The BBC micro:bit is describe as a pocket-sized programmable / codable micro computer that allows children to get creative with technology, these device is made and designed from a major partnership with 28 organizations, up to 1 million micro:bit devices will be given away, one to every 11 to 12 years old, for free exclusively in the United Kingdome. The picture below it is not the final device, still under development.
Micro:Bit Pinout diagram
This device can be programmed using online interface tools such as Microsoft Touch Development IDE and Microsoft Block it is mbed enabled, easy to use C/C++ SDK and dedicated micro:bit runtime libraries for rapid development.
The device communication is powered by Nordic Semiconductors, that has nRF51822 Multi Protocol Bluetooth 4.0 at low energy / 2.4GHz RF SoC, it runs on 32-bit ARM Cortex M0 Processor 16 MHz 16kB RAM 256kB Flash bluetooth can be change to Master or Slave at low energy.
The device INPUT/OUTPUT at the back of the board it has 25 Matrix LED, at the front it has Free scale MMA8652 3 AXIS Accelerometer and free scale MAG3110 3 AXIS Magnetometer or an electronic compass, two push button, USB and Edge connectors Serial Input Output, 2 – 3 PWM (Pulse with Modulation) outputs, 5 Banana / Croc-Clip connectors, Edge Connector, 6 Analog In, 6 ~ 7 GPIO can be configured, USB Micro B Connector, JST Power Connector Runs at 3 v, and the best of all it has SPI ( Serial Peripheral Interface) and i2C.
The micro:bit run-time, developed by Lancaster University, abstracts all of the micro:bit hardware and provides an easy to use API that also includes a scheduler, managed types and eventing subsystems.
