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BBC Micro:bit in Practice
BBC Micro:bit in Practice

BBC Micro:bit in Practice: A hands-on guide to building creative real-life projects with MicroPython and the BBC Micro:bit

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Profile Icon Ashwin Pajankar Profile Icon Abhishek Sharma Profile Icon Sandeep Saini
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Mex$620.98 Mex$689.99
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5 (1 Ratings)
eBook Dec 2022 292 pages 1st Edition
eBook
Mex$620.98 Mex$689.99
Paperback
Mex$861.99
Subscription
Free Trial
Arrow left icon
Profile Icon Ashwin Pajankar Profile Icon Abhishek Sharma Profile Icon Sandeep Saini
Arrow right icon
Mex$620.98 Mex$689.99
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5 (1 Ratings)
eBook Dec 2022 292 pages 1st Edition
eBook
Mex$620.98 Mex$689.99
Paperback
Mex$861.99
Subscription
Free Trial
eBook
Mex$620.98 Mex$689.99
Paperback
Mex$861.99
Subscription
Free Trial

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BBC Micro:bit in Practice

Introduction to the BBC Micro:bit

I certainly hope that you have read the preface and the table of contents, which provide a fair idea about our journey into the amazing world of the BBC Micro:bit (also written as Micro:bit or Micro Bit). This introductory chapter will warm you up for the upcoming exciting journey into the vast world of the Micro:bit. The road ahead is full of interesting concepts and projects. It is always a good idea to prepare well for the journey ahead, and this chapter will accomplish that.

We will explore the following topics in this chapter:

  • The history of the Micro:bit
  • The specifications of Micro:bit V1 and Micro:bit V2
  • Powering up the Micro:bit
  • Breakout boards
  • Fritzing to create circuit diagrams

Let’s get started!

Technical requirements

We will need the following hardware for this chapter:

  • BBC Micro:bit V1 or V2
  • A computer with Windows, macOS, or Linux
  • A BBC Micro:bit edge connector
  • A Micro-USB to USB cable
  • An internet connection
  • A mobile power bank
  • Kitronik Mi:power

The history of the Micro:bit

It is important to know the history of the BBC Micro:bit. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the United Kingdom’s public broadcaster. It is also the world’s oldest and biggest broadcaster. BBC has always been pioneering in creating programs for outreach in science and technology to improve the public understanding of science. Its programs include various documentaries and television series.

One such interesting television series was The Computer Programme. It was broadcast on BBC Two and used a home computer, the BBC Micro, conceptualized by the BBC and developed by Acorn Computers. The TV series was a part of the BBC Computer Literacy Project. The BBC Micro had six different models, which were all based on the famous MOS Technology 6502 8-bit microprocessor. It is a simplified and faster version of the Motorola 6800 microprocessor. The 6502 is a very popular microprocessor, and variants of it were used in popular video game consoles and computers such as Atari 2600, Apple II, Nintendo Entertainment System (popularly known as NES or Famicom), Commodore 64, and, of course, the BBC Micro. The BBC Micro was very successful, and it made a great impact in the computer education sector, leaving a great legacy behind.

In 2012, with the release of Raspberry Pi, a new era was ushered into the world of computing and education. Through the Computer Literacy Project, the BBC sought to build upon the legacy of the BBC Micro after the great success of Raspberry Pi. It onboarded many partners from industry, such as Microsoft, and academia, such as Lancaster University. The first version (now referred to as the Micro:bit V1) was launched in July 2015 and was available for general sale in March 2016. The BBC also gave hundreds of thousands of Micro:bits to school children in the UK as a part of science education outreach. After the Micro:bit successfully launched, the BBC formed a not-for-profit organization known as the Microbit Foundation.

Note

For more details, you can visit the home page of the Microbit Foundation at https://microbit.org/.

In October 2020, the Microbit Foundation released the second version of the Micro:bit. V2 has got better specifications than V1 at the same price. We will explore the specifications of V1 and V2 side by side in the following section.

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Key benefits

  • Explore hardware programming and leverage the power of the BBC Micro:bit and MicroPython
  • Build real-life creative projects step by step with each chapter increasing in complexity and interactivity
  • Learn the features of the Micro:bit and how to interface it with electronic components through circuits and code examples

Description

This book is a one-stop guide for learning BBC Micro:bit with MicroPython, exploring many hardware components and programming techniques to provide detailed insights into developing practical applications with the Micro:bit. It will also show you how hardware components can be manipulated using a combination of Micro:bit and MicroPython for developing practical projects. BBC Micro:bit in Practice will help you gain a holistic understanding of the BBC Micro:bit platform and MicroPython programming, guiding you through mini projects aimed at developing practical knowledge of circuit design and writing programs. You’ll learn how to write programs for working with built-in LEDs and buttons, interfacing external LEDs, buttons, motors, buzzers, and much more. You’ll also work with built-in radio, speakers, accelerometer, and a compass. You’ll dive into concepts related to the Micro:bit filesystem, interfacing external displays, and working with libraries in detail before exploring sewable circuits and wearable technology. After reading this Micro:bit book, you’ll understand how to apply principles in electronics and MicroPython to create interesting real-life projects from scratch.

Who is this book for?

This book is for anyone who wants to use the combination of MicroPython and the BBC Micro:bit for building exciting real-life projects. Engineers, researchers, hobbyists, and technology instructors working in areas such as embedded systems, electronics, software development, IoT, robotics, teaching, and training will find this book useful for building projects. Prior experience with building basic electronic circuits and any programming language, not necessarily MicroPython, will be helpful.

What you will learn

  • Explore the essentials of the BBC Micro:bit, its hardware specifications, and versions
  • Program built-in and external LEDs and buttons
  • Program external LED-based displays, buzzers, and stepper motors
  • Use analog input and pulse width modulation to drive a servo motor
  • Detect gestures with internal sensors such as accelerometer, compass, and magnetometer
  • Work on projects with built-in features such as music, speech, radio, and filesystem
  • Explore the advanced features of the Micro:bit

Product Details

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Publication date : Dec 09, 2022
Length: 292 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781804614150
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Product Details

Publication date : Dec 09, 2022
Length: 292 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781804614150
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Table of Contents

21 Chapters
Part 1: Getting Started with the BBC Micro:bit Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 1: Introduction to the BBC Micro:bit Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 2: Setting Up the Micro:bit and Using Code Editors Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 3: Python Programming Essentials Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 4: Advanced Python Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Part 2: Programming Hardware with MicroPython Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 5: Built-in LED Matrix Display and Push Buttons Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 6: Interfacing External LEDs Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 7: Programming External Push Buttons, Buzzers, and Stepper Motors Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Part 3: Filesystems and Programming Analog I/O Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 8: Exploring the Filesystem Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 9: Working with Analog Input and PWM Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Part 4: Advanced Hardware Interfacing and Applications Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 10: Working with Acceleration and Direction Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 11: Working with NeoPixels and a MAX7219 Display Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 12: Producing Music and Speech Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 13: Networking and Radio Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 14: Advanced Features of the Micro:bit Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 15: Wearable Computing and More Programming Environments Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Other Books You May Enjoy Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

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Sandeep Saini Apr 13, 2023
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The book provided a systematic flow to learn microbit using micropython. It is useful for school level as well as college students.
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