Littlebits Bit p1 User manual

I
RULE YOUR
ROOM KIT
INVENTION GUIDE

littleBits Basics
BIT™INDEX
POWER
p1 power
INPUT
i6 dimmer
i20 sound trigger
OUTPUT
o6 buzzer
o9 bargraph
o11 servo
WIRE
w14 Makey Makey®Bit
ACCESSORIES
a7 adhesive shoes
a19 servo hub
a23 mechanical arm
a24 servo mount
a26 mounting board
micro USB cable
alligator clips
The littleBits Invention Cycle
Icon Index
Conductivity
INVENTIONS
Start building creations with
step-by-step instructions for
ve inventions. You’ll get
ideas for how to put your
own spin on each invention,
and before you know it,
you’ll be creating your own
from scratch.
Creepy Eyeballs
Moving Collage
Buzzing Booklet
Burglar Buzzer
Domain Defender
CHALLENGES
Challenges get you to flex
your creative muscles. They
start with an open-ended
problem. Your mission is to
explore how you could use
your Bits™to create an invention
that solves that problem.
Invent a Kitchen Contraption
WANT MORE INVENTIONS?
Glossary
Troubleshooting
02
06–21
06
07–08
09 –11
12–15
16–21
22
23
24–25
26–69
26
33
43
50
59
70–71
70
72
73
74–75
RULE YOUR
ROOM KIT
INVENTION GUIDE

32
ANATOMY OF A BIT™
Learn how you can tell top from bottom.1
BOTTOM
TOP
OPEN HARDWARE SYMBOL
& LITTLEBITS LOGO
COLOR-CODED BY FUNCTION
BitsTM are grouped into four dierent
categories, which are color-coded.
2
POWER (BLUE): Power Bits, plus a power
supply, run power through your circuit.
INPUT (PINK): Input Bits accept input
from you or the environment and send
signals that aect the Bits that follow.
OUTPUT (GREEN): Output Bits do some-
thing – light up, buzz, move…
WIRE (ORANGE): Wire Bits connect to
other systems and let you build circuits in
new directions.
BUILD DIRECTION
MAGNET MAGIC!
Bits snap together with magnets. The
magnets are always right – you can’t
snap them together the wrong way.
3
ARROWS SHOULD POINT IN THE SAME DIRECTION
IF THE BITS WON’T SNAP TOGETHER, TRY SPINNING
ONE AROUND AND MAKE SURE THE ARROWS POINT
IN THE SAME DIRECTION
ORDER IS IMPORTANT
POWER BITS always come rst and
INPUT BITS only aect the OUTPUT
BITS that come after them.
4
WITH NO OUTPUT BIT AFTER IT, THE INPUT BIT HAS
NOWHERE TO SEND ITS SIGNAL
THE INPUT BIT AFFECTS THE OUTPUT BITS THAT FOLLOW
BASICS
BUILD & PLAY
WITH THIS
CIRCUIT FIRST
i20
sound trigger
BIT NAME
BIT FEET
LEARN ABOUT THE MAKEY
MAKEY BIT ON PG 12.POWER:
ON TWIST
BITSNAPS
(“X” ICONS)
™
CAUTION: PARENTAL SUPERVISION AND ASSISTANCE MAY
BE REQUIRED FOR SAFE USE OF COMPONENTS

54
W
I
N
N
I
N
G
INVENT A
ROBOTIC PEACOCK
INVENT A
PINBALL GAME
INVENT A
KEYTAR
INVENT A
RACING INCHWORM
LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
UNLOCK CHALLENGES,INVENTIONS,
AND FUN ON THE APP.
GET THE FREE APP.
Create your account
to make it oicial. 1 2 3 ENTER YOUR FIRST
CHALLENGE. You
could win free stu!
FIND MORE FUN.
See tons of cool
inventions you can
build with your kit.
*APP MAY DIFFER FROM
SCREENSHOTS SHOWN. + 1000’S MORE
ON THE APP!

