Page 105 - Raspberry Pi as a Foundation for Boosting Computer and Technology Literacy

9 Raspberry Pi Zero, Arduino,

and BBC micro:bit 9

The landscape of single-board computers and microcontrollers would
be incomplete without mentioning Arduino and BBC micro:bit boards
in addition to Raspberry Pi Zero. Both BBC micro:bit and Arduino are
similar to the Raspberry Pi Pico and are designed to introduce pro-
gramming and electronics to students. Raspberry Pi Pico uses a micro-
controller (RP2040) with dual ARM Cortex-M0+ cores, which makes
it more capable than a traditional microcontroller. BBC micro:bit uses
Nordic Semiconductor nRF51822) but is designed to be more begin-
ner-friendly with a simpler architecture; Arduino boards use various
microcontrollers, depending on the model. The Arduino Uno, for ex-
ample, uses the ATmega328P microcontroller. As for the programming
language, Pico can be programmed using MicroPython or C/C++; BBC
micro:bit uses a block-based language called MakeCode, but it also
supports MicroPython and other languages; Arduino boards are most
often programmed using the Arduino IDE with a simplified version of
C/C++. Raspberry Pi Pico has 26 multifunction GPIO pins, providing
flexibility for various projects.
The BBC micro:bit has 25 LED lights that can be used as individu-
al LEDs and also includes buttons, sensors, and edge connectors for
additional functionality. The number of I/O pins varies depending on
the Arduino model. For example, the Arduino Uno has 14 digital I/O
pins. All boards support USB for programming and power. Raspberry
Pi Pico also has UART, I2C, SPI, and PWM capabilities; BBC micro:bit
has Bluetooth, and Arduino typically has UART, I2C, and SPI capabili-
ties. Each board serves its purpose and has strengths in different are-
as. The choice between Raspberry Pi Pico, BBC micro:bit, and Arduino
depends on factors such as project requirements, programming prefer-
ences, and community support.

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