1. Introduction of Micro:bit
Introduction:
Get started with the micro:bit in a few easy steps:
Learn how to get the micro:bit working, program its features and create your first projects.
- The BBC micro:bit is a pocket-sized computer that introduces you to how software and hardware work together. It has an LED light display, buttons, sensors and many input/output features that, when programmed, let it interact with you and your world.
- The new micro:bit with sound adds a built-in microphone and speaker, as well as an extra touch input button and a power button.
- Find out more in this video:
- https://youtu.be/u2u7UJSRuko
New micro:bit with sound:
Original micro:bit:
What you need:
- A micro:bit and battery pack with 2 AAA batteries
- A computer, phone or tablet with internet access to load the Microsoft Make Code or Python code editors
- If you’re using a computer, a USB lead to connect your micro:bit
- For building and making projects with your micro:bit, some extra items that are great to have include headphones, crocodile clip leads and conductive materials such as aluminum foil and paper clips.
Learn how computers work:
- The micro:bit helps you understand how computers work.When you type on your laptop or touch the screen on your phone, you’re using an input device. Inputs allow computers to sense things happening in the real world, so they can act on this and make something happen, usually on an output like a screen or headphones.
- In between the input and the output, there is the processor. This takes information from inputs like buttons, and makes something happen on outputs, like playing a song in your headphones.
Inputs and outputs:
- Inputs and outputs are an important part of any computer system. As a very small computer, the BBC micro:bit has plenty of inputs and outputs to learn about and use.
- Watch the video to learn more about inputs and outputs, then select one of the projects to start programming the inputs and outputs on your micro:bit.
- https://youtu.be/NkoS2JXaBuM
Processor:
- A processor is sometimes called the ‘brains’ of a computer and your BBC micro:bit has a micro processor inside it. It’s an essential part of your micro:bit as it runs the programs you write.
- https://youtu.be/Y9tk07CzTAA
Features on the front:
Your BBC micro:bit has a wide range of features for you to explore. Find out more about each of the numbered features below.
Original micro:bit
New micro:bit with sound
1. Buttons:
- The micro:bit has two buttons on the front that can be used separately or together to make things happen.
Buttons:
- Buttons are a very common input device. Your micro:bit has two buttons you can program, and a reset button.
- Find out more about the buttons on your micro:bit by watching the video below, then pick one of the projects to learn how to program the buttons on micro:bit.
- https://youtu.be/hnT0qHM3_hQ
2. LED display & light sensor:
- 25 LEDs arranged in a 5×5 grid make up the display for showing pictures, words and numbers. They can also act as sensors, measuring how much light is falling on your micro:bit.
LEDs:
- An LED, or light-emitting diode is an output device that gives off light. Your BBC micro:bit has a display of 25 LEDs for you to program.
- Watch the video to find out more about the LEDs on your micro:bit, then choose a project to learn how to use LEDs in your programs.
- https://youtu.be/eRhlaXqT-0w
Light sensor:
- A light sensor is an input device that measures light levels. Your BBC micro:bit uses the LEDs to sense the levels of light and lets you program your micro:bit as a light sensor.
- Watch the video to find out more, then choose one of the projects to turn your micro:bit into a light sensor.
3. Pins – GPIO:
- The GPIO pins allow you to connect headphones, sense touch and add other electronics to expand the possibilities of your micro:bit. The new micro:bit has indentations to grip crocodile clips more securely.
Pins:
- On the bottom edge of your BBC micro:bit there are 25 gold strips, called pins. These pins allow you to really get creative. You can create circuits, connect external things like buzzers and motors and make your own fun projects.
- Watch the video to find out more about the pins and choose a project to take your making with micro:bit to the next level!
- https://youtu.be/EDgdHb0R96I
4. Pin – 3 volt power:
- You can power external LEDs and other electronics using the 3 volt power pin.
Pins:
- On the bottom edge of your BBC micro:bit there are 25 gold strips, called pins. These pins allow you to really get creative. You can create circuits, connect external things like buzzers and motors and make your own fun projects.
