Book Image

BBC Micro:bit in Practice

By : Ashwin Pajankar, Abhishek Sharma, Sandeep Saini
Book Image

BBC Micro:bit in Practice

By: Ashwin Pajankar, Abhishek Sharma, Sandeep Saini

Overview of this book

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.
Table of Contents (22 chapters)
1
Part 1: Getting Started with the BBC Micro:bit
6
Part 2: Programming Hardware with MicroPython
10
Part 3: Filesystems and Programming Analog I/O
13
Part 4: Advanced Hardware Interfacing and Applications

Built-in programmable 5x5 LED matrix

LED stands for light-emitting diode. Just like a normal diode, an LED allows the current to flow only in one direction. An LED has two pins (or legs): an anode and a cathode. Just as with any other diode, we must connect the anode of an LED to a positive pin and the cathode to the ground or negative pin of the power source. Then, the LED will allow the current to flow through it. However, if we connect the anode pin to the ground/negative pin and the cathode to the positive pin of the source, the LED will not let the current pass through it. When current passes through LEDs, they glow. We will study LEDs and their programming in detail in this and the next chapter. This chapter focuses on the built-in programmable 5x5 LED matrix of the Micro:bit board and the next chapter focuses on external discrete LEDs. Figure 5.1 shows an LED matrix. It has 5 rows and 5 columns, totaling 25 LEDs:

Figure 5.1 – Built-in programmable...