Strictly micro:bit - Live Lesson: Additional video clips

Anton:
So, I can hear you ask, what does Strictly Come Dancing have to do with your BBC MicroBit well, you were wondering. Well, to find out we're gonna need just a little bit of help. Please welcome my fellow Strictly Come Dancing stars, Karen and Kevin Clifton.

Rachel:
Karen and Kevin.

Karen:
Hello.

Rachel:
Lovely to see you.

Karen:
Nice to see you.

Rachel:
You made that look easy as you always do, but in reality, how easy was what you just performed?

Karen:
It's actually, it's a piece of cake, it's just a sequence of dance steps, you know, and just a particular series of–

Rachel:
That's all it is.

Karen:
Yeah, it's just a tiny little thing.

Rachel:
Of course, it's easy for you, you're professional dancers.

Anton:
Piece of cake wasn't it, piece of cake.

Rachel:
But in some way you're also mathematicians, because a series of dance steps can be compared to algorithms. And to explain a little bit more, I've got a special guest with me. Our first special guest, please welcome Professor Paul Curzon from Queen Mary University, London.

Anton:
Hello Paul, how are you, nice to see you. Now, dancing and computers don't seem very similar to me Paul, but how was what Kevin and Karen did similar to the way a computer thinks?

PaulWell, it's basically the same. When you're choreographing a dance, you're doing exactly the same kind of thing as a programmer is doing when they're trying to work out a programme. So, what a dance is, as we saw, it's a whole series of steps and they've got to do the right steps and they're got to do them in the right order. When you're writing a programme, you're trying to come up with the right sequence of steps and you've got to try and work out what's the right order to get whatever you want done, done.

Rachel:
So, the programme has a sequence of steps, your dances have a sequence of steps. We have a literal sequence of steps, if you come over here, I'll lead you over. On each of these steps is apparently, I'm not an expert, all those different moves that you've just done that were put together to make your choreography. So, Anton, what are we looking at?

Anton:
Well, we've got the drop, do you want to demonstrate these?

Kevin:
Yes, if you like, yes.

Anton:
As I call them out, you demonstrate them. So, you've got the trombone kicks. Excellent tromboning. Kicks in a circle, then you've got your basic jive, your underarm turn. That's an excellent under, turning under the arm, I like that, reverse turn. Your drunken sailors, when in Blackpool. Your kicks and step ball changes. Your twists, excellent, it makes my eyes go funny that step. Opening out, travelling twists, and the jive kicks. That was tremendous.

Rachel:
Lovely.

Anton:
Oh more kicks, lovely, and a big finish. Nice, what about that? What about that?

Rachel:
So, that's what happens when you put all of the choreographed steps in the right sequence, you get something that looks as beautiful as that.

Anton:
Now, I think for a bit of fun, we should mix it up a little bit, what do you reckon? Change the order.

Rachel:
Yeah, let's test it, let's see what they can really do.

Anton:
Shall we get, I think we need a couple of assistants to help us with the order change. Here we go, we've got Amber and Mia. Mia, Mia? Well done, nice to see you. Now, would you like to change the steps around for us?

Rachel:
So, pick up the moves and put them wherever you like along the staircase and we're gonna see what happens. So, you guys, no cheating, no looking.

Anton:
You're not allowed to look.

Rachel:
No helping, no prompting.

Anton:
Change as many as you like.

Rachel:
They can go in any order you like.

Anton:
Make it as difficult for them as you can, they're very talented. He's been in the final every year he's done the show, gets on me nerves.

Rachel:
Never tried choreography like this though has he?

Anton:
No, beautiful.

Rachel:
Are you, are you happy?

Anton:
I'm delighted.

Rachel:
One more, there we go. So, they're all in a completely random order that you've just decided right now. Okay, shall we give this a go, are you two ready?

Karen:
Yeah.

Rachel:
So, I'm going to shout out the moves and you just do exactly as I tell you.

