Lab Experiment | 7
LAB # 7
To demonstrate the features of MIT APP Inventor
Objectives
The objective is to showcase the functionalities and capabilities of MIT App Inventor through
practical demonstrations and examples.
Introduction to MIT App Inventor
MIT App Inventor is a powerful tool for creating mobile applications for Android devices. Whether you're a
beginner or an experienced developer, MIT App Inventor provides a visual programming environment that
simplifies the app development process. This extensive tutorial will guide you through the various features
and functionalities of MIT App Inventor, helping you build fully functional apps from scratch.
Getting Started
1. Visit the MIT App Inventor website ([Link]) and sign in with your Google
account.
2. Click on "Create" to start a new project.
3. Give your project a name and click "OK" to create it.
4. Familiarize yourself with the MIT App Inventor interface, which consists of the Designer and
Blocks Editor.
Understanding the Interface:
1. Designer: This is where you design the user interface of your app by dragging and dropping
components from the Palette onto the Viewer.
2. Palette: Contains various components such as buttons, labels, textboxes, images, and more.
3. Viewer: Displays a visual representation of your app's user interface.
4. Blocks Editor: This is where you add functionality to your app using visual blocks that
represent code.
5. Components: Each component has properties that you can customize to tailor the appearance
and behavior of your app.
Designing the User Interface:
1. Use the Palette to drag and drop components onto the Viewer to design your app's interface.
2. Customize the properties of each component, such as text, color, size, and position.
3. Arrange components on the Viewer to create a visually appealing layout for your app.
Adding Functionality with Blocks:
1. Switch to the Blocks Editor to add functionality to your app.
2. Each component has associated event handlers (e.g., when [Link]).
3. Drag blocks from the Blocks Palette to the workspace and snap them together to create your
app's logic.
4. Use control blocks (e.g., if-else statements, loops) and component blocks (e.g., set Text, get
Value) to control your app's behavior.
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Exploring Advanced Components and Features:
MIT App Inventor offers a wide range of advanced components and features to enhance your app's
functionality:
1. Sensor Components: Access device sensors such as accelerometer, GPS, and orientation
sensor.
2. Media Components: Incorporate audio, video, and images into your app.
3. Firebase Integration: Connect your app to Firebase to enable real-time data storage,
authentication, and more.
4. Web APIs: Access web services and APIs to fetch data from external sources.
5. Artificial Intelligence: Use AI components such as text recognition and language translation
to add intelligence to your app.
Testing and Debugging Your App:
1. Use the MIT AI2 Companion app to test your app in real-time on your Android device.
2. Connect your device to your computer via USB and click on the "Connect" button in MIT
App Inventor to establish a connection.
3. Use the built-in debugger to identify and fix errors in your app's logic.
Deploying Your App:
1. Once your app is ready, you can package it for distribution.
2. Click on the "Build" menu and select "App (save .apk to my computer)" to generate an APK
file.
3. You can then distribute this APK file through various channels such as the Google Play Store
or direct download.
Lab Task:
Kindly complete the following tasks utilizing the comprehensive handout and presentation slides
provided by the lab instructor.
HELLOPURR: TAP THE KITTY, HEAR HIM MEOW
TALKTOME: A BEGINNER APP INVENTOR APP
BALLBOUNCE: A SIMPLE GAME
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LAB TASKS:
LAB TASK 1:
HELLOPURR: TAP THE KITTY, HEAR HIM MEOW4
LAB TASK 2:
TALKTOME: A BEGINNER APP
INVENTOR APP
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TASK 3: BALLBOUNCE: A SIMPLE GAME
Rubric for Lab
Assessment
The student performance for the assigned task during the lab session was:
The student completed assigned tasks without any help from the
Excellent 4
instructor and showed the results appropriately.
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The student completed assigned tasks with minimal help from the
Good 3
instructor and showed the results appropriately.
The student could not complete all assigned tasks and showed
Average 2
partial results.
Worst The student did not complete assigned tasks. 1
Instructor Signature: ______________________________ Date: ____________________
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