Robots and Physical Computing

A new direction has been developed for the junkbot project ( http://junkbots.blogspot.co.uk/ ) ; previously Raspberry Pis have been used to control the junkbot’s movement ( http://robotsandphysicalcomputing.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/python-junkbot.html )  – but what about the recently released Micro:Bits; can it be used to control a junkbot? Matthew Hole, a student from Wrenn Academy, Northamptonshire ; has been investigating this idea whilst on a Nuffield Research Placement ( http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/nuffield-research-placements) working with Dr Scott Turner, University of Northampton. The project was to look into developing junkbots controlled using a Micro:bit and also to produce some materials for schools to use with or without outside assistance. What is a Junkbot? For this project, it is a moving ‘bot’ made from waste materials, combined with an electric motor and a programmable device (in this case a Micro:Bit) to control (or try) it. A...

A simple transistor circuit is used here to get the CodeBug to control a small motor, turning it on or off. Drawn using Schemeit ( http://www.digikey.co.uk/schemeit/project/ )  The motor used here was a small cell-phone vibration motor, but it has been tried with other small motors. Using ‘leg 1’ to switch the motor on or off, +5v comes from the CodeBug PWR connector and GND come from the CodeBug. It can only drive the motor in one direction. In the code below Button A switches on the motor and Button B switches the motor off. 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.