# Micro:Bit Puppet "Text Message" System! ## Intro https://youtu.be/9BlPcWCXMKI Nearly all of our wireless communication is done using radio waves\*, including phone calls, text messages, and WiFi. With its built-in radio transmitters and receivers, the Micro:Bit microcontroller makes it super easy to build all sorts of projects with radio communication. This particular project is a simple & quick way to send text messages between two Micro:Bit microcontrollers – the sender writes a (short) message that is transmitted via radio to the receiving Micro:Bit, which shakes a lil’ puppet using a servo motor, and then displays the message on the Micro:Bit LED screen. Each Micro:Bit can be both a sender and receiver. It’s sort of like a two-person Twitter.. if the tweet notified you via dancing cardboard robot puppet! _\*Radio waves are long-wavelength light waves. [Check out the electromagnetic spectrum here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_spectrum)!_ # Micro:Bit Puppet "Text Message" System! ## Materials & Tools **Electronic Parts** ### Part: Micro:Bit quantity: 2 Micro:Bit microcontroller [Micro:Bit](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3362) ### Part: Servo quantity: 2 Standard Servo, 180 degree rotation [Servo](https://www.adafruit.com/product/155) ### Part: Alligator Clips to Breadboard Jumpers quantity: 1 Small Alligator Clip to Male Jumper Wire Bundle - 12 Pieces [Alligator Clips to Breadboard Jumpers](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3255) **Puppet (or other Message Alert System) Materials** - Cardboard (approx. 2 ft. x 1 ft.) - Paper Fasteners (13 or more) - Skewers (5 or more) **Tools** - Hot Glue Gun - Scissors and/or utility knife (e.g. exacto knife) - Pencil - Ruler or other straightedge  # Micro:Bit Puppet "Text Message" System! ## Build the Incoming Message Alert Puppet! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/044/558/medium800/microcontrollers_CardboardPuppet-InProcess2.jpg?1501491554 Building the Puppet Body) **Step 1:** Build a cardboard puppet like the one shown in the photo or create your own! Use the paper fasteners to make joints.  ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/044/563/medium800/microcontrollers_Puppet-Servo_Together.jpg?1501493336 Servo Mounting System) **Step 2: ** Build a mounting system to attach the puppet to the servo with skewers and cardboard.  I used a magnet to attach the puppet to the servo mounting system because magnets are awesome, but you can also use glue, tape, velcro, or a variety of other adhesives! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/044/568/medium800/microcontrollers_Puppet-Mounting_Back.jpg?1501495199 Back view of Puppet Stand) **Step 3:** Build a stand for the puppet: - On an approx. 6 in. x 12 in. cardboard sheet, measure, mark, and cut a hole for the servo body so that the arms of the servo rest against the front of the cardboard sheet. - Cut two triangles out of cardboard and glue them on the back of the stand so that the stand, well, stands upright! - Cut a hole for the Micro:Bit wires to thread through and add two pushpins on the front to hold the Micro:Bit.   ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/044/569/medium800/microcontrollers_MicroBit-Mounting_closeup.jpg?1501495212 Advanced Micro:Bit Mounting System) # Micro:Bit Puppet "Text Message" System! ## Code the Two Micro:Bits! To start, choose one Micro:Bit to be the  **sender** and the other Micro:Bit to be the  **receiver**. Once both are working as expected, add in the code for both roles. Use the [Make Code Micro:Bit website](makecode.microbit.org) to program each Micro:Bit. As this is intended as a beginner project, the whole system can be built using the block-based programming language, although adaptations are encouraged and appreciated!  _If there is more than one pair of Micro:Bits in the room (i.e. in a classroom setting), remember to set different radio group numbers for each pair._ Click the photo below to make it larger if you can't read the text in detail! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/044/562/medium800/microcontrollers_MicroBit-SenderCode_2.jpg?1501492818) The **sender** sends a (short) text based on user inputs over radio, like the example above. Pretty simple!  The **receiver** moves the servo when an incoming text is received, then scrolls the message text on the LED screen, like in the example below. _Press the reset button to stop sending/receiving the incoming message._ Click the photo below to make it larger if you can't read the text in detail! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/044/561/medium800/microcontrollers_MicroBit-Code_Receiver_2.jpg?1501492801) # Micro:Bit Puppet "Text Message" System! ## Connect the Servo! Connect the servo red wire to the Micro:Bit 3V power pin, the servo black wire to Micro:Bit ground pin, and the servo white (or yellow) wire to the Micro:Bit input pin P0. