fact that learning is dynamic. I have always recognized that one of my greatest strengths has been the ability to keep learning throughout my life. It came as a shock when I finally got to know and understand my fixed mindset! Lets go over some common myths of what growth mindset is and isn’t.
Myth #1 People either have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset.
There is no either or. Growth mindset is not a switch that can be flicked on or off. Everyone has a growth mindset in some areas and a fixed mindset in others. Changing your mindset is about identifying where your fixed mindset is and what triggers it. If anyone claims to “have a growth mindset” then they have a fixed mindset about growth mindset. It is this realization that brought me to my next level of growth. Developing a growth mindset is just as much about recognizing where and when your fixed mindset comes out as it is about positive thinking. Like me you might have a growth mindset about learning but a fixed mindset about your personality for example.
Myth #2 Growth mindset is synonymous with positive thinking and open mindedness.
Growth mindset on a surface level seems simple. Just think positive and you will achieve your dreams! Anyone who has ever worked towards their dreams will argue otherwise. Positive thinking might help point you in the right direction but just sitting around thinking something will get you nowhere. Achievement only comes with work and commitment, and that is what growth mindset is, the commitment to work and achievement!
Positivity can actually be very toxic without checks. Toxic positivity is when someone is purely positive without questioning their actions. Toxic positivity can actually lead to the development of a fixed mindset. A growth mindset can not be achieved without constant questioning and corrections.
Myth #3 Growth mindset is synonymous with hard work.
A lot of people think that if they work hard enough they will achieve their goals. If they are not achieving their goals they just need to work harder. I’m here to tell you that hard work does not always accomplish your goals, and sometimes it does just the opposite. Stubbornly working away at something that is not progressing is pointless. Growth mindset involves smart work, not hard work. Work that is committed to improvement.
My husband and I have an ongoing joke about false growth mindset. One day when I was reaching for something at the top of the cupboard I said “I can’t reach it… yet. Just wait until I grow!” This is obviously not an option for me. I can’t believe myself into getting taller. What I should have said instead was “I can’t reach it yet… let me go grab a stool.” Don’t just try harder to reach your goal if it is out of your grasp, look for tools and new strategies that could get you where you want to be.
Myth #4 You can do anything if you just believe in yourself!
Growth mindset isn’t about being the best at something, it is about improving yourself. It does not mean that you can do anything, it means that you can improve at anything. You might not be Micheal Jordan, but you can improve your aim.
When you focus on improving yourself you both make your expectations realistic while at the same time remove your limitations. You have removed your self imposed ceiling, so now you are now free to feel happy about your self improvement, and possibly free to surpass your previous ceiling.
Myth #5 Growth mindset is unachievable
Growth mindset gets lumped in the “miracle fix” category sometimes. It seems like a very fanciful idea, and I think that impression often comes from a lot of the other myths about growth mindset. You can’t just accomplish your dreams because you believe in yourself, you can’t just work hard until you succeed, and a growth mindset isn’t unachievable because everyone already has a growth mindset in some areas. It isn’t like you flick the “growth” switch on and have instant success. It is about slowly changing your thought patterns to make you more positive, creative, and innovative.
Are your kids bored and looking for a fun activity to challenge them? Try building the Circuitmess Nibble!
If you are like me, it’s been a challenge coming up with activities to keep your children busy during these lockdowns and quarantines.
The product we are reviewing today provides many learning opportunities and practical life skills for your eager learners. We will look through the whole process, from ordering, building and the next steps for the Circuitmess Nibble.
Circuitmess Nibble Description
The Circuitmess Nibble is a DIY (Do it yourself) handheld game console. The kit comes with all of the parts you will need to assemble the console.
Through building this kit your child will learn:
– how to Solder components onto a circuit board
– how game consoles are assembled and what parts make up a console
– how to load software onto the console
– how to code their own games (an extra activity after the console is made)
– a huge sense of accomplishment
Disclaimer: I am not sponsored or funded by Circuitmess. I am a programming teacher and thought this product had some great educational potential so I wanted to share my experience and my own thoughts. I assembled this myself to test out the process. No technical background is needed to build this product. Parent involvement is required.
All right let us start!
Ordering the Nibble
I purchased my Nibble from the Circuitmess store. At the time of writing this, they have a 20% early-bird deal. The kit costs $99 CAD, and comes with free worldwide shipping. I have also seen kits sold on amazon, and through select hobby/maker stores here in Canada however quantities are limited and I’m not sure if those stores provide free shipping or not.
Shipping
Circuitmess ships their kits through DHL. The package can be tracked and gives you notifications if they require any updates on the package.
I ordered my kit on Feb 27th and received it on March 3rd (4 days total), well before the “Expected” delivery date of March 8th. I was very happy by the speed of the shipping as it is being shipped all the way from Croatia. It also arrived in perfect shape which is always excellent.
My only issue with ordering was that there is an “Import Duty” on the package, which cost me around $29 CAD which is substantial when I was unaware of any additional fees I would have to pay. This fee may vary depending on your country’s tax and import fees. This is on the shipping company itself, not an issue with the product from Circuitmess.