Kevin:
Yeah.

Rachel:
Okay, right, let's start with twists.

Kevin:
Okay, we're already not facing each other, okay, so we'll just do them on our own.

Rachel:
It's already gone wrong, where's the underarm turn?

Kevin:
So, you have to go that way.

Karen:
I have to go this way, like that.

Rachel:
Kick step ball change.

Kevin:
Okay now we're in the wrong place.

Rachel:
Into jive kicks.

Karen:
Still in the wrong place.

Rachel:
Kicks in a circle.

Kevin:
Which one? Kicks in a circle.

Rachel:
Come on you're professionals, you can do this. Drunken sailors. Basic jive.

Anton:
Basic jive.

Rachel:
This is beautiful, onto travelling twists.

Kevin:
Travelling twists.

Karen:
I'm in the wrong place.

Rachel:
And then trombone kicks.

Kevin:
Which ones?

Anton:
Trombone.

Kevin:
Trombone kicks. Okay, we can do that, we can come back together.

Rachel:
Onto the reverse turn.

Kevin:
Reverse turn I have to come back this way.

Rachel:
And finally, opening out.

Kevin:
And then we're facing the back.

Anton:
Well that was, that was tremendous.

Rachel:
It was interesting, interesting.

Anton:
Nearly as slick but sort of not quite, but why did that go wrong? Even though they were exactly the same steps, why didn't that work quite as well.

Paul:
So, they're doing the same steps but the dance actually required the steps to be done in the right order and when you start moving the steps around, then it kind of goes wrong. You've got a completely different dance and part of the problem is you put them in a particular order because it leaves them moving from one into the next. And everything has got to be in the right order so that it matches up. And when you move things around, it doesn't so you end up with something that doesn't really work anymore. And the same goes with programmes. So, you've got to get the instructions in a programme in the right order. If you get any of them in the wrong order things end up not working the way you hoped they would.

Rachel:
So, just like Karen and Kevin here, they follow instructions to the T, just like a computer.

Paul:
So, what we're going to do now is actually take these volunteers and we're going to get them to act out an algorithm, so where it was there we were taking a dance and showing that it's a bit like an algorithm, now we're going to take an algorithm and try and turn it into a dance, just so we can see how it works.

Anton:
So, each of these children have got a number on their back and what you're going to do is you're going to show, show them how a computer might get them in order from the smallest to the largest number?

Paul:
Yes, so we're going to do a variation of a simple algorithm for sorting things. So, if you want to all do a spin, the first step of the dance, let's see what the numbers are so we can see.

Rachel:
We've got 9, 22, 14, 31, 37 I know all the numbers.

Anton:
She's good with numbers.

Paul:
So, they'll all in the wrong order and what we really want is to have the smallest at this end and the largest at that end. So, what we need is a set of instructions that we can follow, that will actually lead us to getting them in the right order. So, if you all want to spin back round again.

Rachel:
Excellent job so far guys.

Anton:
Excellent spinning.

Paul:
So, the way we're going to do this, is we've got a hat and cane, because you can't do this without a prop.

Anton:
You can't do anything without a hat and cane in life, I've found.

Paul:
And so what we're going to do is use this to indicate whose turn it is to do stuff. So, I'm going to give it to the first person and what we're going to do, I'll talk you through the basic steps first and then what we're going to have to do is repeat the basic steps over and over, but we'll see how that works. So, what are the steps? Basically, the person with the hat and the person next to them always are the ones who are doing stuff. So, the person with the hat and your partner, you step out and what you need to do is now do a spin, and this is so we can see the numbers. So, a computer if it's going to do an algorithm for sorting, it has got to do it by comparing numbers. And it can only compare two at once. So, we can't actually look at all of them, we can only compare a pair. And so, that's what we've got here, a pairing of numbers to compare. Now, we want the smallest at this end and the largest at that end. So, what we've got is a decision, with each pair we've got to decide are they in the right order, or not? So, this is where I need a volunteer-- sorry, the Audience: to help. Because we need you to shout out. If they're in the wrong order, we need you to shout swap, if they're in the right order then you can shout stay, okay? So, in this case, we've got 31 and 14, we want the smallest nearest me, so what do they need to do?

