UK school kids to get free computers from the BBC

News

12 August 2015 News

The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) has revealed the final specification for a pocket-sized computer that it will be handing out to about 1 million UK schoolchildren.

Created to help children get creative with technology and learn how to program, the Micro:bit system will be given away to every 11 and 12-year-old in the nation’s schools this October. According to BBC Learning head, Sinead Rocks, it’s all about young people learning to express themselves digitally. “As the Micro:bit is able to connect to everything from mobile phones to plant pots and Raspberry Pis, this could be for the Internet-of-things what the BBC Micro was to the British gaming industry,” she enthuses.

The Micro:bit will allow its users to write simple code via a new website, which will be used on both PCs and mobile devices. Users will be able to save and test their programs on the site before transferring them to the tiny computer via a USB cable or wireless Bluetooth connection. It can then be made to interact with its built-in sensors and buttons to make its 25 LEDs flash in different patterns, letting it display letters and numbers, for example.

The system can also be connected to other computing kits via its input-output rings – including the Raspberry Pi, Arduino and Galileo – to carry out more difficult tasks. The device was announced four months ago and it was then thought that it could be easily pinned to clothing, but a revision has involved replacing a watch-battery slot with a bigger battery pack, which might make that less practical. This add-on power pack, fitted with AA batteries, is necessary to use it as a standalone product.

Share this article:

Strengthening industry through strategic partnerships at KITE 2025
Specialised Exhibitions News
The KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition is not just an exhibition, it is a powerhouse of industry collaboration where visitors and exhibitors gain access to authoritative insights, technical expertise, and high-impact networking opportunities.

Read more...

Solar Youth Project calls on industry to step up
News
With the second cohort completed training and the first cohort returning for their final module, host companies are urgently needed to turn the training into a long-term opportunity.

Read more...

Conlog powers SA’s future with national smart meter rollout
News
Conlog recently secured the RT29-2024 contract from National Treasury, which is seen to be a major milestone towards modernising SA’s utility infrastructure.

Read more...

Zuchongzhi-3 sets new benchmark
News
This latest superconducting quantum computing prototype features 105 qubits and 182 couplers to operate at a speed 10¹5 times faster than the most powerful supercomputer currently available.

Read more...

Automatic device attestation certificate for Panasonic
News
DigiCert recently announced it has partnered with Panasonic Industry Europe to integrate DigiCert Device Trust Manager with Panasonic’s PAN-MaX intelligent manufacturing service for seamless Matter certification of interoperable smart home devices.

Read more...

From the editor's desk: Are we really being ripped off?
Technews Publishing News
To the surprise of many customers, installing solar panels does not always eliminate their utility bill – and in some cases, the power utility may impose additional charges on solar-powered homes.

Read more...

Winner of the Advanced Electronics Challenge
Avnet Silica News
Avnet Silica has named Hydronauten winner of the Advanced Electronics Challenge for breakthrough AI-driven vibration damping technology.

Read more...

Categories

News

UK school kids to get free computers from the BBC

Further reading:

Publications by Technews