MonkMakes 00063 User manual

Instructions:
ELECTRONICS STARTER KIT
FOR MICRO:BIT
Rev 4a.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Parts ..........................................................................................................................3
Making the Projects...................................................................................................4
Getting Started...........................................................................................................7
Project 1. Movement Alarm....................................................................................10
Project 2. Lighthouse...............................................................................................12
Project 3. Shout-o-meter..........................................................................................14
Project 4. Thermometer...........................................................................................17
Project 5. Fan Speed Controller...............................................................................20
Project 6. Automatic Fan.........................................................................................24
Project 7. Magic Music............................................................................................26
The JavaScript Blocks Editor..................................................................................28
Using MicroPython..................................................................................................30
Troubleshooting.......................................................................................................31
What Next?..............................................................................................................32
Notes........................................................................................................................33
MonkMakes.............................................................................................................36
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PARTS
micro:bit, AA battery and USB lead are not included in this kit.
Before you do anything else, check that your kit includes the following items:
Quantity
1 MonkMakes Speaker for micro:bit
(play sounds from your micro:bit)
1 MonkMakes Switch for micro:bit
(switch things on and off or control the
brightness of a light or the speed of a motor)
1 MonkMakes Sensor Board for micro:bit
(sense sound, temperature and light)
1 Set of alligator clip leads (10 leads) to connect
things together
1 Small motor with fan
1 Single AA battery box (battery not included) to
power the light bulb and fan
1 MonkMakes 1V Bulb
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MAKING THE PROJECTS
Software
Before connecting boards to your micro:bit install the program for the project onto
the micro:bit. This makes sure that pins are correctly configured as inputs and
outputs before you connect up the electronics.
This kit comes with programs for both the JavaScript Blocks Editor and for
MicroPython. If you are new to programming, then the Blocks editor is the best
place to start. If you want to use the MicroPython versions of the programs, then
please see the section Using MicroPython later in this booklet.
The Blocks editor program allows you to program your micro:bit directly from the
browser on your computer. All the programs for this kit are listed on a web page for
this kit's software at: https://monkmakes.com/mb_2a shown below.
Clicking on one of the programs will open it in your browser so that you can then
install it on your micro:bit.
Page 4

Alligator Clips
The projects in this kit are assembled by connecting your micro:bit to one or more of
the MonkMakes boards using alligator clips. You have to be a bit careful how you
connect the clips at the micro:bit end. The correct way is to connect the clips
vertically as shown below.
Connecting the alligator clips like this prevents any accidental connections between
the large connectors with the holes in and the much smaller connectors (gold lines
in the photo above)
The Motor
To stop the motor falling over, connect the alligator clips as shown below.
Page 5

Building a Project
The micro:bit and the MonkMakes boards are pretty robust when it comes to
connecting things up the wrong way around, but it's a good idea to unplug your
micro:bit from your computer while you are wiring things up. Then check it over
carefully before connecting your micro:bit to your computer.
Each project includes a wiring diagram, like the one below. This shows you what
needs to be connected to what. It suggests the colors of lead to be used for each
connection. The project will still work just fine, whatever color of lead you use, but it
makes it easier to see what's going on if you stick to the color scheme, especially
using red for 3V power connections and black for the ground connection.
Page 6

GETTING STARTED
To get you started with your kit, please follow the steps below. This does not use
any of the MonkMakes add-on boards, so for now you don't need the alligator clips.
If you have already used your micro:bit for other things, you can probably skip this
section.
Step 1. Plug your micro:bit into your computer.
Connect your micro:bit to a free USB port on your computer.
If your micro:bit is new, then its LED display will start displaying messages and
showing off various features of the micro:bit. You are going to replace this program
currently running on your micro:bit with a new one.
Step 2. Open The Blocks Editor
To install the new program (incidentally the program is called welcome) onto your
micro:bit, you first need to open it in the Blocks Editor. You can do this by going to
the following page on your computer's web browser:
https://monkmakes.com/mb_2a
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Click on the project called welcome. This is what you should see when you click on
it.
Step 3. Install the Program
Next, you are going to send the welcome program to the micro:bit.
Click on the “Download” link at the bottom of the page. This will download a file for
the program ending in .hex. You will also see the prompt below.
As the prompt says, this hex file needs to be moved onto the micro:bit. The
micro:bit will show up as a USB drive on your computer. In other words, you need to
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drag the hex file from your Downloads folder onto the micro:bit icon in the file
explorer just as if the micro:bit were a USB flash drive.
If you are using a Mac, Linux or Raspberry Pi computer the process is the same,
but the file explorer tool will be different.
As soon as the hex file is dragged onto the micro:bit icon, a yellow LED on the back
of your micro:bit will start to flicker furiously as the program is flashed onto the
micro:bit. As soon as the flashing has finished, the welcome program will start and
display the message: Your electronics adventure begins.
Congratulations, you are now ready to move on to Project 1!
If you want to learn more about the Blocks Editor, then see the section The Blocks
Editor later in this booklet.
Page 9

PROJECT 1. MOVEMENT ALARM
You will need:
•micro:bit
•MonkMakes Speaker for micro:bit
•Program: P1 Alarm
Flash the program P1 Alarm onto your micro:bit
(see page 8 for instructions on flashing programs
onto your micro:bit). Then connect the Speaker as
shown to the right.
Try moving your micro:bit. As soon as you do, you
should hear a tune start to play to indicate that the
alarm has been triggered.
How it Works
The program uses the micro:bit's built in accelerometer to measure any force acting
in the z dimension (vertically). If the micro:bit is lying completely flat this will be
-1023, but when the micro:bit is picked up, the force will change.
When the program first starts, it saves the current acceleration reading in a variable
called z. The forever loop then repeatedly checks the acceleration and if it has
fallen from its initial value (z) by more than 50 the alarm is sounded.
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