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/044/595/medium800/microcontrollers_MicroBit_Servo-ConnectionsV2.jpg?1501535607) We like to use these Alligator-to-Breadboard cables but you can also DIY your own with plain alligator clips and some wire # Micro:Bit Puppet "Text Message" System! ## Send all the Messages! Program both Micro:Bits to be both a sender and a receiver so you can communicate back and forth. Then switch power from the laptop to the battery pack and test out your wireless communication system! When the sender sends a message, the puppet will notify you to check the LED screen so that you can see the incoming message. How far of a range can you get? Test it out! There are tons of other extensions to this introductory project, here are some possibilities: - Add more message options by adding more inputs or changing how those inputs are read;  - Instead of a table-top alert system, build a wearable alert system; - Send voice messages and/or other sounds. Happy building! ## Featured Products ### BBC micro:bit [BBC micro:bit](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3530) The British Invasion is here! No, not music...microcontrollers! New to the USA is the newest and _easiest_ way to learn programming and electronics - the **BBC micro:bit**. 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No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3362) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3362/guides) ### micro:bit V1 Club 10-Pack [micro:bit V1 Club 10-Pack](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3485) Discontinued - [**you can grab** micro:bit v2 Go Club 10-Pack - Batteries and USB Cables Included **instead! **](http://micro:bit v2 Go Club 10-Pack - Batteries and USB Cables Included) The British Invasion is here! No, not music... microcontrollers! The **BBC...** No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3485) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3485/guides) ### Micro servo [Micro servo](https://www.adafruit.com/product/169) Tiny little servo can rotate approximately 180 degrees (90 in each direction) and works just like the standard kinds you're used to but _smaller_. You can use any servo code, hardware, or library to control these servos. Good for beginners who want to make stuff move without... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/169) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/169/guides) ### Standard servo - TowerPro SG-5010 [Standard servo - TowerPro SG-5010](https://www.adafruit.com/product/155) This high-torque standard servo can rotate approximately 180 degrees (90 in each direction). You can use any servo code, hardware, or library to control these servos. Good for beginners who want to make stuff move without building a motor controller with feedback & gearbox. Comes with 3... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/155) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/155/guides) ### Small Alligator Clip to Male Jumper Wire Bundle - 12 Pieces [Small Alligator Clip to Male Jumper Wire Bundle - 12 Pieces](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3255) For bread-boarding with unusual non-header-friendly surfaces, these cables will be your best friends! No longer will you have long strands of alligator clips that are grabbing little wires. These compact jumper cables have a premium male header on one end, and a grippy mini alligator clip on... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3255) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3255/guides) ## Related Guides - [How to Use micro:bit classroom to Manage Programming Lessons](https://learn.adafruit.com/how-to-use-micro-bit-classroom-to-manage-programming-lessons.md) - [Cardboard Box for Circuit Playground Express](https://learn.adafruit.com/cardboard-box-for-circuit-playground-express.md) - [PyPortal Air Quality Display](https://learn.adafruit.com/pyportal-air-quality-display.md) - [Adafruit Simple Soil Moisture Sensor](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-simple-soil-moisture-sensor.md) - [Make It a Keyboard](https://learn.adafruit.com/make-it-a-keyboard.md) - [Wireless NeoPixel Controller](https://learn.adafruit.com/neotrellis-neopixel-controller.md) - [LED Reactive Light-Up Hockey Puck in MakeCode](https://learn.adafruit.com/led-hockey-puck.md) - [Microsoft Azure Cost Monitor](https://learn.adafruit.com/azure-cost-monitor.md) - [Slider Crank Mechanism -- from Cardboard and Craft Sticks](https://learn.adafruit.com/cardboard-slider-crank.md) - [MagTag Tides Viewer](https://learn.adafruit.com/magtag-tides-viewer.md) - [Qu'est-ce que MakeCode?](https://learn.adafruit.com/makecode-fr.md) - [Crickit Controlled Animatronic Eyeball](https://learn.adafruit.com/crickit-controlled-animatronic-eyeball.md) - [Scannable Links with NFC](https://learn.adafruit.com/scannable-links-with-nfc.md) - [Spinning Logo](https://learn.adafruit.com/spinning-logo.md) - [Phantom Mouse Jiggler](https://learn.adafruit.com/phantom-mouse-jiggler.md)