- Watch the video to find out more about the pins and choose a project to take your making with micro:bit to the next level!
- https://youtu.be/EDgdHb0R96I
5. Pin – Ground:
- On the bottom edge of your BBC micro:bit there are 25 gold strips, called pins. These pins allow you to really get creative. You can create circuits, connect external things like buzzers and motors and make your own fun projects.
- Watch the video to find out more about the pins and choose a project to take your making with micro:bit to the next level!
- https://youtu.be/EDgdHb0R96I
6. Touch logo – new:
- The new micro:bit has an extra input. The gold logo also works as a touch sensor. You can use it as an extra button in your programs, in addition to the A and B buttons.
Touch logo – new:
- If you have the the new micro:bit, you can use the gold logo as another input in your projects. It’s like having an extra button.
- The touch logo uses capacitive touch, sensing tiny changes in electrical fields to know when your finger is pressing it – just like your phone or tablet screen.
- You can trigger events in your programs when you press it like a button, but also when you first touch it, when you let go and if you press it for longer.
- https://youtu.be/spFD3SxxxHQ
7. Microphone LED – new:
- You can create programs that react to loud and quiet sounds and measure noise levels with the new micro:bit’s built-in microphone. The microphone LED shows you when the microphone is actively measuring sound levels. Just to the left of the LED, you’ll see a small hole where the sound goes in.
Microphone – new:
- The new micro:bit has a built-in microphone. You can use it as a simple input – make your micro:bit turn the lights on when you clap. It can also measure the amount of sound, so you can make a noise level meter or disco lights that beat in time with music.
- The microphone is on the back of the new micro:bit, and on the front you’ll find a new microphone LED next to the hole that lets the sound in. It lights up to show you when your micro:bit is measuring sound levels.
- https://youtu.be/waIdGCitbH4
Features on the back:
Original micro:bit
New micro:bit with sound
1. Radio & Bluetooth antenna:
- Your micro:bit can communicate with other micro:bits by radio, and with other devices using Bluetooth.
Radio:
- Radio is a way of sending and receiving messages and BBC micro:bits can use radio waves to communicate with each other.
- Watch the video to learn more about the radio feature on your micro:bit, then select one of the projects to try it out.
- https://youtu.be/rvymAr6WqrQ
2. Processor & temperature sensor:
- The micro: bit’s processor is its brain, fetching, decoding and carrying out your instructions. It also contains a temperature sensor so you can measure how warm or cold your environment is.
Processor:
- A processor is sometimes called the ‘brains’ of a computer and your BBC micro: bit has a micro processor inside it. It’s an essential part of your micro: bit as it runs the programs you write.
- https://youtu.be/Y9tk07CzTAA
Temperature sensor:
- A temperature sensor is an input device that measures temperature. Your BBC micro:bit has a temperature sensor inside the processor which can give you an approximation of the air temperature.
- Find out more about the temperature sensor on your micro:bit by watching the video, then choose one of the projects to program the temperature sensor.
- https://youtu.be/mrHn8eZ9eqg
3. Compass:
- Find magnetic North or measure the strength of magnetic fields using the micro:bit’s compass. It can measure magnetic fields in three dimensions, so you can use this for science experiments or for making simple door or window alarms.
Compass:
- A digital compass is an input sensor that detects magnetic fields. Your BBC micro:bit has an inbuilt compass that can detect the direction in which it is facing.
- Watch the video to find out more, then choose a project to start using your micro:bit as a compass.
- https://youtu.be/a3P6LWwPBqM
4. Accelerometer:
The micro:bit’s accelerometer measures forces in 3 dimensions, including gravity, so your projects can tell which way up your micro:bit is. You can use it for science experiments, add shake inputs to games or make simple alarms that alert you when someone moves your things.
Accelerometer:
- An accelerometer is a motion sensor that measures movement. The accelerometer in your BBC micro:bit detects when you tilt it left to right, backwards and forwards and up and down.
