Note: This class is no longer offered. The information below is preserved to showcase what was involved at the height of the program’s popularity.
Based on Rolf Startin’s popular Bigfoot design originally sold through Mondotronics, the Toddler was an impressive two-foot-tall walking robot. Despite its size, the Toddler was powered by just two high-torque RC servos, allowing it to walk forward, backward, and even turn with surprising agility.
Control was handled by a Board of Education paired with a BASIC Stamp 2 microcontroller, which managed both the motors and three infrared sensors. During the program’s run, schematics, videos, and source code were shared online to support educators and students. Parallax frequently used the Toddler project to introduce educational customers to microcontrollers and robotics in an engaging, hands-on way.
Toddler Robot Kit by Parallax
The Toddler Robot Kit became a standout example of how mechanical design, electronics, and programming could come together in a classroom setting. Its large scale made motion and control concepts easy to visualize, while its internal electronics exposed students to real-world robotics challenges.
LabVIEW Interface for the BASIC Stamp
For engineering courses already using National Instruments LabVIEW (version 5.0 Student Edition or higher), Parallax published a free guide explaining how to interface the BASIC Stamp with LabVIEW through a serial connection. This allowed students to analyze real-time data while maintaining hands-on control of physical hardware.
What Is a Microcontroller?
One of the most popular Stamps in Class series demonstrated how to interface a BASIC Stamp microcontroller with pushbuttons, LEDs, photoresistors, and motors. These lessons required the Board of Education Full Kit and were supported by the What’s a Microcontroller? textbook and parts kit, both available for purchase or free download.
Program Overview
The Stamps in Class program was created and operated by Parallax, Inc., the manufacturer of the BASIC Stamp. The program brought together curriculum materials, hardware, and teaching ideas centered on electronics, robotics, physics, and interactive projects.
While designed primarily for educators, the program welcomed anyone interested in learning microcontroller technology. The focus was not just on the BASIC Stamp itself, but on using technology as a gateway to curiosity, creativity, and entrepreneurship. Educators involved in the program aimed to inspire students to become future innovators, not just consumers of technology.
The BASIC Stamp Module
The BASIC Stamp is a compact computer that runs programs written in Parallax BASIC (PBASIC). It includes programmable input/output pins that can interface directly with buttons, LEDs, speakers, motors, and sensors. With minimal additional components, these pins can also control relays, solenoids, serial devices, and other higher-power systems.
Each BASIC Stamp contains its own microcontroller, EEPROM for program storage, voltage regulation, and serial communication circuitry. Programs are written on a PC and transferred via a serial connection. Once powered, the program runs automatically, making it ideal for classroom and project-based learning environments.
How to Get Started
New learners were encouraged to begin by downloading and reading introductory texts such as What’s a Microcontroller?, Basic Analog and Digital, Robotics, or Earth Measurements. A typical starter setup included the Board of Education Full Kit, the What’s a Microcontroller? textbook, and the associated parts kit. The BASIC Stamp Manual provided essential command references and application examples.
BASIC Stamp vs. a Multimedia PC
Compared to a modern PC, the BASIC Stamp is intentionally simple. While a PC handles complex operating systems, graphics, and applications, the BASIC Stamp focuses on direct interaction with the physical world. This simplicity allows students to fully understand the system—from writing code to wiring circuits and controlling motors—providing quick, tangible rewards for their efforts.
Microcontrollers far outnumber personal computers in everyday life, powering everything from automatic doors to industrial robots and aerospace systems. Learning to program them encourages hands-on problem solving and builds foundational engineering skills.
Subjects Taught Using the BASIC Stamp
The BASIC Stamp was used to teach a wide range of subjects, including electronics, microcontroller interfacing, robotics, physics, computer programming, and interactive art. Each subject combined coding with practical electronics knowledge, reinforcing learning through real-world application.
BASIC Stamp 2 Modules and Variants
The BASIC Stamp 2 served as the foundation of the Stamps in Class curriculum. Available in multiple formats, including OEM and integrated circuit versions, the module featured 16 programmable I/O pins and onboard support components. Programs were stored in non-volatile EEPROM, allowing repeated reprogramming without memory degradation.
When installed in a Board of Education, the BASIC Stamp 2 could store several hundred instructions and execute thousands of operations per second, making it a powerful yet approachable platform for education and experimentation.