Audience:
Swap.

Paul:
So, the next step is you swap over and notice the hat has moved along and then you can step back into the line. Now, if they were actually in the right order, we wouldn't want them to swap, we'd want them to stay. And so then you'd shout stay and they would stay put but they would pass the hat on instead, so that the hat always moves along to the next position. And that's the first basic step and so now, we've got to keep doing that, but the hat and cane have actually now moved position. We now have moved on and so now it's the next pair that step out and we do the same thing again, you spin. Now, are they in the right order or the wrong order? Is it swap, or stay?

Audience:
Stay.

Paul:
So, they have to pass the hat, as they step back. That's it, the hat goes back and now we keep going, so the next two step out. And spin. And is that swap or stay?

Audience:
Swap.

Anton:
Stay.

Anton:
Sorry, I couldn't see, sorry.

Paul:
Shh.

Rachel:
Never listen to Anton.

Paul:
He's a bug in the programme. Anyway, the hat has moved on so now the next two step out and you spin and do they swap or stay?

Audience:
Swap.

Anton:
Swap.

Paul:
So, swap over, you're getting there, and then we step back.

Rachel:
So, we've gone all the way along the line.

Paul:
So, we've gone all the way along the line and compared them, so if we get everybody to spin around now, we'll see what we've ended up with.

Rachel:
Okay, so we're not any closer to being in order. How many times are we going to have to do this before it's right?

Paul:
So, just doing it once isn't enough, we've actually got to do it over and over again. And the number of times you've got to do it, is one less than the number of people you've got. Or, the number of numbers you've got to get in the order. So, we've got five people here, so we've actually got to do it four times in all. We've done it once, so actually we've got to do the whole thing three times over. So, if you want to spin back again.

Rachel:
So, we're good at this now, shall we do a speed round? Are you ready? Can you take the pressure, okay, Paul.

Paul:
So, the first thing is the hat has got to get back to the other end. Back to the first person so we start again and then you step out, and spin and–

Audience:
Stay.

Paul:
And step back but pass the hat on. And the next two step out and spin and–

Audience:
Swap.

Paul:
And step back.

Rachel:
Speed of light.

Paul:
Keep going, keep going, keep going. Out you come and–

Audience:
Swap.

Paul:
And back, doing brilliantly, next two.

Audience:
Stay.

Paul:
And back, so how many times have we done it? Twice, so we've got to keep going, the hat has ended up at the end. It has got to come all the way back to this end, pass it to the first person.

Rachel:
Even faster this time, we're really getting the hang of this.

Paul:
How fast can we do it? Out you come.

Rachel:
Forwards.

Anton:
Forwards.

Rachel:
Back.

Audience:
Stay.

Paul:
Pass the hat.

Rachel:
Pass the hat, next two. Forwards.

Audience:
Swap.

Rachel:
Swap, go back. Next two.

Audience:
Stay.

Rachel:
Go back, pass the hat. Next two.

Audience:
Stay.

Paul:
Pass the hat, no, we've improved the algorithm.

Rachel:
And hopefully we should have you all nicely sorted.

Paul:
And hopefully, keep going.

Rachel:
Even quicker.

Audience:
Swap.

Rachel:
Next two.

Paul:
And back.

Audience:
Stay.

Rachel:
Pass the hat. Next two.

Audience:
Stay.

Rachel:
Pass the hat and the last two. Are you ready for this?

Audience:
Stay.

Paul:
And pass the hat on. And when the hat has got back to that end, for that last time, hopefully they should now be sorted. And now I'm kind of a bit nervous here.

Rachel:
This is the big reveal.

Paul:
Shall we spin.

Anton:
Spin.

