Smart City Traffic & Local Governance Model
Source: Stemoto Original
Students design a miniature smart town using laser-cut infrastructure. Two Cutebots communicate via micro:bit radio — when an 'Emergency Ambulance' bot approaches an intersection, it wirelessly signals the 'Traffic Light' bot to automatically clear the signal.
Categorisation
Props & Materials Required
- •2x Cutebot or mBot robots
- •2x micro:bit (for radio communication)
- •Laser-cut road infrastructure (buildings, crosswalks, signals)
- •LEDs (red, yellow, green for traffic lights)
- •Cardboard or LEGO for additional buildings
Step-by-Step Instructions
Build the Town
Lay out the laser-cut road infrastructure on a large table. Add buildings, crosswalks, and an intersection with a traffic signal post.
Wire the Traffic Light
Mount red, yellow, and green LEDs on the signal post. Connect them to the first micro:bit (the 'Traffic Controller'). Program a standard cycle: Green 5s → Yellow 2s → Red 5s.
Program the Ambulance
The second micro:bit sits on the Cutebot 'Ambulance.' Program it: when Button A is pressed (emergency!), send a radio message 'CLEAR' to the Traffic Controller micro:bit.
Connect the System
Program the Traffic Controller: when it receives the 'CLEAR' radio message, immediately switch all lights to Green for the ambulance's direction and Red for cross-traffic.
Run the Simulation
Drive the ambulance toward the intersection. Press the emergency button. Watch the traffic light automatically clear! Discuss: How do real cities manage emergency vehicles?
Why It Works & Notes
This project teaches civic awareness and smart systems architecture through collaborative group problem solving. Children learn about wireless communication, conditional logic (if ambulance detected → change signal), and how technology can improve community safety.
NEP Alignment: Civic awareness, smart systems architecture, collaborative group problem solving. Curriculum Mapping: Social Science (Local Governance, Civic Sense, Transport & Communication). Target Level: Class 5.