Last year, it was announced that the BBC would be donating a credit card-sized microcontroller called the micro:bit to 1 million year 7 students across the UK. Now, the powerful pocket computer is finally here, with British students getting their hands on the micro:bit and, along with it, the power to code. Though the BBC has partnered with some 29 different organizations to make this project possible, the official 3D printing partner of the BBC micro:bit is the UK’s own MyMiniFactory. As such, the MMF community has already designed an entire range of accessories for the tiny microcontroller that the 1 million year 7 students can download for free.
The files already uploaded are pretty exciting, even if you happen to be over the age of 11. Though there are somewhat simpler projects, like the micro:bit Egg Timer and various clips and cases for the device, there are also some that are quite impressive. Take the Micro:Racing, Telescopic Light Sword, micro:bit Thermometer, and Binary Watch projects, all of which are sure to ignite the coding bug in all one million eleven-year-olds that will be receiving the computer.
The micro:bit initiative is likely to continue to grow with the school kids so that, by the time they’re in high school, they’ll have moved on to even more complex projects (micro:bit drones and robots, anyone?). If you’re interested in contributing to the development of micro:bit accessories, use the share button at the top of this page to get involved. And feel free to contact MMF to learn more at [email protected].