Rachel:
Spin.

Paul:
And hopefully.

Rachel:
Hey, look at that. 9, 14, 22, 31, 37.

Anton:
Well done. Well done.

Rachel:
Fantastic.

Anton:
Good coding. Excellent coding.

Rachel:
So, what we've just demonstrated is a bubble sort algorithm. If you want to learn more about how algorithms work, there are loads of resources on our website. Well done guys.

Rachel:
Please welcome data musician, Shelly Knotts.

Anton:
An expert. An expert.

Rachel:
Shelly, before we get started, I don't want to be rude. You're a data musician, what are you? What is that?

Shelly:
Okay, so a data musician is somebody who uses computers and also coding to make music with. And sometimes it involves a lot of numbers, maybe even a spreadsheet of numbers to generate sound with.

Rachel:
So, part musician, part mathematician. So, kind of–

Shelly:
Yeah, somewhere in the middle.

Rachel:
Like a mathemusician.

Anton:
Mathemusician.

Shelly:
I'm going to coin that.

Rachel:
Claimed.

Anton:
Tell us, what sort of music can you create using code?

Shelly:
Well, like any kind of instrument you can make whatever kind of music you want. So, it just depends what style of music you like.

Rachel:
Can you play us something?

Shelly:
I can indeed.

Rachel:
What's your request Anton?

Anton:
I'd like something by David Guetta.

Shelly:
Maybe something a little bit like that, let's see.

Anton:
You didn't think I'd know who he was, did you?

Shelly:
I can't make any promises.

Anton:
Has this got lyrics?

Shelly:
You can make up your own.

Anton:
Sing along, all together.

Rachel:
When you know the tune, hop along. No, so could you dance to this?

Anton:
You could do something to this.

Rachel:
A Viennese Waltz?

Anton:
I think you could do something, you might need an extra beat for a Viennese Waltz.

Rachel:
A rumba?

Anton:
A very nice rumba, might be a bit sort of contemporary, but I like it, I like the way you're thinking.

Rachel:
I could suggest this to the Strictly producers.

Anton:
Yeah, I think they would enjoy that, maybe a group dance.

Rachel:
Ann Widicombe, around the floor this would have been perfect.

Anton:
Kevin and Karen, we should do a three ball or something, the three of us.

Rachel:
So, all of this, Shelly this is created just with your computer, but you can actually use–

Shelly:
Yeah, so this is just made with code.

Rachel:
And you can use the micro bit, and the micro bit coding to create some as well, so can you give it a go?

Shelly:
Yeah, let's give it a try.

Anton:
Do you need a band, do you need a–

Shelly:
Yeah, I think I need some help.

Anton:
Shall we get the orchestra up? Can you turn up, cut the music for a second. How are you doing guys?

Rachel:
Right, so instead of instruments our band they're playing micro bits, is that right?

Shelly:
Yeah, that's right, so I've made a little programme with the micro bits which lets us use the micro bit to make sound with. So, what we're doing here is these micro bits have got a little accelerometer in them. Which tracks the motion, so if we hold the micro bit like this.

Rachel:
So, are they, so we've got four of them. Are they different instruments, or are they different sounds?

Shelly:
Yeah, it's like different instruments in a band. So, each one of them is playing a different part of the melody.

Rachel:
Lovely, okay.

Anton:
Different keys, or is it the same key?

Shelly:
So, all in the same key.

Anton:
And how many beats do they have, how many–

Shelly:
So, it's a four beat melody.

Rachel:
Four beat melody. Okay.

Shelly:
Like a pop song.

Anton:
Oh right, like a pop song.

Rachel:
Shall we start with you, shall we call you Ringo? I'll call you Ringo, if you could start with micro bit number one and just hold it still so we can see what it sounds like.

Shelly:
Yes, so if you just hold that flat like that and then I will run a little bit of code on my computer to get us started. And just turn that on now, oh, there we go.

Anton:
Well done.

