Micro:bit Triggered Minecraft Selfie Wall Project

Welcome to my latest project to help demonstrate to students the power of coding and physical computing.

The first video is a quick overview of the project.

The second video is a complete step by step tutorial on how to copy this project and hopefully make it even better.

Enjoy!

If you like, then please give the YouTube channel a like and subscribe as well as on here on this site as well!

You will need the following:

1 Micro:bit kit

1 Raspberry Pi

1 Raspberry Pi Camera

1 male/female header cable for GPIO connection

3 Alligator clips

Velcro Dots(optional)

Duct Tape or Packing Tape

Minecraft Steve Head(optional)

1. Head to MakeCode.com and choose Micro:bit platform

2. Download a preset image just to make sure the Micro:bit works and you understand how to use the Micro:bit

3. Once you have an image on the Micro:bit and you understand how to download(follow tutorial on website), then we can move to the Raspberry Pi.

1. Setup your Raspberry Pi - keyboard, mouse, monitor, and power

2. Plug in the Raspberry Pi camera

3. Maker sure Camera is enabled in Configuration panel

1. Plug Micro:bit to the Raspberry Pi

2. The screen should indicate that it is plugged in and therefore click OK

3. Make sure you see the Micro:bit in the File Manager

4. When plugged in the Micro:bit should be displaying the image from Step 2

1. Open up Terminal on the Raspberry Pi and enter the following to update your Pi

sudo apt-get update

2. We also have to install a programming software called Mu. This is a Micro Python program designed for micro controllers like the Micro:bit. Install in Terminal using the following:

sudo apt-get install mu -y

Open up Mu by going to Menu--> Programming --> Mu

Type in the following code in Mu

from micro:bit import *

while True:

if pin0.is_touched():

display.scroll("Say Cheese in 3,2,1,....!")

sleep(500)

pin1.write_digital(1)

sleep(5000)

pin1.write_digital(0)

Save this code to your Raspberry Pi

Click on Flash to import code to the Micro:bit

Add one alligator clip to Pin 0 on the Micro:bit

Add one alligator clip to Pin 1 on the Micro:bit

Add one alligator clip to GND on the Micro:bit

The alligator clip on Pin 1 needs to be attached to the male/female wire that is clipped to the male lead. The female lead of this wire goes to GPIO pin 4 on the Raspberry Pi

At this point I stick the Pin 0 alligator clip into Play-doh as my button. You can create any type of button you choose, but this is quick and easy.

You can test your Micro:bit if you have flashed the code. Nothing will happen except your message on the Micro:bit. Make sure this works because if your trigger is not working, then the next steps won't work either.

Create a folder to store all the code for this project. You can add the Mu code if you wish to help stay organized.

0. Save this file in your folder. This helps to map pixels to the Minecraft world.

1. Open up Python 3

2. Click New File

3. Save File As whatever name you want.

4. Enter the following code

from picamera import PiCamera
from gpiozero import Button

from mcpi.minecraft import Minecraft

from time import sleep

from skimage import io, color

mc = Minecraft.create()

button = Button(4, pull_up=False)

## Taking a picture with Micro:bit

mc.postToChat("Press the Button!") sleep(2) button.wait_for_press()

with PiCamera() as camera:

camera.resolution = (100,80)

camera.start_preview()

sleep(3)

camera.capture('/home/pi/Desktop/Microbit/selfie.jpg')

camera.stop_preview()

mc.postToChat('fly up in air and look for shadow on the ground')

sleep(5)

### load selfie and map

selfie_rgb = io.imread("/home/pi/Desktop/Microbit/selfie.jpg")

map_rgb = io.imread("/home/pi/Desktop/Microbit/colour_map.png")

### Convert to Lab

selfie_lab = color.rgb2lab(selfie_rgb)

map_lab = color.rgb2lab(map_rgb)

### Mapping colours on colour map to Minecraft blocks ### First tuple is coordinates of colour map ### Second tuple is Minecraft block

colours={(0,0):(2,0),(0,1):(3,0),(0,2):(4,0),(0,3):(5,0),(0,4):(7,0),(0,5):(14,0),(0,6):(15,0),(1,0):(16,0),(1,1):(17,0),(1,2):(21,0),(1,3):(22,0),(1,4):(24,0),(1,5):(35,0),(1,6):(35,1),(2,0):(35,2),(2,1):(35,3),(2,2):(35,4),(2,3):(35,5),(2,4):(35,6),(2,5):(35,7),(2,6):(35,8),(3,0):(35,9),(3,1):(35,10),(3,2):(35,11),(3,3):(35,12),(3,4):(35,13),(3,5):(35,14),(3,6):(35,15),(4,0):(41,0),(4,1):(42,0),(4,2):(43,0),(4,3):(45,0),(4,4):(46,0),(4,5):(47,0),(4,6):(48,0),(5,0):(49,0),(5,1):(54,0),(5,2):(56,0),(5,3):(57,0),(5,4):(58,0),(5,5):(60,0),(5,6):(61,0),(6,0):(73,0),(6,1):(79,0),(6,2):(80,0),(6,3):(82,0),(6,4):(89,0),(6,5):(103,0),(6,6):(246,0)}

## Iterate over image and then over map. Find closest colour from map, and then look up that block and place

mc = Minecraft.create()

x, y, z = mc.player.getPos()

for i, selfie_column in enumerate(selfie_lab):

for j, selfie_pixel in enumerate(selfie_column):

distance = 300

for k, map_column in enumerate(map_lab):

for l, map_pixel in enumerate(map_column):

delta = color.deltaE_ciede2000(selfie_pixel,map_pixel)

if delta < distance:

distance = delta

block = colours[(k,l)]

mc.setBlock(x-j, y-i+60, z+5, block[0], block[1])

If you need explanation or want further help I pulled the ideas from here and here to merge into this project.

1. Save all programs.

2. Shut down Pi

3. Wire the Micro:bit and Raspberry Pi inside the Steve head using tape and velcro dots(see video around 19 minute mark)

4. Get everything into position and power up

1. Open Up Minecraft

2. Open up Python program

3. Run the Python Program and open up Minecraft World

4. Follow instructions on screen and watch it print your selfie!

Please share your project prints, designs, and setups so I can learn and share with the students I teach.

Stay awesome everyone.