Compact All-In-One Board For BBC micro:bit

Kitronik Compact All-In-One Robotics Board for BBC micro:bit

The BBC micro:bit can operate four motors (or two stepper motors) and eight servos using the compact Kitronik robotics board. With 17 additional I/O expansion connections, the BBC micro:bit can quickly become the heart of a wide range of robotic applications. The board has a modest footprint, but is packed with features and connections.

The robotics board includes two dual H-bridge motor driver ICs (each capable of driving two standard motors or one stepper motor) and eight servo outputs (each capable of driving standard and continuously rotating servos), all of which are controlled by the BBC micro:bit via I2C through a 16-channel driver IC. Even inexperienced users can use I2C through our own MakeCode blocks.

The Link connector separates all the useful pins from the BBC micro:bit and is intended to be soldered using a 2.54mm pin connector. Other input devices, such as sensors, or output devices, such as ZIP LEDs, can be added to the board using the 17 available I/O pins. As the I2C communication lines are separate (pins 19 and 20), other I2C compatible devices can be connected to the board and controlled by the BBC micro:bit.

Power is supplied via a terminal block or servo connection. Power is then regulated by an on/off switch on the board. When the board is switched on, a green LED lights up. The board then generates a regulated 3.3V power supply, which is routed to the 3V and GND connectors to power the BBC's micro:bit. It is therefore not necessary to power the BBC micro:bit independently. The 3V and GND pins are also separate on the Link socket, allowing power to be supplied to other devices.

The BBC micro:bit must be firmly placed in the edge connection to use the tiny robotic board, with the LEDs and buttons visible from the front.

Kitronik has created a collection of custom blocks for the MakeCode editor to make it easier to use the Compact Robotics Board for BBC micro:bit. To add them to the editor, click on the gear symbol in the top right corner. Then, in the drop-down menu, choose Extensions, and in the search field, type and enter Kitronik. Choose the Kitronik robotic board from the list, and the new blocks will be added to the editor menu.

Features compact All-In-One Robotics Board for BBC micro:bit

• A small, feature-rich board, designed to be the centre of any robotics project.
  It can power four motors (or two stepper motors) and eight servos.
  There are 17 additional I/O expansion points on the board.
  The link header is designed to accept 2.54mm pitch pin headers.
  The I2C communication channels are also separate, allowing control of other I2C-compatible devices.
  An on/off switch and power status LED are also included on this board.
  The board is powered by a terminal block or servo connection.
  The 3V and GND pins of the Link header are also separate, allowing power to be supplied to other devices.
  Code in Microsoft's MakeCode editor using Kitronik's own blocks or in Python.

All-In-One Robotics Board: content, requirements and resources

Contents : 

• 1 x Compact robotic board for BBC micro:bit.
• Please note: the BBC micro:bit board is not included.

Prerequisites : 

• A micro:bit.
• USB cable.
• A power supply.
• You also need parts, such as: Motors / Stepper Motor / Servos​

Resources :

• The demonstration code for programming in MicroPython is as follows GitHub.
• Tech Talks - live stream playback.