Farnell ships latest BBC micro:bit
Farnell is an exclusive manufacturing partner of the Micro:bit Educational Foundation and is now shipping a new BBC micro:bit for students. Extended capabilities include greater memory capacity, a faster processor and, for the first time, “out of the box” sound and touch capabilities. The updated pocket-sized computer also provides future potential for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in the classroom, paving the way for children to experiment with some of the world’s most transformative technologies.
Farnell has manufactured and shipped more than five million devices since 2016, helping the Foundation reach an estimated 25 million children in more than 60 countries who have learnt digital creativity and computing skills. The micro:bit has been adopted by educational organisations around the world to support science, technology, education and mathematics (STEM) learning programmes.
The Foundation worked directly with teachers and the community of micro:bit fans to drive the selection of updates, to meet current and future requirements. One of the most requested enhancements was the addition of a built-in speaker and microphone to allow children to be creative with sound and music. As part of the Micro:bit Educational Foundation’s commitment to keep the device as cost-effective and accessible as possible, the updated feature-rich micro:bit is available at the same price as the original version.
The updated micro:bit is based on a Nordic nRF52833 microprocessor which runs at 64MHz with 512kbyte of flash storage. This is double the storage of the original micro:bit. It also has 128kbyte RAM (an eightfold increase compared to the original). The micro:bit also includes a discrete regulator that can supply up to 200mA of current to external accessories.
For audio, there is a MEMS sensor microphone and 9mm magnetic loudspeaker, partnered with a dedicated recording LED to indicate when the microphone is on. This feature allows teachers to engage with students around privacy issues and the impact of listening devices.
Official micro:bit editors support both versions of the micro:bit simultaneously with a single download using a new type of universal hex file. If features available on borth versions are being used, micro:bit users will not have to select a device.
There is also a touch-sensitive and a sleep/off mode that means the board can be powered-down with batteries connected.
The Micro:bit Educational Foundation provides a range of resources for educators at micro:bit.org, including micro:bit classroom.
