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The online nature of Snap! is a great advantage because it works across multiple platforms without requiring users to install anything. However, in the past, integrating physical computing with Snap! has required the user to install software to translate the Snap! commands into Bluetooth or serial commands to the hardware. With the advent of progressive web apps, communication with the hardware can be embedded in a web page that also contains Snap!, which streamlines the experience for users. This talk will demonstrate how progressive web apps can be used with the Hummingbird and Finch robots to provide cross-platform functionality using Bluetooth or Web HID communication on MacOS, Windows, and ChromeOS.

This talk will include a demonstration of the power of progressive web apps using the snap.birdbraintechnologies.com website. We will demonstrate how to connect the Hummingbird and Finch robots via Bluetooth and show how Snap! is embedded in a webpage that also contains important information about the status of the robot. This structure also means that the webpage can customize the Snap! blocks shown to fit the robot or combination of robots that are connected.

The latter portion of this talk will describe the basic technical details of this approach for developers who may be interested in integrating other physical computing devices with Snap!. This will include an overview of the parts of this open-source software and how it handles communication between Snap! and the robot hardware. The talk will conclude with a description of some of the best practices we have developed through work with teachers and students.