02 Software & Hardware (Algorithms)

02.3 Project02.3 Innovation Project: Blackbox

In this project students will explore other events to get input from other sensors on the microbit. The microbit becomes a Blackbox that takes input from different sensors on the microbit, processes it and then outputs the information to the LED display. Show students different Events that can be accessed from the Input toolbox.

on A+B Pressed on Shake on Pin0 on Face Up on Logo Down on tilt Left etc

Show students different sensors that can be accessed from the Input toolbox.

Temperature Compass Light level Acceleration (x) Acceleration (z) Rotation (pitch) Rotation (roll) Magnetic force Running time (ms) Running time (micros)

Project Ideas, Design, & Plan

Discussion questions

• What kinds of things do they want to sense in your Blackbox? Make a list in your Notes, Plan, Reflections, & Sketches booklet.
• What inputs, processes, and outputs will be involved? Make a list in your Notes, Plan, Reflections, & Sketches booklet.
• What is your Blackbox going to look like? Sketch a design in your Notes, Plan, Reflections, & Sketches booklet.
• Create project plan using an algorithm in your Notes, Plan, Reflections, & Sketches booklet.
• Remind students that a computing device has a number of inputs, and a number of outputs. The code that we write processes input by telling the microbit what to do when various events occur.

  Project Reflection

  Make a Blackbox out of the microbit, create an output using different sensors for each of the following events to get inputs from the sensors. on button A pressed on button B pressed on button A+B pressed on shake on face up, etc.

See if you can combine a maker element similar to what you created in Lesson 1 by providing a holder for the microbit that holds it securely when you press one of the buttons.

Sample Blackbox designs photos.

Handout for writing your reflection. https://goo.gl/rNXMeA or “Coding & Innovation using Microbits” booklet http://bit.ly/codingmicrobitsbooklet

Project Modifications

• Add more inputs and more outputs - use more than 4 different types of input. Try to use other types of output (other than LEDs) such as sound!
• Can the data input from the sensors be modified (processed) in a way to change the output? (Change the Celsius degrees to Fahrenheit degrees. Change different positions of the microbit to different arrows.)