Rachel:
That's the basic sound?

Shelly:
Yeah, so that's the basic sound ,so that's just playing the same note over and over again. But if we try tipping that forward.

Rachel:
Oh, the note changes.

Shelly:
So, it's going to add a different note in. And depending on which way you tip it, it's going to change one of the notes differently.

Rachel:
Okey dokey, lovely.

Anton:
You go side to side as well, yeah.

Rachel:
Shall we try Paul McCartney?

Anton:
Oh nice. The fab four.

Rachel:
I'm going a bit retro.

Anton:
It's a little retro for them, but I think they'll be with it.

Shelly:
Alright, I'll carry on. Okay, and then if we try number two we're going to get some different notes now.

Anton:
Nice. It's the rhythm section.

Rachel:
Now we need John. Oh that's loud. And George.

Shelly:
Okay and then if we just go back to number four.

Rachel:
Band member number four. So, that's just the accelerometers in the micro bit that's changing the tone?

Shelly:
Yeah, so it can track which way you're tipping it and it knows whether you're doing it forward or backwards or left or right.

Rachel:
Shall we put it all together and you guys are professional musicians, aren't you? So, we're expecting something pretty good.

Anton:
You can be creative.

Rachel:
Shall we put them all together and see what we've got?

Anton:
What if they shake them, will it make any difference if they shake them?

Shelly:
Yeah, if they shake them it's going to make something completely different, you have to shake it really hard.

Rachel:
Think Taylor Swift, it's a bit more modern. I should get her on the phone, get her on the phone quick.

Anton:
Think Taylor Swift playing Baroc music.

Rachel:
Can you imagine yourself dancing to this Anton?

Anton:
I reckon we could do something to this, you and I should do a show dance to this. Maybe at the end of the show.

Rachel:
Right, okay, well you choreograph, I'll just hold on.

Anton:
Okay, good luck with that.

Rachel:
That's all created just with the micro bit.

Shelly:
Yeah, so it's the music is made with micro bit and I'm just using my computer to amplify it.

Rachel:
Well, congratulations, I think you've got a number one hit there, in the bag.

Anton:
Well done guys.

Rachel:
Everyone a round of applause for our band.

Anton:
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.

Rachel:
Well thank you very much Shelly, you can stand down for now but we will be seeing you again towards the end of the lesson.

Anton:
Now, if you want to know how to create some sounds using your micro bit, just go to our website. Our worksheet shows how to alter the theme tune to Strictly, although I'm not sure they'll be thrilled. But why not try some different songs, or even one of your own?

Anton:
Now, it's not just dancing that makes Strictly the spectacle it is, as you can see lighting also helps to add drama and a bit of flare to the performance.

Rachel:
And an open shirt doesn't hurt, does it?

Anton:
An open shirt never hurts.

Rachel:
For 137 years Blackpool has been famous for its illuminations and nowadays digital art is big business. Lasers and lights are often use to create great effects, transforming the ordinary into the visually spectacular. Like some of these. Now, I'm very pleased to be welcoming the man who's responsible for these beautiful creations, please welcome Laurent Louyer from Creatmosphere to help us create some digital art of our very own.

Laurent:
Bonjour.

Anton:
Bonjour, bonjour. Bonjour.

Rachel:
Don't use all your French in one go Anton.

Anton:
Bonjour, I'm having a whole conversation. Bonjour. Now, Laurent, how do you go about turning light into art and how did you get started?

Laurent:
I got started because I think light is a medium that people understand and respond to. And there is so much technology now you can do endless projects, you can do so many things. So, I've been playing for, about what, 10 years, 12 years.

Rachel:
And of your 12 years, which is your favourite of your projects you've been involved with?

Laurent:
One of the projects I've done is using lasers on the West Pier in Brighton, everybody will recognise this. We've been using the carcass to do a kind of mapping, drawing on the carcass and people were just responding to that project.

Anton:
That is so impressive.

