Micro Bit

Micro Bit
Developer BBC Learning, BBC R&D, ARM Holdings, Barclays, element14, NXP Semiconductors, Lancaster University, Microsoft, Samsung, Nordic Semiconductor, ScienceScope, Technology Will Save Us, Python Software Foundation
Type Single-board computer
Release date Schools: September 2015 (Delayed)
Public: October 2015 (Delayed)
First deliveries to teachers reported February 10th 2016[1]
CPU Nordic Semiconductor nRF51822, 16MHz ARM Cortex-M0 microcontroller, 256KB Flash, 16KB RAM.[2][3]
Connectivity Bluetooth LE, MicroUSB, edge connector
Website microbit.co.uk

The Micro Bit (also referred to as BBC Micro Bit, stylized as micro:bit) is an ARM-based embedded system designed by the BBC for use in computer education in the UK. The device will be given away free to every year 7 pupil in the UK. At some point, it will be available for purchase by anyone.

The 4 x 5 cm device has an ARM Cortex-M0 processor, accelerometer and magnetometer sensors, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, a display consisting of 25 LEDs, two programmable buttons, and can be powered by either USB or an external battery pack. The device inputs and outputs are through five ring connectors that are part of the 23-pin edge connector.

Development

The Micro Bit was designed to encourage children to get actively involved in writing software for computers and building new things, rather than being consumers of media.[2] It has been designed to work alongside other systems, such as the Raspberry Pi,[4] building on BBC's legacy with the BBC Micro for computing in education. The BBC planned to give away the computer free to every year 7 (11- and 12-year old) child in Britain starting from October 2015 (around 1 million devices).[3][5] In advance of the roll-out an online simulator will be made available to help educators prepare, and some teachers were to receive the device in September 2015.[2] Thereafter, the device was planned to be on general sale by the end of 2015.[2][6] However, problems have delayed the launch until at least 2016.[7]

The BBC had a difficult decision to choose which year group would be the first to receive the free Micro Bits, and the BBC's head of learning said that "The reason we plumped for year seven [rather than year five] is it had more impact with that age group … they were more interested in using it outside the classroom".[6]

Planning for this project began in 2012 as part of the BBC Computer Literacy Programme and by the time of the launch in July 2015 the BBC had taken on board 29 partners to help with the manufacturing, design, and distribution of the device.[8][9] The BBC has said that the majority of the development costs were borne by the project partners, and it intends to license the technology as open source and allow it to be manufactured around the world for use in education, and it has formed a non-profit company to oversee this.[6][8]

Partnerships

The development Micro Bit is a product of a number of partners working with the BBC:

A prototype device and software stack created by BBC R&D, demonstrated in the initial announcement,[13] was used to test the proposition in schools, and to provide a reference specification for the partnership to build upon.[14]

Hardware

The size of the device is described as half the size of a credit card,[15] measuring 4 cm by 5 cm[2] and, as of the start of final manufacturing,[16] includes:

I/O will include five ring connectors which will accept crocodile clips or 4 mm banana plugs[11] as well as a 23-pin edge connector with 2 or 3 PWM outputs, 6 to 17 GPIO pins (depending on configuration), 6 analog inputs, serial I/O, SPI, and I²C.[21] Unlike early prototypes, which had an integral battery, an external battery pack (AAA batteries) can be used to power the device as a standalone or wearable product.[3][15][19] Health and safety concerns, as well as cost, were given as reasons for the removal of the button battery from the design.[5]

Software

The device will support a number of different software development languages including JavaScript,[23][24] Blockly, Python, and C++.[2][19] There are two code editors used with the Micro Bit, Microsoft Block Editor, intended for younger users, and the Microsoft TouchDevelop environment.[25] The Microsoft TouchDevelop platform is a web-based tool which will allow the Micro Bit to be programmed using smartphones and tablets as well as desktop computers.[2]

The Python programming experience on the Micro Bit is provided by MicroPython.[26][27] Users are able to write Python scripts in the Micro Bit web editor which are then combined with the MicroPython firmware and uploaded to the device. Users can also access the MicroPython REPL running directly on the device via the USB serial connection, and this allows to interact directly with the Micro Bit's peripherals.