76
PHONE
CHARGER
p1 POWER MEET THE BIT
Every circuit starts with
power. It provides the juice
that makes your Bits™spin,
buzz, blink, and shine.
The power Bit converts the
9 volts of electricity in the
battery to the 5 volts that
littleBits™ circuits run on.
The power Bit also sends a
signal through your circuit.
Manipulating this signal
with inputs is how you
control your circuit.
The p1 power is for use
only with a 9 volt battery.
HOW IT WORKS
REAL WORLD ANALOGIES
SAMPLE CIRCUIT
On light
MODE: on/o
p1 POWER
o9 BARGRAPH
HOUSEHOLD
DIMMER SWITCH
STEREO VOLUME
CONTROL
i6 DIMMER
SAMPLE CIRCUIT
MEET THE BIT
Twist this dimmer back and
forth to control your circuit.
As you twist the knob
clockwise, more signal
goes to the Bits that follow,
brightening lights, speeding
up motors, or raising the
volume on buzzers.
The dimmer is like the
knob on a water faucet.
The more you turn the
knob, the more the water
flows from the faucet. The
dimmer is similar – the more
you twist it clockwise, the
more electrical signal it
lets through.
HOW IT WORKS
REAL WORLD ANALOGIES
SAMPLE CIRCUIT
Can you invent something
that waves a flag back and
forth? How could you
change the speed it waves?
MINI-CHALLENGE
i6 DIMMER
o9 BARGRAPH
p1 POWER
TWIST
™

98
CLAP ON LIGHT HUMAN EAR
This is the component that
measures sound.
SENSITIVITY: "–" decrease,
"+" increase.
i20 SOUND TRIGGER
i20 SOUND TRIGGER MEET THE BIT
HOW IT WORKS
REAL WORLD ANALOGIES
SAMPLE CIRCUIT
MINI-CHALLENGE
Use this Bit to control your
circuits with sound! The
sound trigger listens to the
noise level in your room,
and sends an ON signal
when it gets over a certain
level. Try it with a Bit that
lights up to create a circuit
that responds to the snap of
your ngers.
The sound trigger has a
microphone that measures
how much noise is around
it. When the noise gets to
a certain level, the sound
trigger will let the signal from
the previous Bits through
for three seconds. Use the
adjustment dial to set what
noise level you'd like the Bit
to be triggered at.
Can you invent a
notication that tells you
when it gets too loud?
o9 BARGRAPH
p1 POWER
CAR ALARM
o6 BUZZER MEET THE BIT
HOW IT WORKS
REAL WORLD ANALOGIES
SAMPLE CIRCUIT
MINI-CHALLENGE
The buzzer makes a sound
no one can ignore. It’s
great at sounding the alarm
or annoying those nearby.
The buzzer converts the
electrical signal it receives
into a vibration, which
creates a buzzing sound.
The more signal it receives,
the more intense the
vibration, and the louder
the sound is.
Can you invent a way to
communicate with your
friends using the buzzer?
o6 BUZZER
i6 DIMMER
p1 POWER
DOORBELL
di dg!

1110
MUSIC
VISUALIZER TV VOLUME
o9 BARGRAPH MEET THE BIT
HOW IT WORKS
REAL WORLD ANALOGIES
SAMPLE CIRCUIT
MINI-CHALLENGE
The bargraph shows you
how much signal the Bit is
receiving with a display of
ve light-emitting diodes
(LEDs) in dierent colors.
Try it with a dimmer to make
your own adjustable lamp.
The bargraph uses ve LEDs
to turn electricity into light.
Each LED on the board
needs a certain amount of
signal in order to light up.
As you increase the signal
sent to the bargraph, more
LEDs will shine.
Can you invent a way to
measure your mood?
i6 DIMMER
o9 BARGRAPH
p1 POWER
TRUCK CRANE
o11 SERVO MEET THE BIT
HOW IT WORKS
REAL WORLD ANALOGIESMINI-CHALLENGE
The servo is a motor that
can swing back and forth
or be turned to a specic
position.
There are a few accessories
you can use with the servo
(like the mechanical arm).
You can nd out how to use
those on pages 17–19.
The servo has two modes.
In TURN mode, the input
from other Bits determines
the position of the arm –
try using a dimmer to set
the angle you want. In
SWING mode, the servo
will move back and forth
on its own like a pair of
windshield wipers – the
input signal controls the
speed of the swing.
The arc of the servo’s swing
is about 110 degrees from
one end to the other.
Can you invent something
that uses the servo to clean
up your desk?
SAMPLE CIRCUIT
i6 DIMMER
p1 POWER
MODE: turn or swing
o11 SERVO
WINDSHIELD
WIPERS
Attach the servo
hub. See pg 17.

