Physical Computing with Microbit

Interested in designing your own circuits and building interactive projects? You’ll begin by learning the fundamentals of circuit design and the science behind electricity. You’ll be introduced to the Microbit microcontroller and the MakeCode programming environment, and how this can be used to read data from various types of sensors to control motors, servos, displays. Students will then create a series of projects, such as infinity mirror art projects, radio-controlled robots, devices to automatically water plants, weather stations that connect to the Internet, smart houses, and AI-controlled systems that react to speech, text, and emotions.

https://sites.google.com/aceraschool.org/mrjonathansengineering/home

MakeCode: https://makecode.microbit.org/

Science Buddies: How to Use a Microbit

Day 1: Introduction to Microbit

Concepts Covered: Introduction to the microcontroller..

•  Meet the Microbit: Introduce students to the Microbit microcontroller and the MakeCode programming environment.
  https://sites.google.com/aceraschool.org/mrjonathansengineering/lessons/1-meet-microbit

• Experiment with the "Out of the Box Experience" demonstration program

• Demonstrate how to download a hex file to the MicroBit

• Complete basic programming challenges at https://makecode.microbit.org/
  using the various built-in sensors and actuators
  https://sites.google.com/aceraschool.org/mrjonathansengineering/lessons/2-basic-programming-challenges

• Parts needed: Microbit, MicroUSB to USB cable

Day 2: Sensors, Displays, and Interactive Art

Concepts Covered: Reading sensor data, adding extensions, and controlling visual displays.

 Activities:

• Explore input data by experimenting with different sensors, such as the Ultrasonic Sensor for detecting distance, and how to search and add extensions, such as the MakerBit ultrasonic. Note: It is important than you use a 3.3V-compatible sensor, such as the RCWL-1601 or US-100. 

• Learn to control displays by programming Neopixels strips utilizing the Neopixels Extension.
  https://sites.google.com/aceraschool.org/mrjonathansengineering/lessons/3-neopixels-extension.

• Vary the behaviors of the strip utilizing built-in sensors.

Additional Components: Neopixel Strips, alligator clips

Main Project: Combine circuit design and programming to build and code an interactive Infinity Mirror art project, which changes its behavior based on  the built-in  accelerometer/tilt sensors.
https://sites.google.com/aceraschool.org/mrjonathansengineering/projects/infinity-mirror

Day 3: Robotics, Motors

Concepts Covered: Controlling physical systems, servos, and wireless communication.

Activities:

• Introduce Motor Control using ElecFreaks Breakout Board and learn how to vary motor speed using analogWrite functions.

• Main Project: Build and program Robotic Cars. Students can enhance their robots by incorporating line sensors for line-following capabilities https://sites.google.com/aceraschool.org/mrjonathansengineering/lessons/5-robotic-car

Day 4: Robotic Cars- Day 2: Radio control

• Concepts Covered: Radio Control, sensors

• Activities: Experiment with control robotic cars with sensors, radio remote control of robotic vehicles, and create swarms of interacting vehicles

• https://sites.google.com/aceraschool.org/mrjonathansengineering/lessons/11-radio-control
  https://sites.google.com/aceraschool.org/mrjonathansengineering/projects/dancing-with-robots

Day 5: The Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart Automation

 Concepts Covered: Connecting physical devices to the internet to automate tasks and log data.

 Activities:

• Discuss "What is the Internet of Things?" and introduce the ESP-01 Wifi Board and the Thingspeak IoT platform.

• Main Project (Option A): Build a Device to automatically water plants, utilizing soil moisture sensors to trigger a water pump.

• Science Buddies: Pocket-Sized Physical Computing Projects with MicroBit

• Main Project (Option B): Create an IoT Weather Station using a BME280 sensor to read temperature, pressure, and humidity, and program it to report this data directly to a website.

• Main Project (Option C): Begin designing automated systems for a Smart House.

Bonus Project: Artificial Intelligence and Emotion-Responsive Systems

Concepts Covered: Machine learning, AI cameras, and responsive design.

Activities:

• Get hands-on with AI and machine learning using tools like Teachable Machine, MindPlus Software, or Pictoblox.

• Experiment with an AI Voice Control Module using fixed command words to trigger physical actions.

• Main Project: Build AI-controlled systems utilizing the Huskylens AI Camera to react to visual cues or text. Alternatively, students can build systems that react to emotions, such as programming an Emotion Badge that expresses how the user is feeling.