Kiran Nandakumar's Coding Projects
Hello, I am Kiran! I enjoy building robots and using coding to solve real-world problems. Starting with block-based coding helped me understand how to control my robots and test new ideas. Learning robotics has strengthened my problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, because I have to break big challenges into smaller steps and troubleshoot when things don’t work as expected. It has also taught me patience and creativity, since designing, building, and programming robots often requires multiple experiments and improvements. Through robotics, I’m learning how software and hardware work together, which helps me better understand technology and how it can be used to make everyday tasks easier and more efficient.
Ping Pong Racket
I learned how to use LEGO Technic parts to design and build various mechanical structures. By applying coding concepts such as conditionals (if-else) and incorporating different sensors, I programmed my designs to perform specific actions based on real-time input. For example, I created a ping pong racket mechanism that swings to hit the ball when the touch sensor is activated—demonstrating how sensor-triggered automation is used in real-world systems that respond to user input.
Touch Activated Windmill
As someone who enjoys building interactive mechanical models, I designed a touch-activated windmill using LEGO Technic components. The windmill remains stationary until the touch sensor is pressed, ensuring controlled and intentional operation. Once activated, the motor powers the blades into motion, simulating the rotation of a real wind turbine. This project highlights how simple sensor input can be integrated with mechanical systems to create responsive designs, reflecting how real-world wind turbines rely on controlled activation and monitoring systems to operate efficiently and safely.
Ultrasonic Activated Shooter
Having played at the arcade frequently, I decided to use the concepts of conditional statements, ultrasonic detection and output controls to create a secure and precise shooter that fires a shot when the ultrasonic sensor detects something near it. This project demonstrates how sensor integration and conditional logic can be used to develop automated systems, with potential applications in intelligent defense technologies.
Touch Activated Automated Rabbit Head
My younger siblings loved playing with their toy rabbit head, which spins when the wind hits it. They used to manually spin and stop it, which was fun but limited. To make it more interactive and engaging, I decided to create an automated version of the toy. In this upgraded version, the rabbit head starts spinning automatically as soon as the program runs. When the ultrasonic sensor detects someone nearby—such as a child approaching—the spinning stops, and the toy returns to its original position.
Colour And Ultrasonic Activated Spinning Top
Playing the top is my childhood game and I decided to recreate a sensor-controlled spinning top using LEGO technic parts and coded it to move when it is activated by a colour sensor. I could control the direction it spins using an ultrasonic sensor when it detects someone within different range. If the ultrasonic sensor detects someone near it, it will spin clockwise, else, it spins anti-clockwise. This setup mirrors real-life smart devices that respond to environmental cues. The system responds intuitively to human presence, creating an interactive and dynamic user experience.
Touch Activated Treadmill
As someone who enjoys exercising on a treadmill, I decided to recreate an automated treadmill using LEGO Technic parts. This miniature version functions similarly to a real treadmill—its speed is controlled by user input. With the use of a touch sensor, and coding concepts such as variables and if-else statements, the treadmill increases speed with each press—just like speed adjustments on a real gym machine.
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This project shows how to calculate the remainder when one number is divided by another. It’s a great way to practice using arithmetic and the modulo operator (%).
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In this project, I designed a program that checks if a number is even or odd using if-else statements. This project teaches me how to make decisions in code based on conditions.
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This game challenges you to decide if a number is prime by using if-else statements. It’s a fun way to reinforce the concept of prime numbers and divisibility in code.
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I organized a math competition among my friends, and one of the challenges involved calculating the factorial of a given number. I created a Python script that took a user input and calculated the factorial of the given number.
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In this project, I built a countdown timer that uses a while loop to count down from a starting number until it reaches 1. This is important because it shows me how to repeat an action until a condition is met.
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I have created a Python script named sum_of_my_even_numbers.py. It prompts me for a positive integer, and using a while loop, it calculates and displays the sum of all even numbers from 2 to the entered integer.
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This project simulates a simplified Automated Teller Machine (ATM) with functionalities like checking balance, depositing, and withdrawing money. It highlights conditional logic, user input handling, and managing a virtual account balance.
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In this project, I used a for loop to count the number of vowels and consonants in a given string. The loop iterates through each character in the string, checking if it is a vowel or consonant, and updates the counts accordingly.
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In this project, I created a number pyramid using nested for loops. The outer loop controls the number of rows, while the inner loop prints the numbers in each row. This project demonstrates how to use loops to create patterns and shapes in Python.
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In this project, I learned how to create a program that takes in a user input for a choice of word and prints the word diagonally in a square matrix using a nested for loop concept.
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In this project, I created a program that uses nested loops concept to build a classic math triangle known where each number is the sum of the two numbers above it.
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