How To Make A micro:bit Heart Rate Monitor

If you have been playing with micro:bit and the Block editor(PXT) before, you might be familiar with the flashing heart example, the one creates an simply animation of a beating heart.

Flash Heart Example:
https://www.microbit.co.uk/blocks/lessons/flashing-heart

However, is there any way that we can link our actual heart beat to micro:bit?

The following tutorial will show you how to set the micro:bit beating together with your heart using the optical heart rate sensor 

(heart rate sensor is available from DFRobot website: https://www.dfrobot.com/product-1540.html)

Project 1: display your heart rate on micro:bit 

Component List:

micro:bit - An Educational & Creative Tool for Kids

Gravity: Heart Rate Monitor Sensor for Arduino

Step 1:upload the following program into micro:bit

Step 2:Connect the circuit as following.

VCC=>3.3V

GND=>GND 

Heart rate sensor=>Pin 0
 
Put the sensor on your finger as above and you will see your heart beat from the LED panel.

Note 1: Make sure the switch is turned to D (digital) side.

Note 2: Hold your body and hand in still during the measurement, stick the LED emitter on to the skin with a stable pressure.

Project 2: Monitor your heart beat from a RGB LED strip

Component List:

micro:bit - An Educational & Creative Tool for Kids

Gravity: Heart Rate Monitor Sensor for Arduino

Digital RGB LED Weatherproof Strip 60 LED - (1m)

Step 1: upload the following program into micro:bit

Step 2:Connect the circuit

VCC=>3.3V

GND=>GND 

Heart rate sensor=>Pin 0

RGB NeoPixel LED strip =>Pin 1

   
Note 1: Make sure the switch is turned to A (Analog) side.

Note 2: Hold your body and hand in still during the measurement, stick the LED emitter onto the skin with a stable pressure.

To find out more interesting sensor and electronic modules, visit the Boson Kit.on Kickstarter page.

Related Blog Post:
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Micro:bit JavaScript Blocks Editor: Hello World
Micro:bit JavaScript Blocks Editor: Turning LEDs on and off
Micro:bit JavaScript Blocks Editor: Detecting button click events
Micro:bit JavaScript Blocks Editor: String interpolation
Micro:bit: MicroPython support

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