Remote Control Everything!

Do you already have a micro:bit project you’d like to control from afar?
Partner up with a friend, or grab a spare micro:bit, to make a remote controlled project with 2 micro:bits. (Don’t grab a friend’s micro:bit. Be nice.)

Goals

  • Enable remote-controlling for the micro:bit car from this tutorial.
  • Use a spare micro:bit to make a remote control for an existing project!
  • Remote control everything!

Materials

 

  • 1 x BBC micro:bit
  • 1 x Micro USB cable
  • 1 x Battery box
  • 2 x AA batteries
  • 1 x micro:bit car

OR

  • 1 x a project you’d like to
    remote control

Step 1

  • Set your radio group in makecode. This ensures your transmitter and receiver are on the same channel.
  • Think about what each button on your remote control should control.
  • Radio send a different number with each button press event block by using the blocks shown.
  • You can find these blocks under the Radio drawer.
  • Download this to the micro:bit you’ll be using as your remote control.
  • Now each of the buttons on your micro:bit remote will send a different command!

Step 2

  • In your micro:bit car project (or the particular project you’re trying to remote control), add the same radio group block to your On Start block.

 

  • This ensures the project you’re trying to remote control will be listening out for the right commands!

Step 3

  • Remember the numbers we sent from our remote control every time we pressed a button? We’re going to use that to trigger an action.
  • Find the radio received block as shown from the Radio drawer.
  • Use an if-then block to check if the number you received was the number you sent when pressing button A.
  • Take the code that turns your micro:bit car left, and place it within this if-then block.
  • We added an led indication pointing left too, just to show what was supposed to happen.
  • Turn off the left servo afterward by digitally writing the pin to 0.

Step 4

  • Do the same for the code that turns your micro:bit car to the right!
  • Make sure you turn the right wheel off afterward.
  • You can always choose to leave the wheels on without stopping after receiving each command. But you’ll be faced with a car that keeps spinning in circles.
  • Download this program into your micro:bit car.

Awesome!

          • Now that all your code is snugly tucked into your micro:bits, attach your battery packs and get going! Play around and see what other commands you can send with the A+B button, or try different kinds of inputs instead of buttons. Then remote-control

      all

        • your other micro:bit projects. World domination without leaving your seat! ヽ(´▽`)/

We're Done!

Looking for more projects to tinker and explore? We're a launch partner for IMDA's Digital Maker Programme, where we've been developing micro:bit kits, apps, and conducting workshops for schools and the public in Singapore. Read more here, and get in touch if you'd like to join our workshops!

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