pedometer

The Project

This project is a wireless pedometer system built using two BBC microbit devices. One microbit acts as the wearable pedometer, tracking steps using its onboard accelerometer. The second microbit acts as a base station or display unit. The two devices communicate using the microbit’s built-in radio feature, sending step data wirelessly in real time. This allows the user to monitor their physical activity on a separate screen without needing to check the wearable device directly. What Inspired It: The inspiration came from fitness trackers and the desire to explore how simple microcontrollers like the microbit can replicate such real-world applications. We were curious about how wireless communication can enhance everyday health and fitness tools, especially for young learners or in schools with limited resources. Challenges Faced: One of the biggest challenges was filtering out false step counts caused by random hand movements. We had to fine-tune the code to detect real walking patterns accurately. Another challenge was ensuring reliable radio communication between the two microbits, especially when the devices were further apart or in different rooms. Learning how to balance sensitivity and stability in both step detection and wireless transmission was key to making the project work smoothly.

View this project on YouTube