BBC Micro:Bit and Variations




 Calliope Mini

 A very German open source design, adds functionality and replaces the uncommon edge connector with smaller connectors.     Main Site        Github Files

Has a superior (Bosch BMX055) with Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Magnetometer 
Piezo speaker, MEMS microphone, 1 RGB LED, DC Motor Driver (TI DRV8837) 


Available on Amazon for $44.99  (Original Microbit design is more like $15 in local stores)




Sino:bit



The Sino:bit is a variation Calliope Mini (simpler open source path?), conceived of by the controversial Chinese maker and open source advocate, Naomi Wu (SexyCyborg).

The main difference is the 12x12 144 LED display (instead of the 5x5, 25 LEDs on  the Micro:bit)
to enable it to display Chinese and other non-Roman languages.

It adds a HT1632C LED driver, offloading the processor, you may loose some of the exotic LED applications that direct cpu connection gave, like individual LED brightness control or using them as photo detectors.
 The sensor compliment appears to be closer match to the original micro:bit,  
MISSING: Mic, Speaker, RGB light, motor controllers and gyroscope that the Calliope includes.
 




  In a Chinese presentation, Naomi explains that having the accessories built into a child's learning computer helps prevent their being lost.
   She also describes the greater satisfaction when a kid shows an example to their grandparents displaying a Chinese message, instead of some scrolling English text.
Sino:bit Schematic Click to view.

Adafruit's Review

 Available for $29 + shipping from Elecrow.com

Girhub open source hardware design and test code files.



Out of stock Amazon listing


One observer's comment:  Curious why the QFAA was chosen over say QFAC... this 16k ram version makes trying to fit the BLE stack (S130 softdevice) challenging, as there is not much free ram left.
(nRF51822 processor available with 16k or 32k of ram, verified that the BBC Micro:bit uses the 16k QFA version as well, lower ram version saves the maker about $0.55 in 1000 lots)




---  to be added ---

SeeedStudio Grove Shield for micro:bit v2.0
4 different 4 pin grove connections & 8 banana edge pads $9.90
  
Provides less expensive connectors for bringing out signal.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

LED Driver Roundup

Image
LEDs being current, rather than voltage operated devices require special driver circuits for optimal performance.  While simple applications like an indicator light that might be run at a fraction of it's rated capability, a series current limiting resistor is sufficient.  High power application running at the edge of the LED's max current rating require active regulation to compensate for the negative temperature coefficients of the LED, (measurement techniques are discussed in this university lab paper .) Low power LEDs can be driven with simple series resistor current control when powered from a regulated power supply. The LED Load Line graph be low helps one select a standard resistor value to get the ballpark current setting with a 5 volt power source.  Find where your LED's color line intersects the desired current, then pick the closest resistance line below that intersection. (This graph is from LEDnique.com , a collection of basic articles on LEDs aimed
Read more

Hooking up the 6 + 1 Mic Array to the MaiX BiT

Image
The Risk-V chip on the MaiX BiT board also contains hardware FFT which should make it a respectable audio analysis board.  Sipeed offers a microphone array board with 7 mics and 12 RGB LEDs. Unfortunately the mic array, which SeeedStudio  indicates is for Dock/Go/Bit, there is no real provisions made for the newer BiT board. Included with the mics is a 10 pin ribbon cable for the Go board, and an unadvertised (not on sales page inventory) 5x2 "dupont" connector cable which directly connects between the back of the mic array (not pictured on the sales page) and the Dock board area with mic connection labels silk screened on the board. Some improvising is needed to hook up the BiT.  I offer 2 different solutions. The first that Seeed could help by throwing in a couple of replacement connector housings. Connection Method #1 (You might have to start with a larger housing and cut it down to size) The Seed OPL type for thes
Read more

Holographic Fans Getting Real Time HDMI Input

Image
 One of the technical leaders in so called 3D Holoographic LED Fans is Dseelab, in Sep 2019 they announced at an event the development of real time HDMI Video Input, it may be quite a while befiue it reaches the market.  Achieving this has been my holy grail, looking into FPGA based video processors and examining cartesian to polar code may no longer be necessary... Here's an interesting demo recently posted: Dseelab a leader in the "3D Holographic LED Fan" industry, has master-slave connections on their units, allowing them to be syncronized in an array, they also offer a programming API connecting though WiFi or with a wired serial connection to a PC.  The API supports remote update from the cloud and random play of 256 different media assets. The only other Holographic Fan maker offering a programming API and arrays for large image display is HYPERVSN of  Ireland.  The newest addition to the DseeLab line is their: 6 Blade 78cm, 960*960 res, 84W Model 
Read more