BBC Micro:bit in Practice

A hands-on guide to building creative real-life projects with MicroPython and the BBC Micro:bit

Ashwin Pajankar

Abhishek Sharma

Sandeep Saini

BIRMINGHAM—MUMBAI

BBC Micro:bit in Practice

Copyright © 2022 Packt Publishing

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First published: December 2022

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To Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the architects of modern India, whose names will always be remembered and cherished.

– Ashwin Pajankar

Contributors

About the author(s)

Ashwin Pajankar is an author, a YouTuber, and an instructor. He graduated from the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, with an MTech in computer science and engineering. He has been writing programs for over two and a half decades. He is proficient in Linux, Unix shell scripting, C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, PowerShell, Golang, HTML, and assembly language. He has worked on single-board computers such as Raspberry Pi and Banana Pro. He is also proficient with microcontroller boards such as Arduino and the BBC Micro:bit. He is currently self-employed and teaches on Udemy and YouTube. He also organizes programming boot camps for working professionals and software companies.

I want to thank my friend Anuradha who encouraged me to write this book. I thank the other two authors of the book, Abhishek and Sandeep. Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude toward the Packt team members – Neil, Runcil, Preet, Sayali, Surbhi, and Yogesh – for their valuable guidance and assistance.

Abhishek Sharma completed his BE in electronics engineering from Jiwaji University, Gwalior, India, and his PhD in engineering from the University of Genoa, Italy. He is presently working as an assistant professor in the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering at the LNM Institute of Information and Technology, Jaipur, India. He is the coordinator of the ARM University Partner Program, Texas Instruments Lab, and Intel Intelligent Lab at the LNM Institute of Information and Technology and the center lead of LNMIIT-Center of Smart Technology (L-CST). His research interests are real-time systems and emerging technologies.

I would like to first and foremost thank my loving wife, Mano, and daughters, Madhu and Mihu, for their continued support, patience, and encouragement throughout the long process of writing this book. Thanks also to my parents for their support and faith.

Sandeep Saini works as an assistant professor in the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering at the LNM Institute of Information and Technology, Jaipur, India. He has taught robotics and electronics subjects at the university level in India and abroad for over a decade. He has taught more than 8,000 students online and offline during this time. He received a BTech and MS in electronics and communication engineering from the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, India. He received his PhD from Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), Jaipur, India. He has written 6 books and published 35 peer-reviewed journals and conference papers.

I would like to first and foremost thank my parents, my wife, and my daughter for their continued support, patience, and encouragement throughout the long process of writing this book.

About the reviewer

Emmanuel Efegodo is a software developer and an ed-tech practitioner with a degree in computer engineering. He enjoys programming generally but is mostly in love with JavaScript and the Jamstack architecture. He had his high school education in Gambia and his tertiary education in Nigeria. He strives to become an agent of change in Africa’s digital education ecosystem, particularly in software design. He heads the curriculum team of JuniorX Innovation Academy with Obi Brown, a Google-certified ed-tech innovator, where he also teaches physical computing with the BBC Micro:bit, Python programming, and game development to young Africans.