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Please note: Micro:bit and USB cable not included

Overview

This is a colorful display module designed for the BBC micro:bit, 1.8inch diagonal, 160x128 pixels, capable of displaying 65K colors.

Tired of the 5x5 LED matrix? Time to get a tiny monitor for your micro:bit, this one would be the ideal choice.

Features

• micro:bit edge connector, directly pluggable
• Embedded driver ST7735S, supports 65K colors
• Onboard SRAM 23LC1024, used as display cache, no more out of memory
• SPI interface, takes up only a few IO pins
• Backlight adjustment via PWM
• Reserved solder pads for control interface, make it easy to connect with Arduino/Nucleo boards
• Comes with development resources (micro:bit graphical demo/user manual, etc.)

Specifications

• Driver: ST7735S
• Resolution: 160x128
• Display color: RGB, 65K colors
• Operating voltage: 3.3V
• Dimension: 61mm x 51.5mm

Pinouts

Dimensions

Development Resources

Wiki : www.waveshare.com/wiki/1.8inch_LCD_for_micro:bit

micro:bit v2 is a brand new, super-charged version of the popular pocket-sized codeable computer, brought bang up to date with a microphone, speaker and upgraded processing capabilities.

With over four times the processing power and eight times as much RAM as the original micro:bit this new model opens up a world of new possibilities! We're especially excited about how well MicroPython will run on the new model where previously the limited RAM was a struggle.

Features

• Upgraded processor (nRF52833)
• 64MHz Arm Cortex-M4 + FPU (over 4 times faster!)
• 512KB Flash storage on board
• 128KB RAM
• MEMS Microphone with LED indicator and on-board speaker
• 5x5 LED matrix display
• Touch sensitive logo "button"
• Accelerometer/compass
• Light and temperature sensors
• Sleep/off mode for batteries powered projects (w/ LED indicator)
• Up to 200mA of current for external accessories
• Bluetooth 5.0 radio allowing micro:bits to talk to each other
• Notched edge connector (easier to connect things like crocodile clips and conductive thread)
• Dimensions: 52mm x 42mm x 11.7mm

It's the same shape and size so should be already familiar to countless teachers and learners, and also compatible with the vast majority of add-on boards and accessories.

How does the BBC micro:bit work?

It's programmed with beginner friendly, drag and drop interface MakeCode with the option to progress into MicroPython later on, opening up even more programming possibilities!

It's packed with inputs, outputs, sensors and radio communication features that can be combined into and endless variety of projects.

Inputs and outputs: 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.

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.

Buttons: A very common input device. Your micro:bit has two "clicky" buttons and a touch sensitive button you can program, and a reset button.

Radio: A way of sending and receiving messages and BBC micro:bits can use radio waves to communicate with each other.

Accelerometer: 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.

Compass: 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.

Light sensor: 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.

Temperature sensor: 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.

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.

Sound: Your BBC micro:bit can be programmed to make a wide variety of sounds - from single notes, tones and beats to your own musical compositions.

Requires:

• microB USB Cable for programming
• Computer/laptop with Internet access

Overview

This little module adds arcade controls to your micro:bit, makes it possible to turn the micro:bit into a mini game console. There's onboard buzzer to play music and game background effect. It is powered from a 14500 Li-ion battery (not included), conversely, it allows to charge the battery through USB connection.

Features

• micro:bit edge connector, directly pluggable
• High quality joystick, dual channel analog outputs for precise positioning, one channel digital output for press control
• Onboard battery and charge circuitry, powered from battery, also charges the battery through USB connection
• Battery indicator, blinks 1/2/3/4 times indicates the power remains about 25%/50%/75%/100% respectively
• 4x colorful buttons
• 2x side buttons, related to the A/B buttons of micro:bit, easy to use
• Buzzer for playing music and game background effect
• Comes with development resources (micro:bit graphical demo/python code/user manual, etc.)

Specifications

• Operating voltage: 5V
• Battery type: 14500 Li-ion
• Dimension: 150mm x 50mm

Pinouts

Dimensions

Development Resources

Wiki : www.waveshare.com/wiki/Joystick_for_micro:bit

The MonkMakes Relay for micro:bit is a solid-state (no moving parts) relay that allows an output of a micro:bit to turn things on and off.

A micro:bit can turn an LED on and off directly, but anything more powerful requires something like a relay or a transistor. Using a transistor to switch something on and off requires a shared ground connection with the micro:bit and a knowledge electronics that you or your students may not be ready for. The MonkMakes Relay for micro:bit is much easier to use, acting like a simple micro:bit controlled switch.

This relay can be used to switch low voltage devices such as light bulbs, a motor, a small heating element or even a string of 12V LED lighting. The voltage needs to be kept under 16V, but the relay will automatically protect itself against too much current.

FEATURES

• Solid-sate relay (up to 2 Amps)
• Active LED indicator
• Resettable ‘polyfuse’ to protect against over-current

Getting Started

Connecting your micro:bit

The Relay requires just two connections to the micro:bit. One to GND (ground) and one to whatever pin is to be used to control the relay’s switching action.

When attaching the alligator clips to the micro:bit, make sure that the clips are perpendicular to the board so that they are not touching any of the neighbouring connectors on the micro:Bit edge connector.

Here’s an example of how you could wire up a MonkMakes Relay for micro:bit to turn an old fashioned light bulb on and off.

