The original Micro:bit V1 (left) remains a powerful tool for teaching data logging and IoT fundamentals, even alongside the feature-rich V2 (right) produced using ChatGPT Introduction Before you drop those original Micro:bit V1 boards into the recycling bin, ask yourself this: what if the board without all the bells and whistles is actually the better teaching tool? As we move further into 2026, many educators find their storage bins filled with V1 boards — the ones without the notched gold edge connectors. With the V2 boasting a built-in microphone, speaker, touch-sensitive logo, and a faster processor, it's tempting to assume the V1 is obsolete. But is it really? The answer, perhaps surprisingly, depends entirely on what you are trying to teach — and the V1 makes a far stronger case for itself than most people expect. The Technical Trade-off To be fair to both boards, the V2 is the clear winner for AI, audio, and machine learning projects — and if your budget allows, ...
In the previous two posts, mentioned the low-cost small devices are opening up new opportunities for robotics ( http://robotsandphysicalcomputing.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/it-is-good-time-part-one-introduction.html ) and the rise of social robots in the home ( http://robotsandphysicalcomputing.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/it-is-good-time-2-social-robots.html ) was considered. In this post and the next, 'small' robots (my phrase), relatively low cost robots, are considered. A few examples are discussed. Picobot One of the most interesting small robots on the market is the PicoBot from 4Tronix ( http://4tronix.co.uk/blog/?p=708 ). These are small, relatively low-cost robots with a good range of basic sensors based around Arduino. A nice feature is they are quick to put together (5-10 minutes each for the two above). The size, time to build and the radio modules make them an interesting option for playing with swarm robotics - if only I had the money. Don't let the swarm ro...