Teaching with Neopixels
The Rainbow project is our first Python-programmable kit for the classroom in the Vanguard series. With time and confidence you can source complete kits wholesale for below £5.75 BSP, with an estimated 7 minutes of preparation time per kit for soldering, crimping and software. For orientation, watch our introductory video.
For convenience VGKits.co.uk sources and ships prepared kits ready-to-go for £12.00. This covers our shipping and preparation costs to flash with our software, solder and crimp on a cost-plus-100% pricing model. Buying kits supports the production of further online resources. If you have already bought a kit, visit the Vanguard Rainbow getting started page for next steps.
The project incorporates the following (click on the item name for wholesale purchasing)…
- NodeMCU-M – £3.00 BSP wifi-enabled Python3-programmable ESP8266 microcontroller board, (buy from us with VGkits’ Micropython firmware and libraries preflashed for £6.50 incl VAT)
- 8 ‘neopixel’ LEDs – £0.90 BSP RGB strip to control a rainbow of colors from Python, (buy from us with pins pre-soldered for £2.75 incl VAT)
- USB A to USB MicroB -£0.82 BSP ‘phone charging’ cable for communication or 5V power from a laptop or mains charger (buy from us £2 incl VAT).
- Female ‘Jumper’ wires – £0.28 BSP 2.54mm ‘dupont’ wires to connect the computer to the lights (buy from us £0.75 incl VAT)
Optionally, you can order…
- 4xAA battery pack – £0.75 BSP for untethered deployment, (buy from us with jumpers pre-crimped for £2.50 incl VAT)
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