HEX File

The quickest way to try out your relay is to DOWNLOAD THIS HEX FILE >and then copy it onto your micro:bit. The program will turn the relay on and off once a second.

JavaScript Blocks Editor

Set the controlling pin to 1 and the relay contacts will close, set it to 0 and the contacts will open again. Its as simple as that. So, to make your relay turn on and off once a second, open the Blocks Editor, add a forever block and then the digital write blocks from the pins category and the pauses from the basic category.

MicroPython

Paste the following code into the Python window and then Download the file and copy it onto your your micro:bit.

from microbit import *

while True:
    pin0.write_digital(True)
    sleep(500)
    pin0.write_digital(False)
    sleep(500)

Analog Outputs

The latest MonkMakes Relay for micro:bit can do more than just switch things on and off. It can also be used with micro:bit analog outputs. Look closely at your Relay for micro:bit and is it has the version number v1ev (under the word ‘Board’) then it can be used with the ‘analog write’ block in the blocks editor or the ‘write_analog’ function in MicroPython. If your board has the version number v1e then it is not suitable for use with analog outputs – sorry you were unlucky to get one of the small batch of first boards to be sold.

The output of the Relay for micro:bit is not linear at low PWM and high PWM values as the following chart illustrates.

The y-axis shows the current in mA for a test load resistor supplied from a constant voltage source. The x-axis is the analog write value (0 to 1023). As you can see, there is a dead zone up to a analog output value of about 100, followed by a relatively good linear region right up to about 1000, after which the output effectively becomes ‘on’.

The tests were carried out at the default PWM frequency of 50Hz for the micro:bit. Lower frequency PWM is expected to produce more linear results.

This motor driver board for the micro:bit allows two motors to be driven with forward, reverse, and stop control, and allows access to the other pins.

This board provides a simple way to add motor driving capability to a micro:bit. It allows two motors to be driven with full forward, reverse & stop control. It has terminal blocks to connect four input devices and a regulated 3V supply is fed in to the 80 way connector to power the inserted micro:bit.

In this new version, the pins from the micro:bit are now broken out to pads on the end of the motor driver board. These pads can either be soldered onto directly, or they are the correct spacing for our PCB pin headers (see image below for a close up of the new pads).

It is ideal for designs such as buggies (see below).

It includes an integrated edge connector slot for your micro:bit to easily slot into. It also features external connections to the buttons A and B inputs. This allows additional switches to be connected to the motor driver board and the state of these can then be read by the micro:bit.

Get up to speed quickly. Example Microsoft TouchDevelop code and example connections in the datasheet (below).

Features:

• Drive 2 motors with full forward, reverse, and stop control
• Terminal blocks for easy connection of motors and inputs
• 4 inputs (2 analogue inputs and 2 provide external connections to buttons A and B as inputs)
• Includes edge connector for the micro:bit to slot into
• Provide regulated power to the micro:bit
• Access the other micro:bit pins easily and conveniently

Contents:

• 1 x edge connector motor driver board for the micro:bit

Dimensions:

• Length: 67mm
• Width: 61mm
• Height: 18mm

Resources:

• Kitronik Custom Motor Driver MakeCode Editor Blocks (Use this URL to add them to the MakeCode Editor).
• Datasheet.

The MonkMakes Servo for micro:bit board provides a really easy way to attach up to three servomotors to a BBC micro:bit. The board requires a power supply or battery pack to provide 5 or 6V to the servomotors. It includes a voltage regulator that will supply 3V back to the micro:bit, so that you don’t have to power it separately.

Features

• Header pins for three servo motors
• Up to 2A total can be supplied to the servo motors
• Regulated 3V output to power your micro:bit
• Polarity protection for the servomotors
• Electrolytic reservoir capacitor for the servomotors
• 1kΩ series resistors to the control signals to prevent accidental sort-circuits of the micro:bit’s output pins.
• Orange LED to indicate that the Servo for micro:bit board has power.

Connections

The picture below shows a typical setup using the Servo for micro:bit board.

The following connections have been made:

• 3 x servomotors plugged into header pins. These need to be the right way around, with the control signal (yellow or orange wire) to the left (pins marked c).
• Alligator clip lead from GND on the micro:bit to GND on the Servo for micro:bit board.
• Optional alligator clip lead from 3V on the micro:bit to 3V on the Servo for micro:bit board. You only need this if you want to power the micro:bit from the same battery pack as the servomotors. If you want to power the micro:bit over USB or the JST battery connector then you do not need this connection.
• Alligator clip leads between P0, P1, P2 on the micro:bit to the Servo for micro:bit board. These need to match up with the servomotors you are using, so if you only need the board for one servomotor, then just connect P0 on the micro:bit to P0 on the Servo for micro:bit and make sure that there is a servomotor attached to the header pins marked 0.
• Power to the screw terminal on the Servo for micro:bit. Typically this will be a 4xAA battery pack or other power supply. Make sure that the positive lead goes to the screw terminal marked with a +

Test Software

To check that everything is working, this Blocks code project will get you started. Flash it onto your Servo for micro:bit and the servo arms should all start waggling in a random manner. You can see a video of this in action here.

The servo write pin block allows you to set the angle of the servomotor’s arm between 0 and 180 degrees. Note that servomotors, will not usually travel a full 180 degrees so you may find the actual range is more like 10 to 170 degrees.