Micro:bit as Computer Input/Output Device

# set up serial connection

import time

import serial

while True:

    try:

        # Try to establish connection.

        ser = serial.Serial('The name of your serial port goes here', 9600, timeout=1)

        while True:

            # send message

            print("message sent")

            ser.write(b' ')

            # wait for 3 seconds

            time.sleep(3)

    # If there's any error on the serial line, wait for 3 seconds and try again. e.g. micro bit losses power.

    except serial.SerialException:

        print("could not sent seral message")

        time.sleep(3)

# Used to trigger the servo to turn device on or off.

#You will need to change this so it reliably pushes the button on your device.

def on_or_off():

    # Move the servo to the ON position

    servos.P0.run(100)

    basic.pause(100)

    # Move the servo to the OFF position

    servos.P0.run(-71)

    basic.pause(100)

    # Stop the servo

    servos.P0.stop()

# Trigger the on_or_off function when button A is pressed

def on_button_pressed_a():

    on_or_off()

input.on_button_pressed(Button.A, on_button_pressed_a)

# This function is triggered when data is received over serial

# Trigger the on_data_received function when data is received over serial

def on_data_received():

    global power, ping

    # If the device is currently OFF, turn it ON

    if power == False:

        power = True

        on_or_off()

    # Show a pattern on the LEDs to indicate that data has been received

    basic.show_leds("""

        . . . . .

                . . . . .

                . . # . .

                . . . . .

                . . . . .

    """)

    basic.clear_screen()

    # Increment the ping counter

    ping += 1

serial.on_data_received(serial.delimiters(Delimiters.SPACE), on_data_received)

# Used to display the current power status of the device

def on_button_pressed_b():

    # Show whether the device is ON or OFF

    basic.show_string("" + str(power))

    basic.pause(2000)

    basic.clear_screen()

input.on_button_pressed(Button.B, on_button_pressed_b)

"""

initialize variables

"""

ping = 0

power = False

servos.P0.stop()

# Set up the serial communication with the computer

serial.redirect_to_usb()

serial.set_baud_rate(BaudRate.BAUD_RATE9600)

# Check every minute to see if any data has been received over serial

def on_every_interval():

    global power, ping

    # If no data has been received and the device is ON, turn it OFF

    if ping == 0 and power == True:

        power = False

        on_or_off()

    ping = 0

loops.every_interval(60000, on_every_interval)