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Snowball ( سنوبول ) is a Microcontroller Unit (MCU), it was invented by two Kuwaiti Engineers and have received many national and international prizes ..

Snowball is a mini integrated digital computer that consists of a Processor, RAM and Input/Output peripherals. In contrary to processors used in PCs, Snowball was designed for embedded systems to control all of their operations.

Microcontrollers are used in numerous products and devices, such as automobile engine controlling systems, medical equipment, remote control devices, office equipment, electrical devices, children’s toys and other automated systems.

Microcontroller units are cost-effective, because they incorporate all of the manufacturer’s requirements within a compact and cheap design, unlike other processing units that utilize RAM and separate Input/Output peripherals. Therefore, microcontrollers are most appropriate for use in robotic applications and manufacturing devices.

Hardware
The Snowball microcontroller was built using an (ATMEGA1284P) integrated circuit from the (AVR® 8-bit) family, which uses 8 bits to build the commands.

The diagram consists of more than one layer. The first layer has (ATMEGA1284P) pin functions, the second has the Arduino-compatible pins (bootloader), and the last layer has the names of the (Snowball) pins. The pin names and placement have been modified to suit the unit’s inputs and outputs ports, which will facilitate the programming process for the user.

Software
Snowball IDE was developed by CreativeBits Co., and is widely considered one of the best pieces of educational software created to teach programming in a simple way, without the need to get into the complex details of programming. The software provides users with many options, such as the ability to program using the Code Interface or the Graphical Interface, the Data Lab to analyze the records, a Serial Monitor to view current readings, and an PC Control Interface to add more advanced options.

Snowball IDE works as a magnet, where the user drags one component from one of the menus on the left (Input, Output, Flow) and drops it at the top of the Graphical page. When dragging the next component, it will be attached to the previous one, and so on.

Example
Make a Sound Sensor ..


 * 1) Drag Buzzer from Output panel on the left.
 * 2) From Properties on the right panel choose the following:
 * 3) *Pin (0)
 * 4) *Buzzer (Mute)
 * 5) Drag IR from Input panel on the left, and put the following values in Properties:
 * 6) *Pin (A0)
 * 7) *Sensor Range (Inside)
 * 8) *Min Value (600)
 * 9) *Max Value (1023)
 * 10) Drag another Buzzer  inside the IR, then choose the following Properties:
 * 11) *Pin (0)
 * 12) *Buzzer (Sound)
 * 13) *Frequency (Do 2093)
 * 14) *Duration ( Limited 1000)
 * 15) Connect Snowball using USB cable.
 * 16) Press Download from the top right.

Awards
- First Prize at WORLD SUMMIT AWARDS - 2015

- First Prize at Arab Mobile App Challenge WAMDA - 2015

- First Prize at Kuwait eContent award - 2015

- First Prize at International Invention Fair in the Middle East - 2015

- First Prize at CLAWAR Competition - 2015

Media
Interviews:

- SNOWBALL the Kuwaiti invention - AlRai Tv. - Arabic

- SNOWBALL receives many national and international prizes- AlMajls Tv - Arabic

International Exhibitions:

- SNOWBALL in Expo Milano 2015 - Arabic

Robotics Education in Kuwait
7 schools (primary and secondary) have have been teaching Robotics in the past few years, and by next academic year it will be applied on a wider scale in all state schools, the Minister said. Certain errors will have to be rectified after they emerged during teaching it in some schools.

Snowball Annual Competitions
Robotics competitions offer a chance to encourage students to build their own solutions to real-world problems using science and maths. Building a robot is a meticulous and difficult process that requires collaborative efforts from all team members. “The role of these competitions is important to develop the abilities and potential of students and to encourage innovation in scientific sectors, which might see great leaps today,” said Kuwait’s minister of education and higher education Bader Al-Issa.

The robotics competition is one of many national initiatives that seek to elevate the educational level in Kuwait and merge it with practical applications in life, while enhancing the role of scientific research in various sectors.

“We created this competition because of the lack of scientific competitions that aims to use technology as a means for innovations,” Al Bannai said. “Robotics merges mechanics with electricity, programming, engineering and design, and it’s an effective way to train our students on the methods of innovation.”

See National robotics competition of Kuwait using E-Robot - 2015

See Interview about the second National robotics competition of Kuwait - AlWatan Tv - Arabic