Hardware That Can Connect to Scratch

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Scratch can connect to some real world hardware. Some of the features are natively built in, while some are added through an extension or modification.

List of hardware

Below is a list of hardware that Scratch can connect to:

Microphone

Main article: Loudness (value)

If a microphone is connected to the computer, Scratch can sense the volume of the sound from the microphone, on a scale of 0-100. If no microphone is connected, it is 0 or -1. The Loudness block contains the value.

An image of recording sound using microphone

Webcam

Main article: Video Sensing

In Scratch 2.0, a new feature was added that allows Scratchers to use Microsoft Kinect-like features in Scratch. The video feed can be shown on the stage (with transparency), and the motion of the video can be obtained as well.

LEGO WeDo 2.0

Main article: LEGO Education WeDo Robotics Kit

The LEGO Education WeDo Robotics Kit is a simple robotics tool designed for ages 7–11. It allows users to design their own robots, and then program the robots using drag-and-drop software like Scratch. In Scratch, the Motor Blocks can control the robot's motor, turning it on or off, changing the power or direction. Scratch Link is required.

LEGO Mindstorms NXT

LEGO Mindstorms NXT is a programmable robotics kit released by LEGO in late July 2006, as a successor to the now obsolete RCX kit. The main component in the kit is a brick-shaped computer called the NXT Intelligent Brick. The Scratch modification Enchanting can be used to program LEGO NXT robots.

micro:bit

Micro:bit is a small computer which is able to be programmed. It was created in 2015 after being designed by the BBC. It has its own block language similar to Scratch but is also compatible with Scratch. Scratch Link is required.

Makey Makey

Main article: Makey Makey

The Makey Makey allows one to turn objects that conduct electricity into keys, even if they barely conduct electricity, like fruit. If there is conductivity, then the key is pressed.

EV3

Main article: EV3

The EV3 Extension allows users to interact with the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 Robot. It supports the Touch, Gyro, Color, Ultrasonic, and Infrared sensors, as well as motors. Scratch Link is required.

Lego Boost

Main article: LEGO BOOST Extension

The Lego Boost is another piece of hardware that can be used with Scratch. It has motors, and light and tilt sensors. Scratch Link is required.

Raspberry Pi

Main article: Raspberry Pi

Scratch can use hardware connection features of the Raspberry Pi computer. The version of Scratch for the Raspberry Pi has some exclusive features that allow its hardware to be used.

Sense HAT

Main article: Raspberry Pi Sense HAT Extension

The Sense HAT is an extension of the Raspberry Pi that can be used with Scratch. It is able to measure temperature, air pressure, pitch, roll, and yaw. It also has a joystick. Text, costumes, and manually set pixels can be shown on its display.

GPIO (General Purpose Input/Output)

Main article: Raspberry Pi GPIO Extension

The GPIO is another extension of the Raspberry Pi that can be used with Scratch. It allows one to measure if electricity is applied to a pin and also apply electricity to pins.

Hardware that can no longer connect to Scratch

This article or section documents something not included in the current version of Scratch (3.0). It is only useful from a historical perspective.

Below is a list of hardware that used to be able to connect to Scratch but is no longer able to.

PicoBoard

Main article: PicoBoard

A diagram of a PicoBoard.

A PicoBoard is a piece of electronic equipment that allowed Scratch projects to interact with the outside world. It could sense light and sound, along with having a button and slider, and alligator clips. It was used with the () Sensor Value and Sensor ()? blocks. The PicoBoard is not supported by Scratch 3.0.

Lego WeDo 1.0

Main article: LEGO Education WeDo Robotics Kit

The Lego Wedo version 1.0 was succeeded by Lego Wedo 2.0 in 2016 and is no longer supported by Scratch. It is usable in Scratch 2.0.

Joystick

Main article: JoyTail

With the JoyTail extension, Scratch can use remote sensor connections to connect to a joystick.

Arduino Board

With the Catenary extension, an Arduino board can be controlled through Scratch. This project was being made by Chalkmarrow, but never seems to have been completed.^{[citation needed]}

Finch

Finch is a small simple robot for computer science education designed by Carnegie Mellon's CREATE lab. It is powered via a USB cable. It can be easily connected to Scratch via a helper application, the "BirdBrain Robot Server".^{[citation needed]}

Hummingbird

Hummingbird is a robot created for education in 2010 by BirdBrain Technologies. It is powered via a USB cable. Like the Finch, it is easily connected to Scratch via BirdBrain Robot Server.^{[citation needed]}