README.md

microbit python experiments

Journaling Microbit MicroPython experiments here.

Not too impressed with the command line tools.

Going to stick to the online editor for now.

Experiments

Using the online editor to test these.

I need to spend more time learning how to use the command-line tools.

Hello World

Unicode characters only seem to work in the console. The Dot display shows ? for every byte.

• display.scroll(text): uses a scroll animation to display all the characters in the string
• display.show(text): shows one character at a time without any animation
• audio.play(Sound): plays a sound
• speech.say(text): it just seems to play gibberish

Show All Symbols

Needed a way to see all the pre-defined symbols.

Should add button functionality to manually browse them.

Browse All Symbols

Here we go, an image/symbol browser!

• button_a scrolls left
• button_b scrolls right
• pin_logo replays the current image

Play All Sounds

Needed a way to hear all the pre-defined sounds.

Should add button functionality to manually browse them.

Browse All Sounds

Here we go, a sound browser!

• button_a scrolls left
• button_b scrolls right
• pin_logo replays the current sound

Browse All Music

Here we go, a music browser!

• button_a scrolls left
• button_b scrolls right
• pin_logo replays the current sound

Press a Button

The buttons button_a and button_b have 3 methods:

• get_presses(): returns the running total of the press events and resets the counter
• is_pressed(): returns true if the button is currently in the pressed position
• was_pressed(): returns true if the button was pressed since the last time we checked

Pet a Microbit

Pet the Microbit by holding the logo button.

• pin_logo.is_touiched(): returns true if the logo is currently being touched.

Sound Meter

Shows the sound level from the microphone from 0 to 255.

Need to add a graphical graph of the sound levels.

• microphone.get_events(): returns a tuple of sound events
• microphone.is_event(): returns true if the last sound event occurred
• microphone.set_threshold(SoundEvent, value): adjust the sensitivity of the microphone
• microphone.sound_level(): returns the sound pressure level from 0 to 255
• microphone.was_event(): returns true if a sound event occurred since the last time it was checked

Light Meter

Uses the LED to measure light.

• display.read_light_level(): number from 0 to 255, not very sensitive

Temperature Meter

Add a graph of the temperature?

• temperature(): returns the integer temperature in Celsius

Fake Compass

Uses an arrow to show which direction it's pointing in.

Not very useful as a compass.

Need a new version that uses animation to show where North, East, West and South always are like a real compass.

• heading(): has the annoying habit of forcing re-calibrations, returns a number from 0 to 355 representing the degrees from North starting at 0°.

Real Compass

This version behaves like a real compass.

Spin the Wheel

Uses buttons instead of the compass to spin the arrow.

Random Pointer

Uses the random number generator to direct the direction of the arrow.

Data Logger

This is cool, it creates an interactive data file with the logged data.

Example data file: MY_DATA.HTM

• log.set_mirroring(bool): mirrors log data to the console
• log.set_labels(label1, ...): text labels of data
• log.add(label, function, ...): map functions to labels
• @run_every(seconds): decorator used on a custom function to log data in the background

Shake Logger

Logs the accelerometer's data.

• accelerometer.get_x(): returns the acceleration measurement in the x axis in milli-g
• accelerometer.get_y(): returns the acceleration measurement in the y axis in milli-g
• accelerometer.get_z(): returns the acceleration measurement in the z axis in milli-g

Dice

Took a sec to get the order of events right so there's a low lag between button presses and user feedback. Using button_x.get_presses() helped a lot with the "responsiveness" feel of the app.

Uses button a to decrement the dice face count and button b to increment the face count. Valid dice faces/sides are 4, 6, 8, 12 and 20.

The user shakes the microbit to use the RNG to roll the dice. If the user shakes it violently, it displays an angry face and rolls the dice anyway.

Entropy meter

Using the accelerometer to fill in the dots.

It's interesting to just let it sit there and fill in on it's own over time.

Game of Life

Trying out implementing the Game of Life on the microbit.

Life is hard on the LEDs.

Pomodoro Timer

Simple pomodoro timer.

Example data file: MY_DATA.HTM

• defaults to a 45 minute work timer followed by a 15 minute break timer
• issues an audible 5 minute warning
• issues the work/break session end

While in the up arrow state (waiting for the user to touch the pin_logo button):

• button_a scrolls between predefined timers: 45|15, 60|25, 90|30, 5|1, 15|5, 30|10
• button_b toggles logging mode, defaults to disabled

After the user presses the pin_logo button:

• button_b pauses timer and button_a unpauses timer
• button_a cancels/resets timer

After both the work and break timers complete, it returns to the first state.

Random Timer

I wanted to implement a timer that used an hourglass animation. The duration, in seconds, of the timer is set using an RNG.

Timer

This is a "normal" timer.

stage1:

• button_a: used to select between units of seconds, minutes, or hours
• button_b: used to confirm the selection

stage2:

• pin_logo: used to select the duration increment number (1, 5, 10, 30, 45)
• button_a: used to increment the duration from 0 to the limit for the units:
  • seconds: 90 seconds
  • minutes: 90 minutes
  • hours: 24 hours (batteries don't last that long so good luck with that)
• button_b: used to confirm the selection

stage3:

A right arrow points to button_b to tell the user how to start the timer.

The timer can also be reset by pressing button_a.

stage4:

This is the timer phase. It uses a classic | / - \ wheel animation as the heartbeat. The pomodoro timer has a way fancier animation.

At 10% left, it will play BA_DING and at completion it will play DADADADUM and show the happy face wearing sunglasses.

• button_a: cancels timer, should be ignored during pause
• button_b: pauses and unpauses the timer

Messenger

Simple emoji messenger.

stage1: radio group selection

• button_a: scroll backward between 0 and 255 by decrements of 7.
• button_b: scroll forward between 0 and 255 by increments of 7.
• pin_logo: confirms radio group selection.

stage2: emoji selection

• button_a: scroll backward emoji list
• button_b: scroll forward emoji list
• pin_logo: confirms emoji selection.

stage3: both microbits loop sending and receiving until they receive the other's message

• button_a or button_b will unpause and return to the emoji browser.

Rock-Paper-Scissors

Rock-Paper-Scissors game.

stage1: radio group selection

• button_a: scroll backward between 0 and 255 by decrements of 7.
• button_b: scroll forward between 0 and 255 by increments of 7.
• pin_logo: confirms radio group selection.

stage2: rock-paper-scissor move selection

• button_a: scroll backward [R, P, S]
• button_b: scroll forward [R, P, S]
• pin_logo: confirms move selection.

stage3: both microbits loop sending and receiving until they receive the other's "move".

• button_a or button_b will unpause and return to the move selection stage.

High Card

Simple two player high card game. Each player gets a random number from 0 to 9, inclusive, and then exchange them to see who won.

stage1: radio group selection

• button_a: scroll backward between 0 and 255 by decrements of 7.
• button_b: scroll forward between 0 and 255 by increments of 7.
• pin_logo: confirms radio group selection.

stage2: card selection - replaced with RNG

• button_a: scroll backward [0..9]
• button_b: scroll forward [0..9]
• pin_logo: confirms move selection.

stage3: both microbits loop sending and receiving until they receive the other's "card".