NumWorks calculator
REVIEW
here’s not a lot this writer remembers
from A level maths. Basically, there
are only two things: if you integrate, you
have to add C; and the best place to buy
illicit substances. That second one might
not seem like the natural fit for algebra
lessons, but at our school the game of choice on the
Texas instruments TI-82 graphic calculators was a
clone of Drugwars, where players
had to move around a city, buying
and selling virtual contraband and
trying to make money.
Of course, this was back
before most people had a
smartphone in their pocket, and
with Game Boys banned, the
calculator was the only hand-
held gaming device allowed in
the school. In these days of
ubiquitous connectivity and
computers in everything,
is there still a place for a
modern calculator?
NumWorks certainly
thinks so, as it has released
a new, open-source
calculator aimed at
bringing maths hardware
up to date. The two
headline features are
that it’s open-source,
and that it runs Python.
As well as this, there’s
an ARM Cortex M4
running at 100MHz,
with 1MB of flash
and 256kB of RAM.
Display comes via a
2.8 inch, 320×240pixel screen. It runs the custom-built Epsilon firmware,
which you can get a feel for by using the online
emulator at hsmag.cc/dJzFCj.
The open-source ethos runs all the way through
the product. Everything, including the physical design
and the software, are open to be fiddled with and,
if you so desire, recreated. While open-source stuff
always gives us the warm and fuzzies, it’s particularly
nice here, as there’s stuff that’s actually useful. With
the STL files for the hardware available (hsmag.
cc/nICDvg), you can recreate a part if it breaks, or
customise the look or feel of something. This gives
students the ability to learn more than just maths.OPEN ALL THE SOURCES
The open-source software means that new features
can be added and bugs fixed by the community.
Hopefully, this will mean that the software can keep
developing as and when new requirements appear.
You can, of course, completely rewrite the firmware if
you want to turn this into a different type of hand-held
computing device.
The inclusion of Python will be particularly useful
for schools already teaching this language. It means
that there’s now a single coding language you can
focus on that works with desktops, Raspberry Pis,
microcontrollers, and calculators. That’s a huge range
of devices for a single language (even if we were fond
of the BASIC version on calculators of our youth).
There’s even an online repository of scripts at
hsmag.cc/STZnlm (you’ll need to create a free
account to sign up). Here, you’ll find a range of scripts
(including a range of games) that you can download to
your NumWorks calculator. The calculator is certified by
some American education authorities for exams, but if
you’re using this for school, check that it’s allowed by
your examining body.
While the particular requirements of schools and
exams mean that there’s still a place for graphingT
NumWorks calculator
By Ben Everard ben_everardPutting Python in your hands
NUMWORKS $99 numworks.comBelow
The keyboard isn’t
ideal for typing code,
but you can upload it
from your computer