The BBC hopes that distributing its tiny barebones computer to schoolchildren will kickstart a new coding revolution. David Crookes explains all
What is it?
The BBC Micro Bit (www.microbit.co.uk) is a pocket-sized computer that has been developed with the aim of inspiring children to learn to code. It comes in the form of a barebones programming board that’s designed to work with mobile devices. The idea is that it taps into the Internet of Things while allowing young minds to produce fun devices such as robots and musical instruments.
How powerful is it?
Don’t be fooled by its size: the Micro Bit may be just 52mm by 42mm but it packs quite a punch. It’s powered by a 32-bit ARM Cortex MO microprocessor running at 16MHz with 16KB of RAM. At the very least, that makes it the smallest ARMequipped device available. The board also has 25 individually programmable LEDs, three digital/analogue input/output rings, a couple of programmable buttons, a Bluetooth Smart antenna, a 20-pin edge connector and an accelerometer and compass. The accelerometer can detect changes in speed, shakes, tilts and free-falls.
Where’s the keyboard?
It doesn’t come with one. In fact, you don’t actually program the Micro Bit directly, so it doesn’t require a keyboard or even a screen. Instead, users write code for it through a website developed by Microsoft (www.microbit.co.uk/create-code), which lets you program in JavaScript, Python, Microsoft’s own Touch Develop language and Blocks. Each of the four languages is presented with a tutorial and documentation, but although children are encouraged to experiment with the Micro Bit, it’s really intended for use in the classroom or at home with support from a parent or teacher.
How does the Micro Bit connect to a computer?
A micro-USB connector on the board allows you to hook up the Micro Bit to your PC or Mac. When plugged in, the device appears to your computer as MICROBIT and draws power through the USB port. It needs its own batteries (two AAAs) when unplugged.
Can it be connected to a phone or tablet?
It certainly can. There is a Micro Bit Android app that incorporates the code editors and allows users to pair a phone or tablet with the device over Bluetooth. This means it is possible to program the Micro Bit on a mobile and see the results in an instant. Code files (in HEX format) are sent to the Micro Bit using the Flash area of the app. The designers say this can be used to create games, snap selfies (using the Micro Bit as a remote control) and send alerts to the Micro Bit whenever a call or text is received.
What are the LED lights, buttons and rings for?
The red LED lights can flash messages, while the programmable buttons have many uses – to control a game or make a robot perform a certain function, for example. Both buttons complete electrical circuits when pressed, and this information can be sent to other devices via Bluetooth. The rings can be used with crocodile clips or banana plugs to attach more sensors.
Hasn’t the BBC been here before?
Indeed it has. Way back in February 1981, the broadcaster struck a deal with Acorn Computers to create a series of machines to coincide with the BBC Computer Literacy Project. The first BBC Micro was released in December that year, and proved so popular among educators that it eventually made its way into 80 per cent of British schools. The computer could be programmed using a language called BASIC, and it helped to inspire a whole generation of future coders.
So what’s motivating the BBC today?
The coding scene of the 1980s was incredibly vibrant. The likes of the BBC Micro, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC allowed users to get under the hood and experiment with programming techniques. Some of those coders went on to have glittering careers in computing, but somewhere along the line, the home computing phenomenon lost its way. The Livingstone-Hope Skills Review (bit.ly/liv395) published in February 2011 found that ICT (information and communications technology) lessons were failing to teach valuable computer programming knowledge and were instead concentrating on everyday applications such as word processors. The BBC Micro Bit is one of a growing number of devices looking to turn the situation around.
Just like the Raspberry Pi?
Yes, exactly like the Raspberry Pi, which was also created to address this skills shortfall. The Pi has proved very popular, and the Pi Zero – a Linux-compatible micro-computer that can be fitted with a screen and keyboard – could be considered the Micro Bit’s closest rival. It costs just £4, and 100,000 units have been sold. While the Zero has the more advanced ARM 11 processor, however, the Micro Bit actually complements it, as it can be connected to a Pi and other bare-bones devices, such as Arduino, Kano or Galileo.
How much do they cost?
This may be the most interesting aspect. Unlike the BBC Micro, which initially sold for £235 (and rose in price as costs soared), this time every child in Year 7 (or equivalent) will be handed a Micro Bit for free. A million devices will be dished out in total. The BBC says the hardware and much of the software will become open-source and will also be available to buy in due course, although, the price is not yet known.
When will they be handed out?
They’re being distributed right now, although not without controversy. When the Micro Bit was announced in 2015 as part of the BBC’s Make It Digital season, it was envisaged that children would receive them towards the start of the school year. Refining the technology and producing the devices took longer than expected, though, so Year 7 pupils are receiving their Micro Bits closer to their end-of-term exams and the summer holidays. That means they will really only benefit from the devices during Year 8.
What about September’s Year 7 intake?
This is where things get tricky. It’s likely that those who start Year 7 in September won’t get a Micro Bit unless schools are allowed to buy them. The crucial aspect of the Micro Bit initiative is that the computers are supposed to be the property of the children, not the school, and they are free to do what they want with them. Some schools are looking to keep them on site, however, which means they may get passed down.
Will they form part of IT lessons?
They might, or they might not. Again, their late delivery has made it hard for teachers to incorporate them in their plans. Still, with 29 companies and organisations involved in the project, including ARM, Barclays, element 14, Samsung, Microsoft and The Wellcome Trust, there is no shortage of support, so momentum can easily build. There are also plans to create a not-for-profit company to drive the Micro Bit’s legacy.