- There are lots of ways you can use the accelerometer in your projects. Find out more about how it works by watching the video, then choose a project to get started.
- https://youtu.be/UT35ODxvmS0
5. Pins:
Connect your micro:bit to make headphones, simple switches and electronics, sense touch and more. The pins can power simple accessories like colourful lights, motors and robots.
Pins:
- On the bottom edge of your BBC micro:bit there are 25 gold strips, called pins. These pins allow you to really get creative. You can create circuits, connect external things like buzzers and motors and make your own fun projects.
- Watch the video to find out more about the pins and choose a project to take your making with micro:bit to the next level!
- https://youtu.be/EDgdHb0R96I
6. Micro USB socket:
Download programs to your micro:bit from a computer and power it using its USB interface.
USB interface:
- USB, or Universal Serial Bus, interfaces are used to connect, communicate, and power computers and digital devices.
- The BBC micro:bit has a USB interface to allow you to connect your computer to your micro:bit so you can transfer programs to it, and power it.
- Watch the video to learn more about the USB interface on the micro:bit.
- https://youtu.be/ke04WnxxT5c
7. Single yellow LED:
The single LED on the back of the original micro:bit flashes when you are downloading a program to it, and lights to show it’s being powered from the USB socket.
8. Reset button:
Restart your micro:bit programs with the reset button.
9. Battery socket:
Instead of powering your micro:bit from the USB socket, you can unplug it from your computer and use a battery pack instead. This is really useful if you want to take your micro:bit outside, wear it or play games with it. It can run for a long time using just two AAA batteries.
10. USB interface chip:
The interface chip is used for flashing new code to the micro:bit, sending and receiving serial data to and from your computer by USB.
USB interface:
- USB, or Universal Serial Bus, interfaces are used to connect, communicate, and power computers and digital devices.
- The BBC micro:bit has a USB interface to allow you to connect your computer to your micro:bit so you can transfer programs to it, and power it.
- Watch the video to learn more about the USB interface on the micro:bit.
- https://youtu.be/ke04WnxxT5c
11. Speaker – new:
The new micro:bit with sound has a built-in speaker so you even more easily add music and new sounds to your projects.
Speaker – new:
- The new micro:bit has built-in speaker, which makes it really easy to add sound to your projects. Any micro:bit sound project will work with the speaker, but with the new micro:bit you can also express yourself with some new sounds: make your micro:bit giggle, greet you or let you know when it’s sleepy or sad.
- You can also mute the speaker and sound will still come out of the pins so you can still enjoy micro:bit music on headphones connected to GND and pin 0. In MakeCode, use the music block ‘set on-board speaker off’.
- https://youtu.be/waIdGCitbH4
12. Microphone – new:
The new micro:bit’s microphone and indicator LED are fixed to the back of the board. The LED lights up when it’s monitoring sound levels and is visible as a microphone icon on the front of the board. The front also has a small hole to allow sound to enter the microphone.
Microphone – new:
- The new micro:bit has a built-in microphone. You can use it as a simple input – make your micro:bit turn the lights on when you clap. It can also measure the amount of sound, so you can make a noise level meter or disco lights that beat in time with music.
- The microphone is on the back of the new micro:bit, and on the front you’ll find a new microphone LED next to the hole that let the sound in. It lights up to show you when your micro:bit is measuring sound levels.
13. Red power LED – new:
The red LED on the back of the new micro:bit shows when your micro:bit has power, either from batteries or a USB cable.
14. Yellow USB LED – new:
On the new micro:bit a yellow LED light flashes when your computer is communicating with the micro:bit over USB, for example when you flash a program file.
15. Reset & power button – new:
Pressing this on the new micro:bit will reset the micro:bit and run your program again from the start. If you hold it down, the red power LED will fade. When the power LED goes dark, release the button and your micro:bit is in power-saving sleep mode. Use this to make your batteries last longer. Press the button again to wake up your micro:bit.