The Micro Bit was created using the ARM mbed development kits. The run-time system and programming interface utilize the mbed cloud compiler service to compile the user's code. The compiled code is then flashed onto the device using USB or Bluetooth connections. The device will appear as a USB drive when connected to a computer and code can be flashed using drag and drop.[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Computing at School Community". Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Anthony, Sebastian (7 July 2015). "BBC Micro:bit—a free single-board PC for every Year 7 kid in the UK". arstechnica.uk. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Sherwin, Adam (7 July 2015). "BBC micro:bit: Can a pocket-sized computer 'inspire digital creativity' in Britain's children?". The Independent. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  4. ↑ Stuart Dredge. "BBC Micro Bit will complement Raspberry Pi not compete with it". The Guardian.
  5. 1 2 Anderson, Tim. "Why the BBC is stuffing free Micro:bit computers into schoolkids' satchels". The Register. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 Dredge, Stuart (7 July 2015). "BBC to give away 1m Micro:bit computers to schoolchildren". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  7. ↑ "BBC defends delay of 'truly transformational' micro:bit". Wired. 18 September 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 Brian, Matt (7 July 2015). "How the BBC's Micro:bit came to be". Engadget. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  9. ↑ Stainer, Katie. "Microsoft and the BBC micro:bit: a million ways to inspire a generation". Microsoft. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bell, Lee. "BBC teams with ARM, Microsoft and Samsung to launch Micro:bit and get kids coding". The Inquirer. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  11. 1 2 3 "Groundbreaking initiative to inspire digital creativity and develop a new generation of tech pioneers". BBC. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  12. ↑ "BBC launches MicroBit". Python Software Foundation News. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  13. ↑ Wakefield, Jane (12 March 2015). "BBC gives children mini-computers in Make it Digital scheme". BBC News. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  14. ↑ Sparks, Michael (7 July 2015). "Prototyping the BBC micro:bit". BBC. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  15. 1 2 Wired: Micro bit hands on
  16. ↑ Bell, Lee (7 July 2015). "BBC teams with ARM, Microsoft and Samsung to launch Micro:bit and get kids coding". The Inquirer.
  17. ↑ Austin, Jonathan (7 July 2015). "Working with the BBC on micro:bit: Part 1 – using the mbed HDK". …we plugged them into a Nordic NRF51822 development kit, which uses the same chip as the micro:bit…
  18. ↑ Introducing the BBC micro:bit (Shockwave Flash) (Television production). BBC. 7 July 2015. Event occurs at 00:39.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 Franklin-Wallis, Oliver (7 July 2015). "BBC unveils final Micro:Bit computer design". wired.co.uk. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  20. ↑ BBC micro:bit; mbed.org.
  21. 1 2 3 4 "BBC micro:bit". mbed.org. Retrieved 8 July 2015. The BBC micro:bit is based on the mbed HDK. The target MCU is a Nordic nRF51822 with 16K RAM, 256K Flash. As well as the nRF51822 there's also an onboard accelerometer and magnetometer from Freescale.
  22. 1 2 Williams, Alun. "Micro Bit reunites BBC and ARM for grand education initiative". Electronics Weekly. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  23. ↑ New BBC Micro:bit Is Free for Preteens in the UK - Make:
  24. ↑ Code Kingdoms
  25. ↑ Williams, Alun. "Hands on with the BBC Micro-Bit user interface". ElectronicsWeekly.com. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  26. ↑ "The Story of MicroPython on the BBC micro:bit". ntoll.org. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  27. ↑ "MicroPython for the BBC micro:bit". GitHub. Retrieved 13 November 2015.

External links

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