[Microbit-Python] PyCon UK proposal - Enriching Maths and Physics teaching with Micro:bit motion sensors

Fri Jul 15 10:16:10 EDT 2016

Hi Nigel,

By the end of next week I should be in a position where I can send you some boards. By then I hope to have a few more of my custom connectors available.

For the designs you have in mind, which GPIO will they use? The reason why I ask is that designs that just use P0, P1 and/or P2 will work without the custom connector. Designs that use the other GPIO need the connector.

Your design ideas certainly sound interesting. I've tinkered with some audio designs but it's really not my area of expertise so I'd be interested in seeing what you can come up with. I plan to be at Pycon in Cardiff on the Friday and it would be good to meet if you are there that day. I am also at the IET micro:bit day on the 29th July in London in case you (or anyone else) is there that day.

As far as publishing anything with my boards on them I'd like to wait until a time when people if they want to can obtain them and I'm not yet sure when that will be.

As for the JST connectors I have plenty of them. I had to buy 50 and I'm only ever likely to use about a dozen so I can put a few in with the boards I send you along with the crimp pins to go with them. If you don't have a crimp tool you might have to improvise! 

Let me know what address to post everything to.

Cheers,

Nevil

From: nigel.kendrick at gmail.com
Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2016 13:25:54 +0100
To: microbit at python.org
Subject: Re: [Microbit-Python] PyCon UK proposal - Enriching Maths and Physics teaching with Micro:bit motion sensors

Hi Nevil,

Happy to receive anything you have to spare - solderable boards are fine. Let me know if you want postage/costs covered. 

Incidentally, I was laying out some boards of my own with specific circuits on them to be published as Open Hardware DIY projects, but maybe I could think about just (or also) publishing a working layout and BOM to fit your boards. I have an all-in-one audio board with spectrum analyser, 3V Class D audio amplifier, electret mic amplifier and a sound detector/alarm circuit; that might be a squeeze for one board, but they could be split into 3 separate circuits (a Spectrum analyser, an audio amp and a mic/sound detector).

Finally, do you know the exact part code (or Farnell/RS stock code) for a JST plug to fit the power connector on the micro:bit; I thought I was bound to have some in my parts bins, but it was not to be. I already have half a dozen battery holders just waiting for the right connector. 

A meetup at Pycon would be good.

Nigel
On 27 June 2016 at 18:12, Nevil Hunt <nevil.hunt at hotmail.co.uk> wrote:

Hi Stephen, Leona, Nigel,

If your ideas need extra sensors connected to the micro:bit I'm happy to send you some of the boards I've had made which make doing so easier (see attached photos)

zbit:builder bolts onto the bottom of the micro:bit and provides a grid for components to be soldered with access to all GPIO and power.

zbit:breadboard is similar but requires no soldering.

Also, I've just submitted a proposal to demonstrate some of my other zbit:connect boards on Teachers day at PyCon so I look forward to meeting you and anyone else involved with micro python on that day.

Regards,

Nevil

To: microbit at python.org
From: mail at stevesimmons.com
Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2016 01:20:58 +0100
Subject: [Microbit-Python] PyCon UK proposal - Enriching Maths and Physics teaching with Micro:bit motion sensors
CC: stestagg at gmail.com; leonaso43 at googlemail.com

    Hi everyone,

    I mentioned on this list a couple of weeks ago an idea to run a
    session at PyCon UK Teachers' Day on using the Micro:bit's motion
    sensors. 

    A number of people - including Leona, Steve and Nigel (Cc-ed) -
    replied wanting to get involved.

    Encouraged by this, I have just submitted the outline below. It
    hopefully gives the conference organisers enough to say "Yup, go for
    it" while leaving a lot of space for us to decide exactly what to
    present.

    I am on holiday next week so will finally have time to email
    everyone who has expressed interest about working together sorting
    out the details.

    Thanks

    Stephen

      Title: 

      Enriching Maths and Physics teaching with Micro:bit motion sensors

      What are you proposing? 

       A workshop for Teachers' Day 

      (duration/number of attendees are flexible. TBD with PyCon UK
      organisers)

      Abstract: 

       The BBC Micro:bit has powerful accelerometer and compass
      motion sensors. While they are fun for kids to play with, we show
      how they can also be used in class to bring some key Maths and
      Physics principles to life.

      This workshop session is intended for teachers who want to learn
      about using  micro:bit in their classes. No specific knowledge of
      micro:bit or Python programming is assumed. People who already
      know Python and micro:bit are also welcome to join in, especially
      if you can help the teachers get started.

      Teachers and helpers are asked to send their ideas for teaching
      examples to me at mail at stevesimmons.com
      well before the Teachers' Day. We will write up several examples
      to present in full, with some others as group exercises.   

      Why will people be interested: 

       This is a practical session to help teachers integrate
      micro:bit into their classes. It can accommodate all levels of
      experience and teachers and non-teachers are welcome. 

      What level of audience: 

       Novice

      More information about you (public): 

       Stephen has been a Python programmer since 2000. He
      trained as a mathematician and electrical engineer, with a PhD in
      signal processing for radar target detection. After a period as a
      management consultant, he worked for credit card companies in
      Australia and The Netherlands, running areas like marketing, risk,
      operations and strategy. Six years ago, he moved back into
      technology and joined JPMorgan in London, where his team uses
      Python to build trading, risk management and analytics systems.

      More information about you (private): 

       I presented the tutorial "Pandas from the Inside" at
      PyData London on 6 May 2016. I have also submitted a separate
      proposal on motion sensors data fusion for the main PyCon UK
      conference.

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