KidSpark/pxt-sparkbit 0.1.3 GitHub

MakeCode extension for Kid Spark Education Spark:bit robotics controller

• The Spark:bit is part of a comprehensive STEM program for students ages 8-14 that includes standards-aligned curriculum, lesson plans, student assessments, and professional learning courses for educators.
• The STEM program uses the STEM Pathways Lab that includes an assortment of structural building components, sensors, and motors to program with the Spark:bit.
• The STEM Pathways Lab is available for purchase from the Kid Spark store.

Tutorials

Step-by-step tutorials for programming the Spark:bit are available on the Kid Spark student portal.

Input Sensors

Bump Sensor (blue)

Used to trigger an event when the bump sensor is pressed.

sparkbitI.bumpSensorIsPressed

sparkbitI.bumpSensorIsPressed(SparkbitInPort.Input1)

Returns the bump sensor value as a Boolean true if pressed, false if not pressed.

Parameter

• Input - the input port (1-8) where the bump sensor is connected to the Spark:bit.

Example

basic.forever(function () {
    if (sparkbitI.bumpSensorIsPressed(SparkbitInPort.Input1)){
    }
})

Angle Sensor (green)

Used to measure the rotation angle between two parts of the mechanism.

sparkbitI.angleSensor

Returns the angle sensor value as an integer in degrees (0-359) or as a percent (0-100).

sparkbitI.angleSensor(SparkbitInPort.Input1, SparkbitAngle.Degree)

Paramaters

• Input - the input port (1-8) where the angle sensor is connected to the Spark:bit.
• Angle units - the units of the returned value in degrees (0-359) or as a percent (0-100).

Eample

basic.forever(function () {
    basic.showNumber(sparkbitI.angleSensor(SparkbitInPort.Input1, SparkbitAngle.Degree))
})

sparkbitI.angleSensorCompareDegree

Compares the angle sensor value to a number in degrees (0-359) and returns a Boolean value of true or false.

sparkbitI.angleSensorCompareDegree(SparkbitInPort.Input1, SparkbitLogic.EQ, 0)

Parameters

• Input - the input port (1-8) where the angle sensor is connected to the Spark:bit.
• Comparison - the mathmatical operand (equal to, not equal to, less than, lass than or equal to, greater than, greater than or equal to).
• Number - a number in degrees (0-359) to compare the angle sensor value against.

Example

basic.forever(function () {
    if (sparkbitI.angleSensorCompareDegree(SparkbitInPort.Input1, SparkbitLogic.GT, 90)) {
    }
})

sparkbitI.angleSensorComparePercent

Compares the angle sensor value to a number as a percent (0-100) and returns a Boolean value of true or false.

sparkbitI.angleSensorComparePercent(SparkbitInPort.Input1, SparkbitLogic.EQ, 0)

Parameters

• Input - the input port (1-8) where the angle sensor is connected to the Spark:bit.
• Comparison - the mathmatical operand (equal to, not equal to, less than, lass than or equal to, greater than, greater than or equal to).
• Number - a number as a percent (0-100) to compare the angle sensor value against.

Example

basic.forever(function () {
    if (sparkbitI.angleSensorComparePercent(SparkbitInPort.Input1, SparkbitLogic.GT, 25)) {
    }
})

Light Sensor (yellow)

Used to measure the amount of light.

sparkbitI.lightSensorPercent

Returns the light sensor value as an integer between 0 dark and 100 bright.

sparkbitI.lightSensorPercent(SparkbitInPort.Input1)

Parameter

• Input - the input port (1-8) where the light sensor is connected to the Spark:bit.

Example

basic.forever(function () {
    basic.showNumber(sparkbitI.lightSensorPercent(SparkbitInPort.Input1))
})

sparkbitI.lightSensorComparePercent

Compares the light sensor value to a number as a percent (0-100) and returns a Boolean value of true or false.

sparkbitI.lightSensorComparePercent(SparkbitInPort.Input1, SparkbitLogic.EQ, 0)

Parameters

• Input - the input port (1-8) where the light sensor is connected to the Spark:bit.
• Comparison - the mathmatical operand (equal to, not equal to, less than, lass than or equal to, greater than, greater than or equal to).
• Number - a number as a percent (0-100) to compare the light sensor value against.

Example

basic.forever(function () {
    if (sparkbitI.lightSensorComparePercent(SparkbitInPort.Input1, SparkbitLogic.LT, 50)) {
    }
})

IR Tx/Rx

Low-Power IR Transmitter (grey) with an IR Receiver (white).

High-Power IR Transmitter (black) with an IR Receiver (white).

Used to detect if an infrared (IR) signal successfully travels from the transmitter (Tx) to the recevier (Rx). Applications include detecting proximity of the receiver to the transmitter and detecting an obstical blocking the IR signal.

sparkbitI.irTransmitterIsReceived

Returns a Boolean value of true if an IR signal is received from the IR transmitter indicating no obstical. Returns a Boolean value of false if the IR signal is not received due to an obstical or being too far apart. This coding block works with both the low-power transmitter (grey) and the high-power transmitter (black).

sparkbitI.irTransmitterIsReceived(SparkbitInPort.Input1, SparkbitInPort.Input2)

Parameters

• Transmitter input - the input port (1-8) where the IR transmitter (grey or black) is connected to the Spark:bit.
• Receiver input - the input port (1-8) where the IR receiver (white) is connected to the Spark:bit.

