The Superpower Project Read Online Free PDF Page B

interesting.”
    Miss McTeer nodded the grateful nod of the under-appreciated, and Megan knew she wouldn’t have to worry about research for the rest of the afternoon. “Would you like me to explain what I’m trying to build?”
    â€œTotally,” said Megan.
    â€œWell, I’ve spent the morning hooking all these cables up between the Lego and my computer. Now I’m programming the Lego to move.”
    Megan delicately picked up a tiny green plastic circuit board. “What does this bit do?”
    Miss McTeer smiled. “That’s the brains of the operation. It’s the computer that controls the whole set-up.”
    Megan looked again at the small plastic wafer. “This thing?”
    â€œYep. It’s called a Goozberri Five,” said Miss McTeer. “It’s a really powerful wee computer that can pretty much be connected to anything. Once I’ve tested the program out on the Lego, I’m going to use it to control a robotic arm.”
    Now Megan really was interested. “Where did you get a robotic arm?”
    â€œI made it at home,” said Miss McTeer.
    â€œThat’s amazing,” laughed Megan.
    â€œIs it?” said Miss McTeer, who probably wasn’t used to people thinking that sort of thing was at all amazing. “Listen, I’ve started a lunchtime coding club for second years. You should come along if you’re interested. Everyone’s doing their own project.”
    â€œReally?” said Megan, surprised to find she was actually excited by the idea.
    â€œYeah! You could have a go at programming anything you like. Some of my pupils are making alarms for their rooms, or weather stations for geography homework, even connecting them to solar panels. It’s really up to you!”
    â€œHmm,” said Megan, “I think I have something I’d like to program.”
    ***
    It had been a while since Megan and Cam had walked home from school having enjoyed their day. It was quite a pleasant experience.
    â€œWhat’s Kevin like then?” said Megan. “He always seems really quiet.”
    â€œA good laugh actually. He gets a bit overexcited about stuff,” said Cam. “Think we might suggest the statue is one of your gran’s monsters.”
    â€œAw Cam,” said Megan, “Gran would’ve loved that.”
    Cam smiled and they walked in silence for a moment.
    â€œI’m joining Miss McTeer’s coding club,” said Megan. “I’m going to learn how to program TJ.”
    â€œCoding club?” said Cam. “That sounds even less fun than the chess club.”
    Megan punched Cam on the arm. “Don’t you get it? I can program in school, pretend it’s for a Lego robot or something, then see if I can connect it to TJ.”
    â€œBut he’s already programmed. Won’t that just confuse him?” asked Cam, for once sounding mildly concerned about the robot.
    Megan smiled. “You said ‘him’. TJ must be growing on you.”
    Cam groaned.
    â€œHis programming has to be a bit old-fashioned,” Megan continued. “But we might as well try to help him remember stuff.”
    â€œMaybe,” said Cam. “It would just be a shame to accidentally turn him into a terminator or something. Oh, I meant to say, think I found a place online that does Morse-code paper.”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œYeah, for museums and science classes. I asked Mum to order some for us.”
    â€œThat’s brilliant Cam!”
    Cam stopped outside his garden gate. “Yeah, it’s given me an excuse for all the strange lights and noises in the shed while we’ve been oiling and charging TJ,” he explained. “I’ve told her I’m using it as a lab.”
    Just then, there was a small but very definite
boom
, causing the two of them to jump. Megan briefly forgot to land back on the ground after her jump, but fortunately Cam was too busy