Building the Nibble
For this build I used Circuitmess’ online tutorial
I have created my own build video here:
The guide is quite comprehensive and has plenty of pictures, notes and supports various languages as well.
Before starting there are soldering guides that are appropriate tutorials first time soldering.
They recommend some extra tools to help with the build process, the only one I found would have helped was the “helping hand” tool.
For myself I used everything included in the box except the screw driver as I preferred mine. I also used a soldering mat to help organize components and prevent my desk/work area from being burned.
The build is very straight forward:
- Solder the buttons on
- Solder the power switch on
- Solder the screen on
- Solder the battery container on
Solder the buttons on 
Solder the power switch 
Solder the screen 
Solder the battery
- Insert the fuse
- Insert the batteries and test the console
Insert the fuse above the power switch 
Moment of truth, turn it on and see if it works!
- Peel the plastic off of the acrylic case
- Assemble the back case
- Assemble the front case
- Add the battery cover
Peel off the plastic from the case 
Add the mounts and the back case 
Add the front casing 
Add the battery cover and you’re finished!
I will be releasing a full video build later this month, going further in depth into the build.
Build Challenges
The only things I found slightly challenging with the build was adding the screen and the battery container.
The buttons and the power switch have a feature that allows them to clamp onto the board making soldering easy. The screen does not have that feature which makes it a bit fiddly. You need to carefully lay the console down flat on its face, on the screen itself, when soldering. When you do this, make sure that A) you keep pressure off of the device and the screen so you do not break it and B) that the device is balanced so the screen doesn’t end up soldered on an angle.
As for the battery container, I had a hard time getting it to lay flat on the back of the device. I’m not sure if my battery container was warped, but it ended up crooked after soldering. You can see how my battery container turned out in the picture below.
I was elated when I turned the device on after soldering to find that there were no issues with it and that it was working 100%! This means that all of the solder joints were done correctly and I did not have to re-do any of them.
Next Steps for the Nibble
After building the device what can you do with it next?
Games
The Nibble comes with 4 games on it: Pong, Space Invaders, Snake, and Asteroids. You can add some more games for it that have been developed by the community, such as this version of Sokoban (a block pushing puzzle game) https://github.com/snsdosen/NibbleSokoban
You can program games for it too! It can run any games programmed in C/C++, Python and CicuitBlocks (Their own graphical programming engine, similar to Scratch)
Mods
Because the Nibble is made from a ESP8266 board, it can be reprogrammed or modified. There is a lot of open-source software that you can freely access and modify.
I will be releasing a few modifications for the system here over the next couple months so stay tuned.
Customize
An easy way to make this device your own is to customize it to tailor your own style.
Some customization options can be simple changes to the case itself like stickers or custom paint jobs.
Conclusion
I thoroughly enjoyed this build. I practiced my soldering skills and will be kept busy developing games, modifications and customizations for this product. I am an online programming teacher, so contact me if you are interested in a class or tutorial to help your child assemble or program their unit. The build was straightforward and easy to do. The feeling of satisfaction from turning the console on after your soldering and having everything work…that was just fantastic!
My only issues with the kit and the whole experience were the unknown import fees, the battery container not sitting flat on my particular unit, and that I wish there was a screen cover. As soon as I gave it to my 4 yr old to try playing, there were smudges all over the screen, so I may have to try building my own screen protector. As for the battery container, I did contact Circuitmess and they responded in less than 12hrs. Talk about fast! They said that the container was fine. It doesn’t affect the performance of the unit so I’m not too worried.
Rating: Build It!
Stay tuned for more content on the Circuitmess Nibble!
Written by Nathan Misener
Need more activities to stay busy? Try our free monthly activities here.
When you think of motivation you might think of a reward you’ve been promised if you complete your chores, a friend encouraging you to try something new, or maybe even just doing something you enjoy! Motivation is anything that makes us want to do something. Like everything else we do, motivation is controlled by the brain. Looking at how the brain works can help us understand why we love to do some things, but struggle to finish others.
Some of the simplest things we can be motivated to do are things that we need to do to survive, like eat and drink. Feelings of thirst or hunger drive us to eat or drink. After we have had something to eat or drink we feel satisfied which acts as an incentive for us to want to eat or drink again.
Need: something our body or brain needs to stay healthy or balanced.
Drive: something that pushes us to do something that will satisfy our need.
Incentive: something that satisfies our need or drive.
It is these needs, drives, and incentives that make up our motivation! For example if we are bored it is because our brain needs more stimulation. That feeling of boredom drives us to find something to do. The game or hobby we choose to play/ do to satisfy our boredom is our incentive.
Another example is when someone tells us we need to do something, like when we are given an assignment. When someone else tells us what we need to do sometimes it can be harder to find the drive to do it. That person’s expectations might be enough of a drive for you, but if it is not you might need someone else to help keep you on track. Your parent or guardian might create a drive by telling you that you have to do the assignment before you can play. Once it is finished the relief that it is done can act as an incentive, or maybe the incentive is the game you get to play now that it’s done.
Want to learn more about psychology? Keep reading on our learning page for kids!
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