ubit_kernel

The micro:bit is a single-board computer designed by the BBC as a way to learn about programming. It is being delivered to all year seven students (11-12) in the UK.

.. image:: ubit_front.jpg :scale: 50% :alt: The front side of a micro:bit

The micro:bit has a 5x5 grid of red LEDs, two buttons, an accelerometer and a compass. There are also pins to connect components like motors or speakers.

MicroPython is a variant of the Python programming language that runs on such tiny computers. It's a powerful way to program the micro:bit. For tutorials and reference information, see BBC micro:bit MicroPython <http://microbit-micropython.readthedocs.org/en/latest/index.html>__.

Jupyter <http://jupyter.org/>__ is a set of tools for interactive programming. This package allows Jupyter interfaces to run MicroPython code directly on the micro:bit.

Set-up steps:

1. Plug in your micro:bit and ensure it has MicroPython on it. To do this, create a Python script in the web editor <https://www.microbit.co.uk/app/#create:xyelfe>__, and follow the instructions there to flash it onto the micro:bit. It doesn't matter for this what the script does.

2. Depending on your system, you may need some extra setup so that the kernel can talk to your micro:bit using a serial port.

   • On Linux, you may need to add yourself to the dialout group.
     Run sudo usermod -a -G dialout <your-username>, then log out and in again.
   • On Windows, you need to install the mbed driver <https://developer.mbed.org/handbook/Windows-serial-configuration>__.

3. Install Jupyter <http://jupyter.readthedocs.org/en/latest/install.html>__.

4. Install this package::

   pip install ubit_kernel
   python3 -m ubit_kernel.install
   

When you start the Jupyter Notebook, there should be a micro:bit option in the menu to create a new notebook.

To use the kernel from other Jupyter interfaces, start them with --kernel ubit.

See also nodemcu_kernel <https://github.com/jneines/nodemcu_kernel>, which provides a MicroPython kernel on the NodeMcu <https://docs.micropython.org/en/latest/esp8266/index.html> platform, using code adapted from this project.