Rachel:
Spectacular, I wish we had that here today, but you are going to do some laser art with us, here in this ballroom, aren't you?

Laurent:
Absolutely, yes, I can use this to demonstrate the laser with the mircobit so you can actually do maybe the laser show and just press the different buttons.

Rachel:
Okay, so you have your laser display, it's going to be projected up there on our screen and if I start with the buttons.

Laurent:
You can see the shapes changing.

Anton:
Look at you, the power of the laser.

Rachel:
And then, so how is this working with the micro bit?

Laurent:
So, it's showing that this micro controller can actually, is connected to the micro bit.

Rachel:
A movement changing there.

Laurent:
Yes.

Rachel:
So, each one of these buttons is connected–

Laurent:
So, the micro bit is an interface and it has got different pins connected to the laser, so the laser, when you press the buttons, it goes through the micro bit. That sends a signal and then you have the different shapes, different colours, different sequences going on.

Rachel:
So, you were changing the colours and all sorts with those four individual pins on the micro bit?

Laurent:
That's correct.

Rachel:
That's fantastic but obviously only trained professionals should be using lasers because they are quite dangerous, aren't they? That's all, that's serious, but you can actually use the micro bit to create some digital art that our viewers and people at school can do for themselves in their classrooms, aren't you?

Laurent:
Absolutely, yes. If you use the micro bits pixels you could create your own animation.

Rachel:
Okay, so on this micro bit there's an array of 25 LEDs.

Laurent:
That's correct, yes.

Rachel:
You're going to tell us how to make an animation out of them.

Laurent:
Yes.

Rachel:
Sounds alright.

Anton:
Sounds good.

Laurent:
So, if you look here on the screen you have, we've created a sequence. We've got three, six frames that are single images. And each of the, each of the frames, you can design your own matrix.

Rachel:
Right and they can create any matrix they want, based on the array of 25?

Laurent:
Exactly, on the 25 LEDs.

Anton:
And you can have them as a continuous sequence as well, or just individual matrix?

Laurent:
Individual and then if you put a time sequence you could get the sequence to become like an animation. So, if I start pressing the button, then you're going to see the frames as single frames.

Rachel:
So, that's like, I guess the old school, when you draw a cartoon on your pad and you flick through. When you put a series of still images together, it looks like an animation.

Laurent:
And that becomes our animation.

Anton:
Look, you're spinning it as well. Can you write your name? Or can you write messages on there?

Laurent:
You can have a scrolling message if you wanted to.

Anton:
You can?

Laurent:
Yes, you can. If you use them as letters.

Rachel:
Well, all of you back at home can actually have a go at making your own images and animations using our worksheet on the website. And if you're a beginner, there's even one to show you how to make a very simple, two frame, animation using the block editor. If you compile and send your hex files to the [email protected] then hopefully we'll see some of them later on.

Anton:
Now, it's not just lasers though, is it Laurent? Almost anything can be made into digital art. I knew I wouldn't be able to say that.

Rachel:
Easy for you to say.

Laurent:
That's correct, we can see that on the balloons, if we press this button we can also control them.

Rachel:
So, via the micro bit those lights actually will change colour? There we go.

Anton:
Oh, look at that.

Rachel:
Look at that, green to red, to–are you colour blind Anton?

Anton:
I'm a bit colour blind, that's a lovely shade of green.

Rachel:
I'm sure we had some blue and purple there. And that was using the micro bit to programme which colours.

Laurent:
Yes, again, it's an interface, a micro controller that changes the balloon sequence.

Rachel:
And I don't want to be offensive, but sometimes circuits just with wires can be a little bit boring. You can make them a little bit more interesting for us can't you?

Laurent:
Yes, we can use the kind of a conductive–

Rachel:
If I just move you around, have a look at what you're doing.

Laurent:
And if you want to we can show how the micro bit is also a capacity sensor, conductive.