1312
right arrow pad
earth pad
w14 MAKEY MAKEY BIT MEET THE BIT
BIT BREAKDOWN
The Makey Makey Bit turns
everyday conductive objects
(like bananas) into triggers
that control your circuit and
even your computer. You
can connect the Makey
Makey Bit to these objects
using alligator clips. Learn
more about conductive
materials on pages 24–25.
You can power the Makey
Makey Bit through any of
the three bitSnaps™ .
space/click pad
left arrow pad
MODE: space/click
signal indicatormicro USB
to computer
COMPUTER
KEYBOARD
OPERATION
GAME®
When you touch the metal
ends of both alligator clips,
you activate the buzzer
which is directly opposite
the LEFT ARROW pad.
A green LED lights up on the
Makey Makey Bit to indicate
which keypad you are triggering.
SAMPLE CIRCUIT #1 HOW IT WORKS
The Makey Makey Bit
sends an ON signal to the
Bits that follow it when
a keypad (LEFT ARROW,
SPACE/CLICK, or RIGHT
ARROW) is connected to
either of the EARTH pads
through a conductive
material. In sample circuit
#1, when you touch both
alligator clips at the same
time, electricity flows from
the LEFT ARROW keypad to
the EARTH pad, triggering
an ON signal to the buzzer.
This works because humans
are conductive. Yes, even you!
NOTE: This Makey Makey
Bit interaction requires you
to connect a keypad
(LEFT ARROW, RIGHT
ARROW, SPACE/CLICK)
to an EARTH pad through
a conductive material.
TOUCH BOTH
ALLIGATOR
CLIPS AT THE
SAME TIME.
REAL WORLD ANALOGIES
Can you invent a prank
with the Makey Makey Bit?
What conductive materials
can you use to trigger
the prank?
MINI-CHALLENGE
p1 POWER
w14 MAKEY MAKEY
®
KEYPADS
o6 BUZZER

1514
When the Makey Makey Bit receives
a signal from the sound trigger and
bargraph, it will trigger the mouse
click on your computer.
w14 MAKEY MAKEY
HOW IT WORKS
When you connect the
Makey Makey Bit to your
computer with the micro
USB cable it can act like
a keyboard or mouse,
controlling LEFT ARROW,
RIGHT ARROW, and SPACE/
CLICK. For example, when
you touch the SPACE/CLICK
pad and an EARTH pad, it
is the same as pressing the
space bar or left click on
your mouse.
NOTE: This Makey Makey
Bit interaction requires you
to connect a keypad
(LEFT ARROW, RIGHT
ARROW, SPACE/CLICK)
to an EARTH pad through
a conductive material.
SAMPLE CIRCUIT #2
COMPLETE
THE CIRCUIT ACTIVATE YOUR COMPUTER’S SPACE BAR
p1 POWER
On the SPACE/CLICK pad, you can
toggle the switch between SPACE
(space bar) and CLICK (left click on
your computer mouse) functionalities.
w14 MAKEY MAKEY
MA KEY
i12 temp.
sensor:
Fahrenheit
mode
i13 light
sensor:
light mode
o11 servo:
swing mode
Makey Makey:
click mode
i12 temp.
sensor:
celsius
mode
i13 light
sensor:
dark mode
o11 servo:
turn mode
Makey Makey:
space mode
MODE:
SPACE
HOW IT WORKS
You can use input Bits to
control the keys on your
computer through the micro
USB cable. Each input
bitSnap controls the
keypad across from it on
the Makey Makey Bit.
SAMPLE CIRCUIT #3SAMPLE CIRCUIT #3
ACTIVATE YOUR COMPUTER’S
MOUSE CLICK
p1 POWER
i12 temp.
sensor:
Fahrenheit
mode
i13 light
sensor:
light mode
o11 servo:
swing mode
Makey Makey:
click mode
MODE:
CLICK
o9 BARGRAPH
i20 SOUND TRIGGER

1716
a7 ADHESIVE SHOES MEET THE ACCESSORY
Shoes slip onto your Bits’
feet and hold your circuit
together. On the bottom of
your shoes you’ll nd red
adhesive backing you can
peel o, which is great for
securing your circuits to
dierent surfaces.
HOW IT WORKS
First snap together your
littleBits circuit. Then press
the feet of your Bits into
the holes of the shoes
and place your circuit on
your chosen surface.
Adhesive shoes can be
secured onto any surface
– paper, cardboard,
plastic – you name it! Just
peel the adhesive backing
o, and stick it on.
NOTE: The shoe adhesive is
for one-time use only.
Bit feet go in the shoes
a19 SERVO HUB MEET THE ACCESSORY
HOW IT WORKS
The servo hub lets you
easily attach materials to
your servo motor and add
more complex movements
to your littleBits inventions.
The servo hub can be
removed by gently pulling
it o the servo motor. This
is helpful if you need to
change how the holes are
positioned for an invention.
BE SURE TO ALIGN THE
TEETH ON THE SHAFT
WITH THE TEETH IN THE
HUB HOLE