The go-to guide to getting started with the BBC micro:bit and exploring all of its amazing capabilities.
The BBC micro:bit is a pocket-sized electronic development platform built with education in mind. It was developed by the BBC in partnership with major tech companies, communities, and educational organizations to provide kids with a fun, easy, inexpensive way to develop their digital skills. With it, kids (and grownups) can learn basic programming and coding while having fun making virtual pets, developing games, and a whole lot more.
Written by internationally bestselling tech author Gareth Halfacree and endorsed by the Micro:bit Foundation, The Official BBC micro:bit User Guide contains what you need to know to get up and running fast with the BBC micro:bit. Learn everything from taking your first steps with the BBC micro:bit to writing your own programs. You'll also learn how to expand its capabilities with add-ons through easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions.
Set up your BBC micro:bit and develop your digital skills Write code in JavaScript Blocks, JavaScript, and Python Discover the BBC micro:bit’s built-in sensors Connect the BBC micro:bit to a Raspberry Pi to extend its capabilities Build your own circuits and create hardware
The Official BBC micro:bit User Guide is your go-to source for learning all the secrets of the BBC micro:bit. Whether you're just beginning or have some experience, this book allows you to dive right in and experience everything the BBC micro:bit has to offer.
By:
Gareth Halfacree
Imprint: John Wiley & Sons Inc
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 185mm,
Spine: 13mm
Weight: 522g
ISBN: 9781119386735
ISBN 10: 111938673X
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 06 October 2017
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Foreword xi Introduction xiii Part I Chapter 1 Meet the BBC micro:bit 3 A Tour of the Board 3 Breaking It Down 5 Display 6 Buttons 7 Processor 8 Radio 9 Accelerometer 10 Compass 11 Input-Output Pins 12 Micro-USB Port 13 Battery Connector 14 Chapter 2 Getting Started with the BBC micro:bit 17 Handling the BBC micro:bit 17 Powering the BBC micro:bit 18 USB Power 18 Battery Power 20 Greetings from the BBC micro:bit 23 Signs of Life 24 Testing the Buttons 24 Motion Gaming 24 Get Coding 25 Resetting the BBC micro:bit 25 Chapter 3 Programming the BBC micro:bit 27 USB Connectivity 27 Drag-and-Drop 29 Automatic Flashing 31 The Code Editor 32 Downloading Your Program 33 About Flash Memory 38 Part II Chapter 4 Programming Languages 41 About Programming Languages 41 The Three Main BBC micro:bit Languages 42 JavaScript Blocks 43 JavaScript 44 Python 45 Comparing Programming Languages 46 Choosing a Programming Language 48 Other Programming Languages 49 Chapter 5 JavaScript Blocks 51 Introducing the JavaScript Blocks Editor 51 Program 1: ‘Hello, World!’ 54 Loops 57 Program 2: Button Inputs 58 Multiple Buttons 60 Program 3: Touch Inputs 61 Variables 62 Program 4: The Temperature Sensor 65 Formatting the Output 67 Program 5: The Compass Sensor 67 Program 6: The Accelerometer Sensor 70 Delays 73 Reading Raw Accelerometer Data 74 Program 7: The Fruit Catcher Game 76 The Setup 77 The Main Program Loop 78 Conditional Loops 80 Conditional Statements 82 The Control Events 84 Further Steps 86 Chapter 6 JavaScript 87 Introducing the JavaScript Editor 88 Program 1: ‘Hello, World!’ 90 Loops 93 Program 2: Button Inputs 94 Multiple Buttons 97 Program 3: Touch Inputs 98 Variables 99 Program 4: The Temperature Sensor 102 Formatting the Output 104 Program 5: The Compass Sensor 104 Program 6: The Accelerometer Sensor 107 Delays 109 Reading Raw Accelerometer Data 110 Program 7: The Fruit Catcher Game 112 The Setup 113 The Main Program Loop 115 The Conditional Loops 116 The Conditional Statements 117 The Control Events 120 Further Steps 123 Chapter 7 Python 125 Introducing the Python Editor 126 Program 1: ‘Hello, World!’ 128 Loops 132 Program 2: Button Inputs 133 Multiple Buttons 136 Program 3: Touch Inputs 137 Variables 138 Program 4: The Temperature Sensor 141 Formatting the Output 142 Program 5: The Compass Sensor 143 Program 6: The Accelerometer Sensor 145 Delays 147 Reading Raw Accelerometer Data 148 Program 7: The Fruit Catcher Game 150 The Setup 150 The Main Program Loop 153 Conditional Loops 154 Conditional Statements 155 Drawing the Sprites 156 Finishing the Program 157 Further Steps 160 Part III Chapter 8 The Wireless BBC micro:bit 163 The BBC micro:bit Radio 163 Program 1: One-to-One Communication 164 Program 2: One-to-Many Communication 167 Program 3: Radio Groups 169 Testing the Group Feature 171 Using the BBC micro:bit with a Smartphone or Tablet 173 Chapter 9 The BBC micro:bit and the Raspberry Pi 175 About the Raspberry Pi 176 Connecting the Raspberry Pi to the BBC micro:bit 177 Reading from the BBC micro:bit 180 Using the BBC micro:bit Display 186 Practical Example: A CPU Monitor 189 Chapter 10 Building Circuits 193 Electronic Equipment 194 The Input-Output Pins 196 The Large Pins 197 The Small Pins 199 Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) 201 Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) 201 Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) 201 Your First Circuits 202 Reading from a Button Input 202 Reading Resistor Colour Codes 205 Writing to an LED Output 207 Fading an LED via PWM 211 Reading an Analogue Input 213 Chapter 11 Extending the BBC micro:bit 217 Extending via Breakout Boards 217 Kitronik Edge Connector Breakout Board 218 ScienceScope Micro:bit Breakout Board 219 Proto-Pic Bread:Bit 220 Proto-Pic Exhi:Bit 220 Robotics and the BBC micro:bit 222 Kitronik Line-Following Buggy 222 Kitronik Motor Driver Board 223 Technology Will Save Us Micro:Bot 224 4tronix Bit:Bot 225 BinaryBots 226 Other BBC micro:bit Add-Ons 227 Kitronik Mi:Power 227 Proto-Pic Micro:Pixel Board 228 Proto-Pic Simon:Says Board 229 4tronix Bit:2:Pi Board 230 Kitronik Mi:Pro Protector and Mi:Power Cases 231 Chapter 12 The Wearable BBC micro:bit 233 Advantages of the Wearable BBC micro:bit 234 Conductive Thread 235 Using Conductive Thread 237 The Rain-Sensing Hat 241 Building the Hat 242 Mounting the BBC micro:bit 244 The Rain-Sensing Program 245 Battery Power 246 Chapter 13 Additional Resources 249 The Micro:bit Educational Foundation 249 Official Teaching Resources 251 Third-Party Teaching Resources 252 The Institution of Engineering and Technology 252 Computing At School 253 Micro:bit for Primary Schools 253 TES Magazine 255 Code Clubs 256 Part IV Appendix A JavaScript Blocks Recipes 259 Appendix B JavaScript Recipes 267 Appendix C Python Recipes 275 Appendix D Pin-Out Listing 285 Index 289
GARETH HALFACREE is the author of the Raspberry Pi User Guide and an expert in educational and embedded computing. A noted technology journalist and long-time tech author, Gareth also has an extensive background in computing education.