Rachel:
Right, well, I would never personally pick up an open wire and try anything out. I mean, you're a professional, so you know what you're doing, you know it's safe. But just for safety I'm going to let Anton take this one.

Anton:
That's probably wise.

Laurent:
So, we can show, you can see what's going on.

Anton:
We're going to create light?

Laurent:
Yes.

Anton:
I like, we're going to create light.

Rachel:
Create light with your body, I always knew the sun shined-- no.

Laurent:
And then.

Anton:
And then touch.

Laurent:
Touch.

Rachel:
It turns on these lights here?

Laurent:
Yes.

Anton:
Look what we're doing, look, look, look, hang on.

Rachel:
So, you can replace the wire with Anton?

Laurent:
Absolutely, he is conductive.

Anton:
I'm conductive.

Laurent:
You're capacitive.

Anton:
I'm a conductive, conductor.

Rachel:
Congratulations.

Anton:
Thank you very much, I feel very good about myself.

Rachel:
You're not the only thing around here that's conductive. The micro bit is also touch capacitative, so you'll be able to recreate your own human circuit experiment. There's a worksheet on our website showing you how and remember before attempting any form of human circuit, or experimenting with anything electrical, please check that there's a responsible adult who understands electronics to make sure you don't get hurt. That's a very serious point, don't ever try anything like this at home for yourselves.

Rachel:
Now, I remember from my time on Strictly that some times the costumes got just as much attention as the dancers themselves.

Anton:
Well, some of them were very spectacular, I remember some of the ones you wore were particularly fabulous.

Rachel:
They were my finest part.

Anton:
It's all part of the glitz and glamour and they also help to tell the story of the dance that you're performing. But did you know, the computer science is now being used to take things just a step further and you can even use the micro bit to customise your own clothes.

Rachel:
You can?

Anton:
You can, indeed.

Rachel:
I'm intrigued, can you tell me more?

Anton:
I can, I'm very pleased about that because next, our next guest is going to tell us a lot more about it. Please welcome from Atronics, Aziz Razuul. Give him a round of applause. Aziz, nice to see you Aziz.

Rachel:
Nice to meet you.

Anton:
How are you?

Aziz:
I'm very well thank you.

Anton:
Good to see you now, what is Atronics and what do you do?

Aziz:
So, Atronics is a brand which is inspired by science fiction. And so what we do is we really combine arts, crafts and science and sort of shake it all around and produce funky maker workshops and kits for curious minds.

Rachel:
Yeah, so it's all about getting creative with your coding?

Aziz:
Absolutely, having fun, tinkering and playing around.

Anton:
It's all about, it's always just about experimenting.

Aziz:
Absolutely.

Anton:
Just have a go. You've been using the micro bit to up-cycle some every day bits of clothing and I believe you've got something a little bit special for our Rachel.

Aziz:
Well, indeed we do. So, what we've done here is and this is something that you can do at home, very easy, you've always got some kind of glove lying around that's not got its partner. You find one of those and with a micro bit and an LED you can then combine these things and transform it into some kind of wearable, technological fashion device. So, if you would be so kind to–

Rachel:
Is this for me?

Aziz:
Yes, please.

Rachel:
It's like a strange adaptation of Cinderella. Does the glove fit, hang on, hang on.

Anton:
And you will go to the ball.

Rachel:
Where's my prince? So, I've got the glove, so this is the micro bit.

Aziz:
That's right, so that's the micro bit, it has been attached with a piece of Velcro. And what we have is, we have a ring of seven LED's which have been stitched on with some conductive thread.

Rachel:
So, a bit of high tech mixed with a bit of low tech?

Aziz:
That's right and so what I'll do now is, I'll just put this battery here and your power.

Rachel:
Plug her in.

Anton:
Just for a bit of juice.

Aziz:
Yep. And there you go.

Rachel:
I have a sparkly ring, look at that.

Anton:
How does it work?

Rachel:
That's beautiful.

