141 lines
5.8 KiB
Markdown
141 lines
5.8 KiB
Markdown
# Device
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## ~ hint
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**Looking to buy a micro:bit?** See the [list of resellers](https://microbit.org/resellers).
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## ~
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All the bits and pieces that make up the BBC micro:bit
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## LED Screen and Status LED
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The red lights are [LEDs](/device/screen) (light emitting diodes) and form a 5 x 5 LED Screen.
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They can be set to on/off and the brightness can be controlled.
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The yellow light on the back of the micro:bit is the status LED.
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It flashes yellow when the system wants to tell the user that something has happened.
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See how the @boardname@ shows numbers, text, and displays images by watching this video about LEDs:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqBmvHD5bCw
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## Buttons
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Buttons A and B are a form of input. When you press a button, it completes an electrical circuit.
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The micro:bit can detect either of its two buttons being pressed/released and be programmed
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to act on these events.
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Button R on the back of the micro:bit is a system button. It has different uses.
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When you have downloaded and run your code onto your micro:bit, press Button R to restart and run your program from the beginning.
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Find out how buttons provide input to the @boardname@ in this video:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_Qujjd_38o
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## USB connection
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When you plug in your micro:bit via [USB](/device/usb), it should appear as a ``MICROBIT`` drive.
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If you accidentally hold down the reset button as you’re plugging in your micro:bit,
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the micro:bit will appear as a ``MAINTENANCE`` drive instead of ``MICROBIT``. This is known as maintenance mode.
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To continue programming your micro:bit YOU MUST unplug your USB and reconnect it. Check that the drive now shows as ``MICROBIT``.
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## ~ hint
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### Open the version file
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Use with caution!
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If you click on the drive while it shows the ``MAINTENANCE`` label,
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you can see which version of firmware you have running on your micro:bit.
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Firmware on your micro:bit should be up-to-date already.
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You can find the version of firmware in the 'version.txt' file on the micro:bit. See the @boardname@ **[firmware](https://microbit.org/guide/firmware/)** page for more about checking your board's firmware version.
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## ~
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## Compass
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The compass can detect magnetic fields such as the Earth’s magnetic field.
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As the micro:bit has this compass, it is possible to detect the direction it is moving in.
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The micro:bit can detect where it is facing and movement in degrees.
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This data can be used by the micro:bit in a program or be sent to another device.
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## Accelerometer
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There is an accelerometer on your micro:bit which detects changes in the micro:bit’s speed.
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It converts analogue information into digital form that can be used in micro:bit programs.
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Output is in milli-g. The device will also detect a small number of standard actions e.g. shake, tilt and free-fall.
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Watch this video to learn how the accelerometer works:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byngcwjO51U
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## Pins
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The [pins](/device/pins) can be a form of electrical input or output.
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There are labels for the input/output pins ``P0``, ``P1``, ``P2``, which you can attach external sensors to such as thermometers or moisture detectors.
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## Light level
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The screen can also be used a light level sensor (it's a really cool trick).
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Learn more about how light level is detected in this light sensor video:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKhCr-dQMBY
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## Temperature
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Temperatrue is measured on the @boardname@ by detecting how hot its physical CPU material is. Since it operates nearly as cool as the air around it, the temperature it measures for itself is a good approximation for the ambient temperature (the temperature near and around it).
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See how the @boardname@ can detect hot or cold in this temperature sensing video:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T4N8O9xsMA
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## Runtime
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The micro:bit embodies many fundamental concepts in computer science. To learn more, read [the micro:bit - a reactive system](/device/reactive).
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Sometimes, your micro:bit may display an error code. For more information, see:
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* [the error codes](/device/error-codes)
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## How do I connect the micro:bit to my computer?
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Your micro:bit can be connected to your computer via a micro USB cable.
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Data can be sent and received between the micro:bit and the computer so programs
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can be downloaded from Windows, Macs and Chromebooks onto the micro:bit via this USB data connection.
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[Click here to read more information on how to run scripts on your micro:bit](/device/usb),
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and [click here to read more about the error messages you might get](/device/error-codes).
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## Powering your micro:bit
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When your micro:bit is connected to your computer with the micro USB, it doesn’t need another power source.
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When your micro:bit isn’t connected to your computer, tablet or mobile, you will need 2 x AAA 1.5 V batteries to power it.
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The pins labelled 3V and GND are the power supply pins.
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You can attach an external device such as a motor to these and power it using the battery or USB.
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## Serial Communication
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The micro:bit can send and receive data via [serial communication](/device/serial). The serial data can be transferred via USB or BLE.
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## Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Antenna
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You will see the label BLE ANTENNA on the back of your micro:bit. It is for a messaging service,
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so that devices can talk to each other. The micro:bit is a peripheral
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device which can talk to a central device like a smart phone or tablet that has Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).
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The micro:bit can send signals and receive signals from a central device so another BLE device can
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control the micro:bit or the micro:bit can control another BLE device.
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## Technical Information
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The micro:bit has been designed to be a bare-board micro controller for use by children aged 11-12.
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More information is available at the [Microbit Foundation web site](https://microbit.org/guide/).
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