Example

basic.forever(function () {
    if (sparkbitI.irTransmitterIsReceived(SparkbitInPort.Input1, SparkbitInPort.Input2)) {
    }
})

Analog Sensor Value

sparkbitI.analogSensor

Returns the value of any input sensor as a 10-bit integer (0-1023).

sparkbitI.analogSensor(SparkbitInPort.Input1)

Parameters

• Input - the input port (1-8) where the sensor is connected to the Spark:bit.

Example

basic.forever(function () {
    basic.showNumber(sparkbitI.analogSensor(SparkbitInPort.Input1))
})

sparkbitI.analogSensorPercent

Returns the value of any input sensor as a percent (0-100).

sparkbitI.analogSensorPercent(SparkbitInPort.Input1)

Parameter

• Input - the input port (1-8) where the sensor is connected to the Spark:bit.

Example

basic.forever(function () {
    basic.showNumber(sparkbitI.analogSensorPercent(SparkbitInPort.Input1))
})

Output Modules

Motor Module (red)

Used to rotate parts of the mechanism.

sparkbitO.rotateMotorModule

Rotates the motor module based on direction, speed, and optional duration.

sparkbitO.rotateMotorModule(SparkbitOutPort.Output1, SparkbitDirection.Clockwise, 100)

Paramters

• Output - the output port (1-4) where the motor module is connected to the Spark:bit.
• Direction - the direction to rotate the motor clockwise or counterclockwise.
• Speed - the speed of the motor as an integer value from 0 stop to 100 max speed.
• Duration (optional) - by expanding the coding block, you may specify the duration for the motor to rotate in milliseconds (1000 ms = 1 second). If no duration is specified, the motor module will rotate until programmed to stop.

Example

basic.forever(function () {
    if (sparkbitI.bumpSensorIsPressed(SparkbitInPort.Input1)) {
        sparkbitO.rotateMotorModule(SparkbitOutPort.Output1, SparkbitDirection.Clockwise, 100, 500)
    }
})

sparkbitO.stopMotorModule

Stops the motor module.

sparkbitO.stopMotorModule(SparkbitOutPort.Output1)

Paramter

• Output - the output port (1-4) where the motor module is connected to the Spark:bit.

Example

sparkbitO.rotateMotorModule(SparkbitOutPort.Output1, SparkbitDirection.Clockwise, 100)
if (sparkbitI.bumpSensorIsPressed(SparkbitInPort.Input1)) {
    sparkbitO.stopMotorModule(SparkbitOutPort.Output1)
}

sparkbitO.rotateMotorModuleVelocity

Rotates the motor module based on a velocity and an optional duration. The direction is determined by the value of the velocity, positive values rotate counterclockwise and negative values rotate clockwise.

sparkbitO.rotateMotorModuleVelocity(SparkbitOutPort.Output1, 0)

Paramters

• Output - the output port (1-4) where the motor module is connected to the Spark:bit.
• Veloicty - the speed and direction of the motor as an integer value from -100 to 100.
• Duration (optional) - by expanding the coding block, you may specify the duration for the motor to rotate in milliseconds (1000 ms = 1 second). If no duration is specified, the motor module will rotate until programmed to stop.

Example

sparkbitO.rotateMotorModuleVelocity(SparkbitOutPort.Output1, -50)
if (sparkbitI.bumpSensorIsPressed(SparkbitInPort.Input1)) {
    sparkbitO.stopMotorModule(SparkbitOutPort.Output1)
}

Light Module (orange)

Used to illuminate a red or green LED light.

sparkbitO.setLightModule

Turns on a red a green LED at a brightness and optional duration.

sparkbitO.setLightModule(SparkbitOutPort.Output1, SparkbitColor.Green, 100)

Parameters

• Output - the output port (1-4) where the light module is connected to the Spark:bit.
• Color - the color of the LED red or green
• Brightness - the brightness of the LED as an integer value between 0 off and 100 max brightness.
• Duration (optional) - by expanding the coding block, you may specify the duration for the light module to stay on in milliseconds (1000 ms = 1 second). If no duration is specified, the light module will stay on until programmed to turn off.

Example

basic.forever(function () {
    if (sparkbitI.bumpSensorIsPressed(SparkbitInPort.Input1)) {
        sparkbitO.setLightModule(SparkbitOutPort.Output1, SparkbitColor.Green, 100, 500)
    }
})

sparkbitO.stopLightModule

Turns off the light module.

sparkbitO.stopLightModule(SparkbitOutPort.Output1)

Parameter

• Output - the output port (1-4) where the light module is connected to the Spark:bit.

Example

sparkbitO.setLightModule(SparkbitOutPort.Output1, SparkbitColor.Green, 100)
if (sparkbitI.bumpSensorIsPressed(SparkbitInPort.Input1)) {
    sparkbitO.stopLightModule(SparkbitOutPort.Output1)
}

Supported targets

• for PXT/microbit

License

MIT

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Sparkbit=github:KidSpark/pxt-sparkbit#v0.1.3