Connecting Your robot using Gizmo robot extension

If your computer does not have Bluetooth 4.0, then you can use these instructions to connect your robot to your computer using a Chrome app called Gizmo Robot Extension.

Resources

  1. Micro:bit hex file for Bluetooth 2.0 connection

  2. Micro:bit hex file for USB connection

Installing the .hex file on your micro:bit

Your micro:bit will have to run different code depending on your computer's capabilities. If your computer has Bluetooth 2.0 capabilities, then you should try the Bluetooth connection .hex file first. If that doesn't work, then try the USB .hex file. Using the USB requires that the robot is plugged into the computer at all times which limits driving.

  1. Download the .hex file for the version of the micro:bit that you wish to run, the Bluetooth version or the USB version.

Hex files contain the instructions that your micro:bit needs to communicate with your computer.

2. Plug your micro:bit into your computer.

Connect the small end of the USB cable to the micro USB port on your BBC micro:bit

Connect the other end of the USB cable to a USB port on your computer. The micro:bit should show up on your computer.

On computers running Windows, MICROBIT appears as a drive under Devices and drives.
On a Mac it appears as a new drive under Devices.
On a Chromebook it will appear as a new device in file manager.

3. Drag and drop the .hex file from where you downloaded it onto your micro:bit device.

The LED on the back of your BBC micro:bit flashes during the transfer (which should only take a few seconds).

Once transferred, the code will run automatically on your BBC micro:bit.

Plug the micro:bit inside of your Tinybit robot.

If you are doing the USB version of the robot, then leave the micro USB cable plugged into the micro:bit and the computer. You can skip to the next page.

Connecting your robot with Bluetooth

If you are doing the Bluetooth version of the robot, then disconnect your micro:bit from your computer.

You need to connect the Bluetooth chip to the robot.

The silver package with colorful wires is a Bluetooth chip for the robot.

6. The wires on the Bluetooth chip will have four alligator clips, (red, black, yellow, and white) that will connect to the gold rings on the back of the robot.

Robot Gold Ring Alligator Clip Color

Number 1 Yellow

Number 2 White

GND (ground) Black

3V3 (3.3 volts) Red

7. Plug the clips in standing up so that they hold the Bluetooth chip in place.

The Bluetooth chip is powered by the robot. So, when the robot is turned on, the Bluetooth chip will turn on.

Since the Bluetooth uses the robot's power, the robot may only be able to drive for 30-45 minutes before needing to recharge. It should only take 30-45 minutes to recharge it.