Aziz:
So, how this works, what's happening here is coding is like a bit of a conversation. Yes, a nice hello message which tells you, the micro bit is saying, 'I'm alive.' And coding it really is a conversation, so it's saying, 'Would you be so kind to send a message to the LEDs, pick one of them at random and give it a colour.' And let it flash that colour for a certain amount of time and do that for all of them. And that's how coding works, it's blocks of language coming together and in a touch development environment it's really easy because you've got the different colours and the blocks, so you can start to grip of the syntax.

Rachel:
And this as you say is just programmed to flash randomly but as I move there's an accelerometer in there, is there?

Aziz:
Well, the next thing is–

Rachel:
You've taken it further?

Aziz:
Yes we have, so what we have inside the micro bit is very much like your smart phone, it has a tilt sensor it has other detecting devices and functions. So in this guy we have, if you press button B.

Anton:
Shall I press it?

Rachel:
Press away. So, it's gone to green.

Aziz:
It's gone to green and now if you move your hand around, you can see–

Rachel:
It's changing colour and oh wow, I've got the battery out. Isn't that clever? What do you think Anton?

Anton:
I think that's spectacular.

Rachel:
Would you wear one of those?

Anton:
I'd wear two of those in the traditional way.

Rachel:
Well, we can probably sort that out. What do you reckon?

Aziz:
So, what's happening with the conversation of code is this time we're saying to the micro bit, can you switch on the accelerometer which is a motion detector and every time you detect a motion for this distance and this direction, change the colours. And then the other way again, so again, coding is all about language–

Anton:
Just instructions.

Aziz:
Instructions, that's right yes.

Rachel:
Yes, and you can find some of those instructions yourselves. You can learn to make one of these at home, using another one of our worksheets on the website. Clever.

Anton:
Now, very clever, now it doesn't have to be just a glove, we've got Kyla in our audience who is modelling a t-shirt and a shoe using exactly the same principle. Excellent modelling, look at that.

Rachel:
She's a professional, she's done that before.

Anton:
Foot manoeuvring, I like that.

Rachel:
Aziz, you and your team at Artronics, you've taken this to the next level, haven't you? I mean, this is the elephant in the room.

Aziz:
Indeed it is, yes. This is an inspiration by Jim, my partner, and he and I have really crafted this, it's a hand crafted couture of the fashion digital world.

Rachel:
Couture dancers outfit.

Aziz:
Indeed.

Rachel:
I think she might need to wear something underneath actually.

Anton:
Do you know, I don't think the fake tan will be enough, I've got to be honest with you.

Rachel:
I would agree.

Aziz:
We've got over 600 LED's, all been hand stitched in. And we have the micro bit which is running the entire dress and it's–

Rachel:
Can we see, that's the all important part?

Aziz:
Yes, let me just cover it up.

Anton:
So, how is it effected, with the micro bit, how is it effecting the lights?

Rachel:
Look at that.

Anton:
That's tremendous.

Aziz:
So, what we have here is the micro bit is now using the accelerometer and if I tap it, like that, you see it's now rotating and if I do the other side it goes the other way around.

Anton:
So, as the dancer moves, different shapes, different positions, spins the lights flash.

Aziz:
Exactly, yes and the dress is called Joules and the Joules is not the jewels of diamonds, it's the joules of electricity, joules. J- O-U-L-E-S,.

Rachel:
I think you should get yourself one of those jackets.

Anton:
I'm going to have one of them, can you knock me one up? Maybe in a cerise? With some flashing lights.

Rachel:
Next time you need to distract from your partner.

Anton:
So, next year then, I'd have one of them.

Rachel:
Well, it looks impressive on a mannequin, but I bet it will look even more amazing on a real dancer.

Anton:
Thank you very much, I'll pop it on later.

Rachel:
Well, yes, we do have one of the best in the world with us today, but I'm not talking about you Anton. Your hips would never get into that bad boy. I am talking about Karen Clifton.