Many teachers, specifically those who use CTC GO Many educators, especially those using CTC GO! asked us seeking a solution to ensure that the board is usable with Chromebooks.
So we’re delighted to announce that as of today, teachers and students who use CTC Go! are now able to program using the UNO Wifi Rev2, that is part of the kit, together with their Chromebooks.
What is it that makes Chromebooks different?
In contrast to other personal computers for instance, that of Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems the programming process for an Arduino board with Chrome OS is slightly different. Chrome OS makes use of its Chrome web browser for the user’s primary interface, through which users can browse the web-based applications they download direct via Google’s Chrome store.
The user experience that is slim allows for the efficient organization of tools and information access as well as communication between educators and students easier, contrasted to different personal computer.
The ease of access to tools through web-based apps however, comes with certain limitations, particularly when it comes to connecting external devices. One of the drawbacks is that users can’t install the Offline IDE application to programme their Arduino boards. So accessing and programming an Arduino on the Chromebook is only possible via this web-based Editor.
The other limitation with web-based applications is their restricted access to devices outside of the internet. The majority of computers can recognize as an Arduino device when it is connected to a PC as being an outside device.
The web applications that run on most personal computers, excluding the Chrome OS utilize agents to act as intermediaries to manage communication with external devices using USB. For instance, if you’re using to use the Create Web Editor you’ll need to install the Create plugin in order to access your Arduino board. Similar to that, Arduino Create Chrome serves as an agent to communicate with both the Chrome web browser running and the Chromebooks as well as the Arduino board.
What is the reason why you can tell that the UNO WiFi Rev2 board isn’t available now?
As of now, we’ve been able to provide support for a number of boards that run on Chromebooks depending on their use and usage requirements. Because that the UNO WiFi Rev2 device utilizes an entirely different bootloader, it was necessary to find a way transfer the same bootloader used on the original Arduino UNO on the board.
The bootloader makes the UNO WiFi Rev2 board available via using the serial port on your stand. It’s accessible as any other board – by its serial port.
What do you have to do
All you need is an Macbook or an Windows device (we have an Linux update that is coming soon) and then download a firmware update that makes the board detectable via your Chromebook.
Once you’ve downloaded the latest firmware, you can disconnect the board, attach it to your Chromebook Download it, then install the Arduino Creator for Education software from your Chromebook browser and then you’re good to go. It’s that easy! There are more details on the following video tutorial.
The popularity of Chromebooks today is because of their accessibility and their low cost, making them a feasible option for teachers to use as personal computers in the classroom particularly when learning is conducted online.
Similar to this we are working to provide more support to our educational kits , making them available on various devices and systems for education.
