Robots and Physical Computing

In two previous posts I looked at control the :Move buggy using JavaScript Blocks or Python . In this post we are going to look at controlling the LEDs using Python (or more accurately micropython). Pin 0 controls the LEDs, they are based on 5   NeoPixel compatible,  RGB, addressable LEDs; so the Neopixel protocols (and library for Neopixels) can be used.  Code First five colours of the rainbow. The array lig  holds the RGB settings for the rainbow colours (more details on the RGB colours can be found at  Lorraine Underwood 's Halloween Cloud project ). In the code below, the five LEDs have a different colour allocated to them. from microbit import * import neopixel np = neopixel.NeoPixel(pin0, 5) lig=[[255,0,0],[255,127,0],[255,255,0],[0,255,0],[0,0,255],[75,0,136],[139,0,255]] while True:     np[0] = lig[0]     np[1] = lig[1]     np[2] = lig[2]     np[3] = lig[3] ...

In previous posts ( UFO has Landed  and DIMM the OOD ),  I started playing with the CBiSEducation's UFO consumable robots. Still using the Micro:Bit, in this two part post series, I am going to be playing with using Micropython to send messages between the two kits. Stage 1 Wiring and Set up-UFO Pins 0 and 1 are outputs to the LEDs The black leads on the UFO go to GND. Micropython, using the Micro:Bit's built in radio module (Bluetooth), is used to communication between the two kits. Stage 2 Code -UFO The code is set to flash the UFO's LEDs and then scroll a message "DIMM Calling" when it receives a message "dimm" via Bluetooth.  Basic overview is - Turn on the radio module - radio.on() - If the message is received then turn the LEDs on and off and scrolls "DIMM calling" across the LED array. - send a message via bluetooth "ufo" to whoever is listening (in the end the robot DIMM hopefully). The code is shown below. ...

In a previous post ( UFO has Landed )  I started playing with the CBiSEducation's UFO Consumable Robotics. Now I am going to play with it a bit more and add the light sensor, included in the kit, to it;is so it can detect different light levels. Again it is controlled using the Micro:Bit. Stage 1 - Decorating it The kit comes with some stickers so I added a few. Stage 2 Wiring Pins 0 and 1 are outputs to the LEDs Pin 2 is the input from the light sensor The red lead from the light sensor connects to 3v and the grounds to the ground. Stage 3 Code The light sensor works more as a low light level detector, the darker the higher the value returned (in this case) on pin 2. So in low light level,  the LEDs flash relatively quickly, when the light level rises half of the LEDs start to pulse more slowly. All opinions in this blog are the Author's and should not in any way be seen as reflecting the views of any organisation the Author has any association with....

CBiS Education generously sent me two of their new range of robotics development kits - BinaryBots ( https://www.binarybots.co.uk/makers.aspx ), these are a range of cardboard based kits (so far a robot and a UFO) with electronic components for example LEDs; sensors and buzzers,  depending on the kits. What makes the kits interesting though is they are designed to be controlled by either by a BBC Micro:bit or a CodeBug. This blog documents, briefly, an initial play with the UFO kit (see below) using a Micro:Bit for control.  The UFO model  came together readily, the instructions were fairly easy to follow. Personally, a feature I especially liked about the model was the LEDs being both on the top and bottom of it - increasing its usefulness. CBiS EducationThey have also provided a webpage / portal with some example projects and code.  My first project I built, was to pulse the LEDs on and off (one set of LEDs on Pin 0, the other on Pin 1). ...