Microbit vs Circuit Playground

This is a special forum devoted to educators using Adafruit and Arduino products for teaching.

Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
Locked
User avatar
Stealthmayo
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 3:54 pm

Microbit vs Circuit Playground

Post by Stealthmayo »

I am looking to purchase about 20 of either Micro.bit or Circuit Plyground for a classroom. The purpose is to introduce students, mainly 14 year olds, to Programming and electronics/robotics. They would only spend about 2 weeks on the introduction, maybe 3. Which would be easiest and serve this purpose best?

Students have chrome books and probably cannot download any software onto computer.

User avatar
Lorenn
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2017 9:29 pm

Re: Microbit vs Circuit Playground

Post by Lorenn »

Stealthmayo,
I would say that it would depend upon your intended use of the microcontroller. They both have accelerometers, LEDs, temperature sensors, multiple input/output pins, radio and bluetooth capabilities, and are easily programmable via micro USB using either circuit python or makecode. Both will handle external sensors and servos and motors. If your intended use is to have students collect data and display it in a graphic format or display text, the micro:bit is the way to go. With its LED matrix, it's easy to display text or a graph or even create a game. The major drawback to the micro:bit is that there is no integrated speaker or microphone. My students were disappointed that there was no native way to play sounds. You can, of course, hook it up (with alligator clips) to a portable speaker that uses a headphone jack and has its own separate power source. My students also were a bit disappointed that they could not change the color of the LEDs.

The Circuit Playground Express has more pins available for alligator clips and capacitive touch (8 vs 3), but the micro:bit does have a total of 19 programmable pins (which are best accessed using an edge connector and jumper wires). CPE has 10 colorful neopixels and has a native sound sensor and a small speaker. The CPE has a 3.3v output and a 5v output; the MB only has a 3.3v output. The CPE requires 3 AAA batteries, while the MB requires only 2. The cost difference is about $10, but again, to access all the pins on the MB, you'll need an edge connector and jumper wires.

You really can't go wrong with either one. I really feel that it all depends on your intended use.

HTH!

User avatar
mpc823
 
Posts: 66
Joined: Thu May 05, 2016 9:10 am

Re: Microbit vs Circuit Playground

Post by mpc823 »

If you really want to use it in robotics, either the Circuit Playground Express or the Microbit could be used. The Circuit Playground does not have a radio or Bluetooth capabilities, only the Microbit does. I have been teaching an Intro to Computer Programming course for the past year at my children's Middle School (12-14 year olds) using the Circuit Playground Classic. The kids really do love it and there is a lot that can be done. The one thing that is missing, however, is the ability to communicate to other Circuit Playgrounds. If you are looking at controlling a robot with a device, then I would say Microbit is better due to the Bluetooth. Adafruit has an app for Android/iOS for communication via bluetooth. I have used it for talking to the robot from Adabox 002. I have NOT used it with Microbit, but it may work and that would be an easy way to communicate to the microbit for controlling a robot.

That said, the Circuit Playground Express does now include IR transmitter/receiver for communication. It's possible to use one Circuit Playground Express as an IR transmitter to control the robot and another Circuit Playground Express as the receiver on the robot to actually drive motors.

One other difference between the two boards that would sway me is the way you program them. The Circuit Playground Classic is programmed via Arduino IDE (C/C++) or via the interface at code.org. I have used both, but actually prefer the straight Arduino IDE for my classes. The Circuit Playground Express can be programmed via MakeCode, Python, or Arduino IDE. Though my understanding is that the Arduino IDE is still undergoing some testing/changes and so may not currently be stable. But the admins can chime in on that particular item. The Microbit can be programmed via MakeCode or Python.

Since I am most comfortable with C/C++ rather than Python, and because when I started my course neither the Express nor Microbit were available, I've gone the Circuit Playground Classic route. But if I were starting now, I would not choose the Classic. Rather I'd go with the Express or Microbit.

They are both great devices and you really can't go wrong.

Daniel

User avatar
tkinsman
 
Posts: 170
Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2016 2:04 pm

Re: Microbit vs Circuit Playground

Post by tkinsman »

I have used Circuit Playgrounds to talk with each other in a "mesh" network using sound.

I programmed the basic Circuit Playground to make one of five noises when one of the buttons was pushed. Then when the other circuit playgrounds hear one of the five noises, they respond with the same tone. This can cause a chain reaction, so you need an "off time" after it plays to avoid feedback.

We put these on a number of women in computing, and they could trigger each other's Circuit Playgrounds -- but only in close proximity. There are also false alarms. Neverthelesss the students had a lot of fun with them.

-Dr. Kinsman

User avatar
tlucey
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2017 2:46 pm

Re: Microbit vs Circuit Playground

Post by tlucey »

We just purchased 15 Adafruit Circuit Playground Classics to use with Chromebooks. So far I have been able to get it to work in the one unit in code.org, but that doesn't seem like enough of a resource for me and is missing much of the quick easy interface I experienced with the desktop install. Here is the code.org unit: https://curriculum.code.org/csd/unit6/5/

Here's a Scratchx resource that should work with the playground. I'm giving it a try now. http://www.techagekids.com/2017/01/adaf ... -with.html

I also tried adding the code.org serial port app for chrome but I don't think it's done anything successfully.

I also looked at the adafruit circuit playground app in the Google Play store, but I don't think it was designed to work with this item. https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... ound&hl=en

The adventure continues. Let me know if you found anything successful in the chrome environment.

User avatar
tlucey
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2017 2:46 pm

Re: Microbit vs Circuit Playground

Post by tlucey »

Looks like I need to do a firmware update through a desktop and it might just all work in Chrome with Scratchx!

Locked
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.

Return to “For Educators”